Beechdale Nursery School is a pre-school setting and provides nursery education for children who are 3 to 4 years old. We offer 15 hours of free Nursery education to all 3 to 4 year olds and the option of an additional 15 hours of free childcare to eligible families subject to availability.  We accept children into Nursery class from the term after the child’s 3rd birthday.  For more information about Nursery admissions and session availability, please contact the school office.

Paid places are charged at £20 per session, please contact the school office for further information.

Apply for a place at Beechdale

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What is my entitlement?

All three and four year olds and some two year olds in England are currently entitled to free, part-time early learning, care and development. Find out if your child will qualify for the free entitlement and how to apply by visiting the Durham County Council website.

Changes to nursery and pre-school childcare

The March 2023 budget announced changes to help parents to return to work, or increase their working hours, following parental leave. This includes providing increased funded childcare for eligible parents with children aged nine months to four years.

The changes started from April 2024 and are being gradually introduced to allow childcare providers to prepare. The table below shows current entitlement, along with dates when the new entitlement will start.

Timeframe	What three to four year olds get	What two year olds get	What children nine to 23 months get
Now	All get 15 hours - see 15 hours funded childcare for three and four year olds, or 30 hours if eligible - see Funded childcare for working parents	15 hours if eligible - see Funded childcare sessions for two year olds (Play and Learn) 15 hours for eligible working families. Visit The Best Start in Life parent hub to find out more and apply.	15 hours for eligible working families. Visit The Best Start in Life parent hub to find out more and apply.
From September 2025	All get 15 hours - see 15 hours funded childcare for three and four year olds, or 30 hours if eligible - see Funded childcare for working parents	30 hours if eligible	30 hours if eligible

School Admission Arrangements – Durham County Council

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Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) – School Admissions

The majority of children with Special Educational Needs can be supported at any nursery school, nursery unit or Early Years setting.

Nursery provision is also available in certain Special Schools. Support for individual pupils is determined by Durham Local Authority through Education, Health and Care Assessment. The Durham Local Authority Admissions criteria stipulate that children are offered a Nursery place according to their age.  However, children identified with Special Educational Needs are given priority irrespective of when they have their third birthday.

If you feel that your child has additional needs that we need to consider and that may entitle them to be given priority during the admission process, please let us know when you submit their application form.

Further information, including the School Admission Policy, SEN Policy and Equal Opportunities Policy can be found in the policies section of our website.