Funded childcare for eligible 2 year olds is available through Wrexham Flying Start, from the term after their second birthday until the term after their third birthday.
Give your child a Flying Start
In Wrexham we are committed to giving our youngest children the best possible start in life.
Children in Flying Start childcare provision learn through play. Flying Start childcare providers offer access to a high quality enabling environment. Children are supported by highly qualified attentive practitioners who prioritise the child’s wellbeing.
Benefits of Flying Start childcare for your child include...
- learning new skills
- growing in confidence
- exploring and following their curiosity and interests
- developing independence
- developing creativity and imagination
- learning to speak Welsh
- making friends
- having lots of fun indoors and outdoors
How the childcare is provided
The childcare is provided for up to 5 sessions a week, for 2 and a half hours a day over 39 weeks of the year - following school term times (from the term after their second birthday until the term after their third birthday).
A choice of Welsh medium or English medium childcare provision is available.
You will only be able to access the childcare through one provider/setting at a time. You can only use childcare providers that are approved to deliver the Flying Start childcare offer for 2 year olds.
Reduced sessions
If you do not need to use the full entitlement of 5 sessions per week you can apply for reduced sessions. You should record this preference and the reason on the application form when you fill it in.
It is recommended that you use a minimum of 3 sessions per week.
Eligibility
You will need to live in one of the Wrexham postcode areas set out below and your child must turn 2 between set dates before the term start you apply for.
Area eligibility
Eligibility for Flying Start childcare is based on postcode and broken down to ‘Lower Super Output Areas’ (LSOAs). You can find contact details after the following lists to check whether your address is within one of these areas. You will also be eligible for the childcare offer if you are receiving Flying Start services as Outreach.
LSOAs are defined geographical areas that are smaller than a postal town area or district area. For example, one area such as Coedpoeth contains 3 separate LSOAs.
Children living in any postcode in the following LSOAs will be eligible:
- Acton 2
- Brymbo 2
- Bryn Cefn
- Cartrefle 1
- Cartrefle 2
- Coedpoeth 1
- Coedpoeth 3
- Grosvenor 2
- Gwenfro
- Gwersyllt North 2
- Hermitage 1
- Hermitage 2
- Johnstown 2
- New Broughton 2
- Pant
- Penycae
- Penycae and Ruabon South 2
- Plas Madoc
- Queensway 1
- Queensway 2
- Ruabon 1
- Wynnstay
Children living in selected postcodes in the following LSOAs will also be eligible:
- Brymbo 1
- Cefn 1
- Cefn 2
- Cefn 3
- Gwersyllt West 1
- Llay 1
- Llay 2
- Llay 3
- New Broughton 1
- Smithfield 2
- Smithfield 3
- Whitegate 1
- Whitegate 2
This list will be updated as Flying Start is undergoing a national expansion of its childcare services, with access to quality childcare being offered to more families.
Check your postcode
The online application process will only allow your application to proceed if you live in an eligible postcode area.
To check if your postcode is eligible please contact your Health Visitor, or our Wrexham Flying Start Childcare Team by emailing FlyingStartChildcare@wrexham.gov.uk or calling 01978 297270.
You can also contact Wrexham Family Information Service.
Age eligibility
A child must be aged two before the term they are due to start Flying Start childcare provision.
| Dates your child must turn 2 years of age between to be eligible | School term start date |
|---|---|
| April 1 – August 31 | Autumn term (September 1 - December 31) |
| September 1 – December 31 | Spring term (January 1 - March 31) |
| January 1 – March 31 | Summer term (April 1 - August 31) |
How to apply
You (the child’s parent or carer) will need to complete the Flying Start 2 year old Childcare Application Form . You can only apply once your child has reached 15 months of age.
The online application will only let you proceed if you live within an eligible postcode area. For those receiving Flying Start services as Outreach, you will need to complete a paper childcare application form with your Flying Start Health Visitor.
For parent/carer(s) who are unable to access the online application process, you can request a form to complete and submit by post or email. If you require a form please ask your Health Visitor or contact Flying Start at FlyingStartChildcare@wrexham.gov.uk or by calling 01978 297270.
Application deadlines
You must submit your application form by the below deadlines so that places can be allocated for the start of each term:
2023 intake
Deadline for autumn term starting September 2023: March 9, 2023
2024 intake
Deadline for spring term starting January 2024: August 10, 2023
Deadline for summer term starting April 2024: December 9, 2023
Deadline for autumn term starting September 2024: March 8, 2024
2025 intake
Deadline for spring term starting January 2025: August 9, 2024
Deadline for summer term starting April 2025: December 10, 2024
Deadline for autumn term starting September 2025: March 10, 2025
Late applications
If an application form is submitted after the relevant deadline it will still be considered for a childcare place. If there are spaces available, a place will be allocated. If no places are available, our admissions offer can discuss further options with you.
If you refuse an alternative allocation offer, or there are no alternative places available, your child will be placed on a waiting list. You would then be contacted as soon as a place becomes available.
What happens once your child has been allocated a place
The Flying Start Admissions Officer will send you an email confirming the allocated childcare provision.
If you have submitted an application for more than one child you will receive a separate email for each application.
The childcare provider will contact you in order to confirm the date of registration for your child to attend. Registration day is normally held at the beginning of each school term.
Please note that only the Flying Start Admissions Officer has the role of allocating childcare places and informing the childcare settings and parents/carers of the placements.
Oversubscription
In the event that more parents/carers request places than are available at a particular childcare setting, over-subscription criteria will be applied.
If this happens you may be offered a place with your second or third choice preference instead. If your child is not allocated a place at your preferred Flying Start setting, there is no formal right to appeal against this decision.
If you decline an offer of an alternative childcare provision you will be placed on a waiting list until a place of your choice is available.