Funded, part time, early years education is available from the term following a child’s 3rd birthday. This is sometimes called Rising 3’s or Foundation Learning.
This is a very important phase in your child’s life. It lays the building blocks for their future learning and their physical, and emotional development. This is why nursery education is part of Curriculum for Wales. You can find out more about Early Years Education in Wales and how it is delivered in this guide produced by the Welsh Government.
Curriculum for Wales – Nursery education for 3 and 4 year olds: A guide for parents and carers
You can apply for either a school nursery place or an early years education place in an approved childcare setting if your child’s 3rd birthday is between 1 September and 31 March. If your child’s 3rd birthday falls outside of these dates, you can only apply for a school nursery place.
The table below shows when that place will be available for your child.
| Child’s 3rd Birthday | When can my child access their early years education place? |
| 1 September to 31 December | The beginning of term on or after 1st January (Spring and Summer terms) |
| 1 January to 31 March | The beginning of term on or after 1st April (Summer term only) |
| 1 April to 31 August | The beginning of term on or after 1st September (School based Nursery only) |
Your child is entitled to a minimum of 10 hours per week of Early Years Education setting which can be:
Note: During the academic year of your child’s 4th birthday, early years education is only available in a school setting.
The following table shows the schools in the county borough currently offering Early Years Education places for January, April and September 2025.
| School | Jan-25 | Apr-25 | Sep-25 |
| Aberbargoed Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Abercarn Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bedwas Infants | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blackwood Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bryn Awel Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bryn Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cefn Fforest Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Coed-Y-Brain Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Crumlin High Level Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cwm Glas Infants School | No | No | No |
| Cwm Ifor Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cwmaber Infants School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cwmcarn Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cwmfelinfach Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cwrt Rawlin Primary School | No | No | Yes |
| Deri Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Derwendeg Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fleur-De-Lys Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fochriw Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gilfach Fargoed Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Glyn-Gaer Primary School | No | No | Yes |
| Graig-Y-Rhacca Primary And Nursery Community | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Greenhill Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hendre Infants School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hendredenny Park Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hengoed Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Idris Davies School 3 to 18 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Libanus Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Llanfabon Infants School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Machen Primary School | No | No | Yes |
| Maesycwmmer Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Markham Primary | No | No | Yes |
| Nant Y Parc Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pantside Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Park Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pengam Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Penllwyn Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pentwynmawr Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Phillipstown Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Plasyfelin Primary School | No | No | Yes |
| Pontllanfraith Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rhiw Syr Dafydd Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rhydri Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Risca Primary | No | No | Yes |
| St Gwladys Bargoed School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| St Helens Rc Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| St James Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tiryberth Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Trinant Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Trinity Fields School | No | No | No |
| Twyn Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ty Isaf Infants School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ty Sign Primary School | No | No | Yes |
| Tynewydd Primary School. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tyn-y-Wern Primary | No | No | Yes |
| Upper Rhymney Primary School | No | No | Yes |
| Waunfawr Primary | No | No | No |
| White Rose Primary School | No | No | Yes |
| Y G G Y Castell | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ynysddu Primary School | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ysgol Bro Sannan | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Allta | No | No | Yes |
| Ysgol Gymraeg Caerffili | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ysgol Gymraeg Cwm Gwyddon | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ysgol Gymraeg Gilfach Fargod | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ysgol Gymraeg Trelyn | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Cwm Derwen | No | No | Yes |
| Ysgol Ifor Bach | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ysgol Penalltau | Yes | No | Yes |
| Ysgol Y Lawnt | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ystrad Mynach Primary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Note: If your child attends a school based early years education place in either the spring or summer term, this does not automatically mean they can attend nursery at that school when they turn 4 years old. You will need to make a new application for nursery where the normal school admissions criteria will apply .Check which schools are in your catchment area here.
To apply visit the school admissions section of the Caerphilly County Borough Council website.
Under the Childcare Offer for Wales, you could claim up to 30 hours of early education and childcare per week, for up to 48 weeks of the year. The scheme aims to make life a bit easier for parents or carers by providing support with childcare costs.
Eligible children aged 3-4 years could be entitled to government funded childcare from the term following their 3rd birthday until they are in full time education.
This means that, as well as 10 hours of part-time early years education, your child could also be entitled to 20 hours of funded childcare during term time, and 30 hours during school holidays.
Visit the Childcare Offer for Wales section for further details and how to apply.
Follow us