We warmly welcome new children into our Nursery and are able to accept children from the term after their third birthday.
We have a 60 place nursery setting, with 30 places running from 8.45am to 11.45am, Monday to Friday ('15 hours free childcare') and 30 places running in the afternoon 12.30pm to 3.30pm ('15 hours free childcare')
Note that funding for 3-year olds is not available until the term after a child's third birthday.
30 Hours Free Childcare for 3 and 4 Year Olds
To find out if you are eligible for the 30 hours provision, go to the government's Childcare Choices website.
For parents eligible for, and wishing to take up, the 30 hours provision,
What if I am not eligible for 30 Hours Free Childcare?
If you do not meet the 30 hour entitlement criteria, your child can still access lunchtime or additional sessions on the following, paid for, basis:
Payment will need to be made in advance of the sessions and booked for half a term in advance.
Please send your child in with a packed lunch.
Don't worry if you missed our open days, which were held in November. The Headteacher, Mrs Khangura and EYFS lead Mrs Balaban, are happy to offer school tours for individual families, so please just get in touch and we will arrange a mutually convenient date and time.
You can get a taste of life at The Leys Nursery & Primary School by taking a look at our school website, which gives a brief snapshot of a day in the life of the school. You can read more about the nursery curriculum (the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework) in our Curriculum page. Or, have a look at the Nursery's class page to meet the teacher and find out more about the topics we teach.
If you have any further questions or would like to discuss the school further, please contact us on 01438 314148 or email admin@leys.herts.sch.uk.
The Local Authority Education Department produces an information pack which informs parents how to apply for a Nursery place and this is distributed through the Health Trusts via your child being registered with a local doctor.
Attendance at Nursery does not mean an automatic place in our Reception class. There is a separate admissions process for children of statutory school age, which is administered by Hertfordshire County Council.
We manage our own admissions process for Nursery.
Under the normal admissions timeline, parents are invited to apply directly to the school for their child’s Nursery place in the spring before the academic year that their child turns 4. The academic year runs from September to August.
However, from April 2024, we are able to accommodate children the term after their third birthday.
Our Application Form can be downloaded from the link below.
Please return the completed form by email to admin@leys.herts.sch.uk, or post to The Leys Nursery & Primary School, Ripon Road, Stevenage, Herts, SG1 4QZ or hand in to the school office.
If you are unable to print the form at home, please call the school office on 01438 314148 and we would be happy to print one for you.
In the event of the school being over-subscribed, nursery places will be allocated according to the school’s admission rules below.
Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs which names the school will be allocated a place in accordance with section 324 of the Education Act 1996. Schools must admit children with an EHC (Education, Health and Care) Plan that names the school.
Children looked after and children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order).
A “child looked after” is a child who is
a) in the care of a local authority, or
b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (section 22(1) of The Children Act 1989)
Adopted – under the terms of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (section 46) The Adoption and Children Act was not enacted until December 2005, therefore children adopted before December 2005 are not eligible.
Residence Order – under the terms of the Children Act 1989, section 8 defines a residence order as an order settling the arrangements to be made as to the person with whom the child is to live.
Special guardianship order – under 14A of The Children Act 1989, an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian or guardians.
Children in the process of being placed for adoption are classified by law as children looked after providing there is a Placement Order.
Children who have a sibling at the school at the time of application, unless the sibling is in the last year of the normal age-range of the school (Year 6).
A sibling is defined as children who live as brother or sister in the same house, including natural brothers or sisters, adopted siblings, stepbrothers or sisters and foster brothers and sisters.
Children with a parent who is a current employee at The Leys Primary & Nursery School with at least two years service at the time of application. A parent means the mother, father, step-mother or step-father of the child and in every case living at the same permanent address as the child.
Children who take up their 30 hours entitlement.
Any other children, on a 'first come, first served' basis..
There are now many options available to parents in relation to childcare. For further details on what these options are please visit the new Childcare Choices Website (https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/) set up by HMRC. This also gives information about the new Tax-Free Childcare scheme and includes a childcare calculator so you can compare your different options. You can also register to receive emails about the new childcare schemes available at: https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/childcare-schemes-interest/welcome
Access the website https://childcare-support.tax.service.gov.uk/par/app/applynow which will take you through a set of questions, taking around 20 minutes. Before you start you will need the following information:
Once you have your 30 hours code beginning with the digits 500xxxxxxx you will be able to bring it into school with your child’s DOB, their NHS number and your National Insurance number and register with us.
If you have any further questions or queries, please do not hesitate in contacting us and we will do our very best to answer your questions.
If you would like to use childcare vouchers to pay for extra sessions, please contact us on 01438 314148 to discuss.
If you receive childcare vouchers from another provider please contact us on 01438 314148 to discuss.
‘The nursery has been so supportive in helping settle my child. As a parent, I couldn’t be happier or ask for any more from all of the staff’.
March 2024
‘Fabulous school, amazing staff, cared for children.’
March 2024‘
perfect and professional services. Staff take their time to listen and attend to parents and children and that gives us the assurance that children are in good hands’.
March 2024
‘Children in the early years settle quickly into school routines. The school has carefully designed opportunities for children to develop their language, communication, and mathematical knowledge. For example, children discuss how to measure a worm and why it reduces and extends in length. Children enjoy learning with their peers across the different activities. This develops important social skills that help to prepare them well for future learning@. (March 2024)