Families with children

Families with Children

The sections below provide further information on arrangements for childcare and education in the UK.

Childcare

Childcare - Pre-School Children (age 0 to 4 years) and out of school hours

Nurseries (0-4year olds)

Nurseries provide childcare throughout the calendar year. Each nursery has its own working hours which are typically between the hours of 7.30am/ 8am – 6pm.

Nurseries accept pre-school children from as young as a few weeks old. The exact age varies from nursery to nursery.

Nurseries are popular so there is often a waiting list for a place. It is advisable to apply for a nursery place as early as possible.

At Keele we are fortunate to have our own state-of-the-art, purpose-built nursery for children from 12 weeks to school age. Situated on the campus it offers 128 places daily for Students, Staff and Community Users

Additionally, the Klub House runs to provide care for children from school age to 12 years during school holidays

Keely Day Nursery offers childcare between the hours of 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday.

Further information can be found on the Keele Day Nursery webpages. Please complete the application form to apply for a place.

There is a wide range of other nurseries available in the local area and you should find one that meets your needs. Nurseries can often have waiting lists and it is therefore important that you contact your preferred nursery to put your child’s name on the waiting list. Details of day nurseries by area can be found here.

Childminders

Childminders will care for your child in their own home and tend to work on a self-employed basis. Childminders may offer flexible hours of care that may be less restrictive than those offered by nursery.

It is a legal requirement for a childminder to be registered and inspected by Ofsted.

You can search for a list of registered childminders in your area here.

Pre-schools

Pre-schools tend to be based on school sites or in Community Centres and most are only open during school term-times. The opening hours and fees vary, with may pre-schools offering morning or afternoon sessions or both. You can search for a list of pre-schools in your area here.

Childcare at your home

You can employ a nanny, au pair or a babysitter to provide childcare in your own home. Nannies, au pairs and babysitters are not required to register with Ofsted, however it is recommended you select a registered provided

Funding childcare

Ofsted

Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education and Child Services and Skills) are an independent regulator that inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people, and those providing education and skills for learners of all ages. They produce a report on all facilities that they inspect and these are available on the Ofsted website.

Schools (age 4 to 18 years)

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