School Nurseries

We have 31 nurseries as part of our primary schools. All of our settings will operate one of two models:

• 38 weeks a year

• 48 weeks a year

As nurseries do not operate catchment areas (unlike schools), parents can choose from any local authority setting offering the model they would prefer. Alternatively you can choose to take your funded hours with a funded provider, childminder or a blend of these options. This, along with the ability to choose provision that will run throughout the traditional school holiday periods, offers greater flexibility.

38 Week Settings

Children will attend longer days Monday to Thursday (6.5 hours) and Friday mornings (4 hours) during term times only - you can view the calendar online. A snack and lunch will be provided free of charge. 

48 Week Settings

Children will attend longer days (9.5 hours per day) either Monday and Tuesday and alternate Fridays, or Wednesday and Thursday and alternate Fridays. Hours will continue throughout the year except Christmas holidays and in-service days/ public holidays - you can view the calendar online. A snack and lunch will be provided free of charge. 

The 48 week model has been calculated to accommodate any closures on a Friday/Monday due to public holidays with the hours being divided across the full year. This means that each child will receive their full entitlement of hours regardless of the days they attend.  offering the 38 week mode

Blended Placements in Council settings

What this will look like will depend on whether you are attending a council setting for 38 or 48 weeks per year.

• For children attending 38 weeks - you would receive three full days (6.5 hours per day) at your council setting, and one 10 hour day with a funded provider over 40 weeks – either a partner nursery, childminder or playgroup.

• For children attending 48 weeks - you would receive two full days (9.5 hours per day) at your council setting, and up to 230 hours per year with a funded provider – either a partner nursery, childminder or playgroup. This would mean 23 x 10 hour days across the year or x 4.5 hours per week across the year. Some funded providers will offer different funding models, please contact them direct to find out the model offered before making your decision.

East Lothian Council’s model of funded blended placements cannot make adjustments for individual circumstances. The funded models offered are in line with the Scottish Government guidance which states that although funding follows the child this does not however, mean unfettered choice for parents.  There is no expectation that local authorities or any individual provider will tailor bespoke packages for every individual child.

If you would like to request a blended placement from August 2021, please refer to the blended models above, discuss this with your current funded provider and arrange to complete the necessary funding paperwork with them. 

Once the blended placement has been agreed and the funding paperwork submitted (or your child has started attending their funded placement) no change can be made to this placement during that term.

Placement changes will only be considered in exceptional circumstances such as a house move to another town or village outwith the funded provider's cluster.

Funded Nurseries

East Lothian has a number of funded nurseries offering early learning and childcare from infants to pre-school age children.

We work with a number of Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) nursery settings who provide high quality early learning and childcare on behalf of the council. The following funded providers offer 1140 hours within their nurseries. Parents should contact the individual provider for full details on how 1140 hours operates in their setting.

Click each nursery for contact details.

Musselburgh

• Almond Park

• Links Nursery

• First Step Community Project, Musselburgh

• Musselburgh Nature Kindergarten

• Musselburgh Private Nursery at Bridge Street

• Musselburgh Private Nursery at Stoneybank

Prestonpans

• Camperdown Nursery

• Seahorse Nursery

Tranent

• Argyle Bridge Children's Nursery at Bridge Street

• Argyle Bridge Children's Nursery at Haddington Road

Haddington

North Berwick area

Dunbar

• Cherrytrees Private Nursery

If you are an Early Learning and Childcare setting who are interested in going into partnership with East Lothian Council, you can click here for more information on how to do this. 

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