Apply for Pre-School (3 and 4-year-olds) Early Years Education

Every child is entitled to receive up to five terms of part time early years education prior to the start of compulsory education. This is offered in a mixture of funded settings, including Playgroups, Cylch meithrin, schools and day nurseries.   

All approved settings have the direct involvement of a qualified teacher. If the setting of your choice cannot offer the maximum entitlement of 10 hours of early years education, you may choose to use the rest of your hours with an alternative provider.   

To find your nearest approved setting please see our Early Years Education page. 

For information regarding the Childcare Offer for Wales please visit the Childcare Offer for Wales page.

Please note that this scheme is administered by Ceredigion County Council for Mid Wales and not administered by Powys County Council, contact details and information on how to apply can be found on the Family Information Service webpage.

If you would like to request a change to your allocated sessions for your child at a Powys pre school setting, please complete the Pre School Admissions Amendment Form.  We are unable to process late applications or amendments to current allocated Early Years sessions received after 01/06/2024 until after the admission round offer date of the 30 September 2024.

Welsh Government funds the Local Authority to ensure that all children in Wales have access to free part time Early Years Education from the beginning of the term following the child's third birthday. Each qualifying child can receive a maximum of 10.0 hours per week of funded Early Years Education if they attend an approved, funded pre-school education setting.

Children eligible for free part time education will only receive the funded place if they are attending an approved funded pre-school education setting.

The information below shows when your child will become eligible for up to 5 terms of funded part time pre-school provision: 

• 1st April and 31st August - The beginning of term on or after 1st September
• 1st September and 31st December - The beginning of term on or after 1st January
• 1st January and 31st March - The beginning of term on or after 1st April

For more information see: Information for Parents and Carers regarding Funded 10 hours Provision for 3 and 4-Year-Olds