Nurseries in St Ives

Cornwall Council's figures cover St Ives and Hayle together, not St Ives alone.

For children aged 9 to 23 months, the council recorded 53 full time equivalent places against projected demand for 54, a shortfall of 1.

For 2 year olds, it recorded 75 places against projected demand for 81, a shortfall of 6.

Parents needing particular days or hours should therefore secure the place before relying on their funded entitlement.

According to Cornwall Council's latest published projections, yes.

The St Ives and Hayle area had a projected shortfall of 1 full time equivalent place for children aged 9 to 23 months, compared with a shortfall of 6 for children aged 24 to 35 months.

That makes availability for 2 year olds a specific local issue worth checking early.

Yes. Eligible working parents can receive up to 30 funded hours a week from the term after their child reaches 9 months until they start school.

For 2026 and 2027 starts, obtain your eligibility code by 31 March for April, 31 August for September or 31 December for January. Cornwall Council recommends applying at least 6 weeks before the deadline and contacting your chosen childcare provider early to secure a place.

No. Cornwall Council states that providers cannot charge a deposit or registration fee to secure a funded childcare place.

Providers can charge separately for meals, nappies, wipes, additional hours and trips, but parents must have alternatives where appropriate and cannot be prevented from using funded hours because they decline optional extras.

Cornwall Council provides a free Childcare Brokerage Service.

The service searches local provision against your child's age and required hours, contacts childcare settings to check vacancies and helps identify an alternative when suitable places are difficult to find. It specifically supports families with children under 5 and children with SEND.

Cornwall Council runs a child health drop in clinic at the Edward Hain Centre in St Ives from 9:30am to 11:30am on the second Friday of each month.

Parents of children aged 0 to 5 can attend for weighing and non urgent questions about their child's health and development. Bring the child's Red Book.

No dedicated St Ives Family Hub is listed in Cornwall Council's Penwith Family Hub network.

The Penwith hubs are Hayle Family Hub at 49 Bodriggy Street and Penzance Family Hub at St John's Hall. For St Ives families, Hayle is the nearer of the 2 listed hubs.

This is separate from the child health clinic already available locally at the Edward Hain Centre in St Ives.

Cornwall's Early Years Inclusion and SEND service supports children with additional needs through the graduated SEND response.

Cornwall also operates a Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund for early years providers. Eligible 3 and 4 year olds who receive Disability Living Allowance and funded early education qualify for a £938 annual Disability Access Fund payment to their early years setting.

Yes. Attending a nursery or preschool class attached to a school does not automatically give the child a Reception place.

For children born between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023, applications for September 2027 Reception opened on 1 September 2026 and the on time deadline is 15 January 2027. National Offer Day is 16 April 2027.