Nurseries in South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire mainly uses S and DN postcodes. Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley are predominantly within the S postcode area, while Doncaster and surrounding communities mainly use DN addresses.

Funding is administered by Sheffield City Council, City of Doncaster Council, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and Barnsley Council within their respective areas. The national entitlements are the same, although local administration and the sessions offered by individual nurseries can differ.

All 3 and 4 year olds can receive 15 funded hours a week. Eligible working families can receive up to 30 funded hours a week from 9 months old until school age, normally calculated across 38 weeks of the year.

Yes. For example, a family living in Rotherham can use an eligible nursery in Sheffield if a suitable place is available. Where a child attends a setting in another local authority, the council where the childcare setting is based is responsible for the funding.

Yes. Some 2 year olds whose families receive additional support, or who meet certain child based criteria, can receive 15 funded hours a week. This is separate from the working parent entitlement.

No. Providers can offer different session times, days and attendance patterns. Some may provide full day funded sessions, while others divide the entitlement into morning, afternoon or shorter sessions, so eligibility does not guarantee the same timetable at every nursery.

Yes, where the provider offers a stretched arrangement. Families can use fewer funded hours each week over more weeks of the year instead of taking the full weekly entitlement during 38 weeks. Sheffield, for example, gives 22.8 hours across 50 weeks as one possible pattern.

The funded childcare hours themselves must be available without mandatory charges. Providers may charge voluntarily for meals, nappies, sun cream, additional private hours or optional activities, but parents must be able to opt out of these extras or use reasonable alternatives.

Each of South Yorkshire's four councils manages its own early years SEND support and Local Offer. All local authorities must also operate a Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund, while eligible children accessing funded early education may qualify for additional support such as Disability Access Fund.