All 3 & 4 year olds are entitled to 15 hours per week over 38 weeks and some children are entitled to 30 hours. You can find out more about the different session times below.  

If you would like to request a space you can fill in this form - click here

Parents who work may be eligible to claim 30 hours free childcare. You can visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk to apply for the 30 hours. 

Funded places start from the term following their 3rd birthday until children reach compulsory school age (the beginning of the term following their 5th birthday).

This means that if their birthday is during the period April to August they can access their free funded sessions from the following September; if their birthday is during the period September to December they can access their free funded sessions from the following January; and if born during the period January to March they can access their free funded sessions after the Easter break in April. 

If you would like to visit to have a look around our nursery and see what we can offer then just get in touch with us by phone (01427 811610) or email (enquiries@gainsborough-nur.lincs.sch.uk)  and we will arrange a time to show you around that suits you. Or you can fill in this online form

As we are a school, we do ask that you do fully commit the entirety of your child’s 15 or 30-hour funding to us; we are unable to split these core hours with other settings or providers. 

If you need more than your allocated 15 or 30-hours then that is absolutely fine. Any additional sessions are charged at £6 per hour and these can be paid for with childcare vouchers, via tax-free childcare or by cash or cheque.  

Please note that as we are a school we are only open during the term time and we close during school holidays.

Our Weekly Learning Rhythm & Attendance

At our maintained nursery school, we plan our learning on a weekly cycle. This helps children enjoy a wide range of experiences — from developing early literacy and maths skills to building confidence, independence and friendships.

We know family life can be busy, and we are proud to offer a flexible attendance pattern to support our community. However, we want to be open with families about what works best for children’s learning and development.

To help your child get the most from nursery, we recommend:

• 15-hour children: Attending every morning, Monday–Friday
• 30-hour children: Attending 8:30am – 2:30pm every day

Children who attend every day often:

⭐ Experience the full range of the week’s learning activities
⭐ Build strong, secure friendships with their peers
⭐ Feel part of the group and more confident in routines
⭐ Make greater progress in communication, social skills and independence
⭐ Settle more quickly and feel more emotionally secure
⭐ Enjoy a consistent pattern that supports school readiness

Of course, if you need to use your hours more flexibly, that’s absolutely fine — we understand every family is different. We simply want to let you know that because our planning runs weekly, children who attend fewer days might miss some planned activities or experiences.

Thank you for working with us to help your child grow, learn and thrive. We are here to support your family and give your child the very best start to their learning journey.

The sessions available are:

3 and 4 Year Olds

7.30-8.30am - Breakfast Club (1 Hour)
8.30-11.30am - Morning Session (3 Hours)
8.30-2.30pm - Full Day Session (6 Hours)
2.30-3.30pm -  Afterschool Club Hour 1 (1 Hour)
3.30-4.30pm - Late Afterschool Club Hour 2 (1 Hour)

4.30-5.15pm - Extended Afterschool Club