We offer a range of early education and childcare options for children aged 6 months to 5 years, designed to support the needs of families.

Families can choose from:

• All-year-round places

• Term-time-only places

• Sessions available across 2, 2.5, 3 or 5 days per week

Available Sessions

2-day places
Monday and Tuesday, or Thursday and Friday
8.00am–6.00pm

3-day places
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, or Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
8.00am–6.00pm

2.5-day places (term-time only for funded entitlements)
Available as:

• Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning (9.00am–3.00pm or 9.00am–11.30am), or

• Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday (12.30pm–3.00pm or 9.00am–3.00pm)

5-day places

• Monday–Friday, 9.00am–3.00pm (term-time only for eligible 3- and 4-year-olds)

• Monday–Friday, 8.00am–6.00pm (all year round)

Funded Early Education Options

We offer a range of funded early education options, depending on your family’s eligibility:

30 hours Government-funded childcare
Available for eligible working families from the term after their child turns 9 months until they start school.

15 universal funded hours
Available for eligible 3- and 4-year-olds.

20 hours stretched funded offer
An option to spread funded hours across 49 weeks of the year (subject to eligibility).

15 hours early learning support
Available for eligible families receiving additional support.

For information about eligibility and funded childcare options, please visit https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/childcare-early-years-education/

Admissions

Places at the Centre are allocated in line with the Council’s admissions policy.

If your child is offered a place, we will contact you by phone approximately 8 weeks before the start date. You will then be invited to a registration meeting and asked to provide any required supporting documents.

If you are not contacted, your application will remain under consideration for future vacancies. Places are allocated on a rolling basis as spaces become available.

We recommend exploring other early years options while waiting for a place.

Apply for a Place

Applications can be completed and submitted online:

Application Form 

Children’s Centre Tours

We offer monthly tours for prospective parents and carers.

Tours provide an opportunity to:

• Visit our Baby, Toddler and Nursery Rooms

• See our learning environment

• Meet the team

• Find out more about how the Centre operates

Tours last approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour and begin at 10.00am. They are led by the Head of Children’s Centre, Ciara Rush.

Bookings can be made via:
Eventbrite

Further Information

For questions about the Children's Centre, please contact:

Phone: 0207 359 7628
Email: childrenscentre@ambler.islington.sch.uk

For information about free early learning and childcare options in Islington, contact the Family Information Service:

Email: FIS@islington.gov.uk
Phone: 020 7527 5959