Nurseries in West Sussex

No. Brighton & Hove is a separate unitary authority with its own early-years funding system. A West Sussex search should instead cover places such as Worthing, Crawley, Horsham, Chichester, Bognor Regis, Littlehampton, Haywards Heath and East Grinstead.

Yes. West Sussex's Early Years Funded Entitlement (EYFE) can be offered by approved childminders, pre-schools and day nurseries. Some other childcare providers can participate where they meet the council's requirements.

The universal entitlement for 3 and 4-year-olds starts from the term after a child's third birthday. Eligible working families can access up to 30 funded hours from the term after their child turns 9 months, subject to the eligibility rules and keeping their childcare code up to date.

A funded place itself must be available without compulsory extra charges. Providers may offer optional items such as meals, nappies, trips or additional activities, but parents must be able to decline them or use an appropriate alternative. From January 2026, larger West Sussex EYFE settings are also required to publish details of their chargeable extras.

A 2-year-old who qualifies for the local-authority-issued 15-hour entitlement may also qualify for Working Families funding. West Sussex advises eligible families to apply for both: the first entitlement can provide up to 570 hours a year, with Working Families funding potentially adding another 570 hours and bringing the total to up to 30 hours a week.

There can be. Alongside the West Sussex Local Offer, eligible early-years children may receive support through Disability Access Fund (DAF) or Inclusion Funding. DAF is currently a £910 annual payment to the provider for an eligible child receiving Disability Living Allowance, while Inclusion Funding can help settings provide support above ordinarily available inclusive practice.

Yes, where the family meets the eligibility rules. Tax-Free Childcare can be used alongside Early Years Funded Entitlement to help with additional childcare costs. The government adds £2 for every £8 paid into the childcare account, up to the applicable annual limit.

Nurseries inspected under the older framework may still have an Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate result. For inspections from 10 November 2025, Ofsted stopped issuing a single overall effectiveness grade and instead grades individual areas on a five-point scale, with safeguarding recorded separately as met or not met.