The main types of childcare provider
Maintained nursery schools and classes
Maintained nurseries are delivered by the local authority and provide high-quality early education, usually through the school day, during term time.
- Maintained nursery school is a standalone school focused on early years nursery education usually offering places for children from two years to school aged. Some sites in Warwickshire also operate provision for children under the age of two years old. The school has a headteacher, governing body, and qualified teaching team as specified by the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are inspected by Ofsted under the same regulations as primary schools.
- Maintained nursery class is a nursery class that is part of a primary school and is integrated into the school's structure with the class led by a qualified teacher. The class runs as part of the whole school and Ofsted inspection is recorded as part of the whole school’s outcomes.
Both maintained nursery schools and maintained nursery classes:
- Follow the Early years foundation stage (EYFS) curriculum
- Offer a school-based structure.
- Offers places during school operating times and sometimes for additional hours outside of the standard school day.
- Offer funded hours for eligible families, including Universal hours for three and four year old children, working parent entitlement hours and in some cases places for funded two year olds. Find out more about funded hours at Best Start in Life
Day nurseries
Day nurseries:
- care for children from six weeks to five years old
- are open for a continuous period of four hours or more
- opening hours tend to be 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday
- costs vary between each nursery
- some have an out of school club/holiday scheme for school-aged children
- most offer free early education to two, three, and four-year-olds
You must contact the nursery directly to check that their service meets your childcare needs.
Pre-schools
Pre-schools offer educational play sessions for children aged two and three quarters to five-year-olds. Morning and afternoon sessions can last for up to four hours. Costs can vary between each pre-school and some offer free early education for three and four-year-olds.
Childminders
Childminders:
- are self-employed to work from their own home
- care for children from six weeks old to eight years and older if required
- offer flexible opening hours
- costs vary
- may offer a school drop-off and collection service
- offer free early education for eligible two, three and four-year-olds
Nannies
The role of a nanny is to care for a child or children in their own home. Nannies can provide a range of domestic tasks as well as providing care. Typical tasks can include preparing meals, tidying the home and driving the child or children to and from school or events such as appointments or classes.
Nannies usually work for one family and tend to become a close member of the household. They take responsibility for the wellbeing of the children within that household.
Nannies may be live-in or live-out.
A nanny can be employed by an agency, in which case you would be paying the agency. Alternatively, you could employ a private nanny. In this case you would be responsible as their employer.
Nannies will usually provide one to one care for the child or children within one household and their hourly charge will usually be higher than for regular nursery or childminder fees.
Nannies are generally not Ofsted registered. To get help with your childcare costs, the nanny would need to have registered with Ofsted on the voluntary part of the childcare register.
We do not recommend, endorse or promote specific nannies or home child carers. For more information, you will need to contact a nanny or childcare agency on the understanding that they have not been verified or approved by us. Parents and carers are responsible for ensuring that they are satisfied with the safeguards offered by the provider.