Pre school and childcare

Choosing the right place for your child can feel quite daunting, especially in a large city where there is a wide range of options available.

The City of Edinburgh Council has a number of nursery schools and nursery classes based in primary schools across the city. It also operates one under 5s centre, 11 child and family centres and two early years centres.

There are currently 116 partner provider centres – these include private, workplace or community-run nurseries and playgroups, as well as independent schools, all commissioned by the Council's Children and Families Department to provide quality pre-school education and registered and inspected by the Scottish Care Commission and HMIE.

See more information about Edinburgh's Early Years and Nursery Schools.

Further information

Downloads

• Pre-school education in Edinburgh (PDF) - booklet for parents and carers
• Nursery application form (Word) (for local authority nurseries only)
• Is Your Child Ready For Primary School? (PDF) - advice for parents and carers who feel their child would benefit from an extra year at nursery

Early Years Strategy and Action Plan

The Early Years Strategy and Action Plan for Children and Families is the start of the journey towards delivering the ambitions within the National Early Years Framework. The Vision, Values and Aims of this strategy complement the national document and the Action Plan sets out some of the steps required to ensure our Early Years settings are able to deliver increasingly flexible services to meet the changing needs of children and families.

Edinburgh Childcare Information Service

Edinburgh's Childcare Information Service is a free, impartial service which provides you with information on registered childcare.

Birth to Three Framework

The Birth to Three framework aims to support those working with children aged 0-3 years in the City of Edinburgh Council, partner provider nurseries, playgroups, voluntary organisations and childminders.

Day Care

The purpose of the Council's Day Care service is to give support to children and families when most needed by offering respite, and advice on parenting, child development, routines
and wellbeing. More information is available from the Day Care Service leaflet (PDF).

Working For Families

Working For Families helps parents and carers to access employment, training or education by providing additional support, in particular childcare solutions.