How the Childcare Offer for Wales works
30 funded hours for 3 and 4 year olds in Cardiff and Newport, and how we split them across term time and holidays.
FAQs
Your questions, answered
Funding, fees, routines, settling in and the Welsh language — the questions parents in Cardiff and Newport ask us most.
Funding and costs
How does the Childcare Offer for Wales work?
Working parents of 3 and 4 year olds get up to 30 funded hours a week for 48 weeks a year, applied for through Cardiff Council or Newport City Council. In term time we deliver up to 20 Childcare Offer hours a week in Newport and 17.5 in Cardiff alongside education hours, and the full 30 hours during holidays.
Read the full guideHow does Flying Start work?
Flying Start gives eligible 2 year olds 12.5 free hours a week, usually for 39 weeks. Eligibility is by postcode rather than income — check with your council or health visitor, who can refer you straight to us.
Flying Start explainedHow does Tax-Free Childcare work?
You open a childcare account on GOV.UK; for every £8 you pay in the government adds £2, up to £500 every three months per child. Both nurseries accept these payments — just reconfirm your details every three months so they keep coming.
Tax-Free Childcare guideHow much will it cost per day, and what's included?
A full day is £80 and a half day £45 — the same at both nurseries — including all home-cooked meals, nappies, wipes, sun cream and activities. Early starts are £5 (or £7.50 from 7am in Cardiff) and extra hours £10. There is a one-off, non-refundable £100 registration fee.
See all feesDo you charge for bank holidays and holidays?
We do not charge for bank holidays or our Christmas closure week, because we are closed. Places are charged as normal when we are open, including if your child is away on holiday or off sick, as your place is held for you.
Is childcare in Wales different to England?
Yes. Funding is devolved, so the 'free hours from nine months' headlines apply to England. In Wales the main schemes are the Childcare Offer for 3 and 4 year olds and Flying Start for 2 year olds, while Tax-Free Childcare is UK-wide.
Wales vs EnglandDays, learning and routine
What is a typical routine?
Breakfast and quiet play from opening, a bilingual welcome and circle time from around 9am, outdoor play every morning, a home-cooked lunch, naps or rest, afternoon activities, teatime and home by 6pm. Babies follow their own feed and sleep pattern.
A day in the lifeWhat can I expect from settling-in sessions?
Usually two or three short visits before the first full session, paced by your child rather than the calendar. Short, warm goodbyes work best, and you'll get photos and updates through the family app.
Settling in explainedWhat curriculum do you follow?
The Curriculum for Wales, delivered through play across the areas of learning, with observation-led planning and progress shared with you regularly.
Curriculum guideWhat is the Curiosity Approach, and how much time is spent outside?
Natural, open-ended materials instead of bright plastic, with unhurried play and adults who extend rather than direct. Children are outdoors every day — Newport has forest school with a fire pit, mud kitchen, compost toilet, chickens and a veg garden.
Read moreThe Welsh language
What are the benefits of Welsh-medium childcare?
Children pick up a second language effortlessly before five, which supports attention, memory and later literacy, opens the door to Welsh-medium school and to jobs where Welsh is an asset.
The benefits of WelshCould it harm my child if we don't speak Welsh at home?
No. Most of our families speak no Welsh at home. Children understand long before they speak, and there is no lasting effect on their English — everything we send home is bilingual and staff always translate.
Read the evidenceWhere can I learn Welsh myself?
Learn Welsh (Dysgu Cymraeg) runs free and low-cost courses across Cardiff and Newport, Cymraeg for Kids and Ti a Fi sessions give you songs and phrases for home, and Duolingo or S4C's Cyw are easy starting points.
Choosing and joining
How do I choose the right nursery?
Visit at a busy time, watch how staff talk with the children, ask about staff turnover, meals, allergies and notice periods, and read the setting's Care Inspectorate Wales report.
What to look forHow do I book a visit?
Book online through Nuuri for either nursery, or call us and we'll find a time. Children are very welcome on visits.
Contact and bookingGo deeper with our guides
Each of these guides answers one funding or nursery question in full, with Cardiff and Newport examples.
Flying Start childcare for 2 year olds explained
Who qualifies by postcode, the 12.5 free hours a week, and how a health visitor referral reaches us.
Tax-Free Childcare: how to claim your 20% top-up
Opening a GOV.UK childcare account, the £2 for every £8 top-up, and paying your nursery invoice with it.
Childcare funding in Wales vs England
Why the 'free hours from nine months' headlines do not apply here, and what Welsh families get instead.
What a nursery day really costs and what's included
Meals, nappies, sun cream, trips and the £100 registration fee — the full picture before you compare quotes.
Welsh-medium nursery when nobody at home speaks Welsh
Whether it holds children back (it doesn't), how they pick it up, and where parents can learn too.
Still wondering something?
Ask us anything — our managers are happy to talk through funding, sessions or settling in before you commit.