18 February 2019
The deadline for applications for children starting a school nursery in September 2019 is Friday 1 March. To be eligible for a place, children must turn four during the academic year from 1 September 2019 to 31 August 2020.
Parents who registered their interest at a school nursery will be sent an application form or it can be found online at www.gov.je. Parents may request up to three schools but only need to complete one application and return it to their first choice school. Getting a place in a school nursery does not mean a child will have priority for that school's reception class the following year.
Parents can apply for a place in any of the school nursery classes. Places are not allocated according to catchment area as only 20 of the 22 schools have a nursery class. From September 2019, St Luke’s School will be opening a nursery class.
Most places are allocated according to the date of application but specific needs of children are also taken into account which is based on the following criteria:
• children suspected of being at risk (or for whom safeguarding is a concern);
• children with social, educational, physical or emotional needs (e.g. medical conditions, disability or health needs);
• children from families with particular needs (e.g. brothers or sisters with special needs, multiple births, parental illness, night shift workers);
• children with brothers and sisters at the school;
• time between date of birth and date of application.
School nurseries will write to all parents in early March to offer places. Parents are asked to inform the school if, at any time, they no longer need the place they have been offered.
If a private nursery or pre-school is more suitable, parents can contact them directly to arrange a place. These children will still receive 20 hours of free nursery education during term time, funded by the Government’s Nursery Education Fund, and extra hours can be purchased.
All providers taking part are registered under the terms of the Day Care of Children (Jersey) Law, 2002. For a full list of NEF nurseries please visit www.jcct.org.je.
gov.je