1140 funded hours
Fife Council has 108 early years establishments. All 3- and 4-year-olds, and eligible 2-year-olds, are entitled to 1140 hours a year of funded early learning and childcare. The hours are free in any type of setting that offers funded places: council nurseries, school nursery classes, or partner private nurseries, playgroups and childminders.
When a 3-year-old can start
For session 2026/27, Fife Council's start dates are:
- August 2026 if your child turned three on or before 31 August 2026.
- January 2027 if your child turns three before 31 December 2026.
- April 2027 if your child turns three before the last day of February 2027.
Session patterns
Council nurseries offer funded hours in several patterns, including:
- 6 hours a day, Monday to Friday, in term time.
- 4 hours 40 minutes, morning or afternoon, Monday to Friday, over 49 weeks.
- 10 hours on Monday and Tuesday plus Wednesday morning, over 46 weeks.
- Wednesday afternoon plus 10 hours on Thursday and Friday, over 46 weeks.
Fife Council says you can share funded hours between more than one setting.
How to apply
Apply online through your mygov.scot myaccount, giving up to five choices of setting. A paper form is available from council nurseries. For a funded place with a partner private nursery, playgroup or childminder, apply to them directly. Our nurseries page lists Dunfermline settings.
Fife Council says nurseries do not have catchments. Siblings are not guaranteed the same nursery, though a sibling already at the nursery is taken into account. Attending a school nursery does not guarantee a P1 place at that school. You can appeal a decision within 28 days. Children already at a nursery continue automatically into the next year.
Funded places for 2-year-olds
Some 2-year-olds can get a funded place. Fife Council's eligibility includes families on certain benefits, families on Universal Credit with monthly take-home pay of £885 or less, and children who are looked after or in kinship care.
There are three intakes: children who turn two between 1 March and 31 August start in August; between 1 September and 31 December, in January; and between 1 January and the end of February, in April. You can apply up to two months before the start date. Hand the paper form, with evidence, to a council nursery. A Nursery Panel decides at the end of each term.
In Dunfermline, Fife Council lists council places for 2-year-olds at Beanstalk Family Nurture Centre (Fergus Place and the Aberdour Road annex), Lynburn Primary School Nursery and Halbeath Nursery, plus places at private partner nurseries.
Questions people actually ask
Do nurseries in Fife have catchment areas?
No. Fife Council says nurseries do not operate catchment areas. You can give up to five choices when you apply.
Can I split funded hours between a nursery and a childminder?
Yes. Fife Council says funded hours can be shared between settings. Apply directly to partner private providers and childminders for their funded places.
My child turns three in November. When can they start?
For session 2026/27, Fife Council says children who turn three before 31 December 2026 can start in January 2027.
Is my 2-year-old eligible for a funded place?
Possibly. Fife Council's criteria include certain benefits, Universal Credit with monthly take-home pay of £885 or less, and looked-after or kinship care. Check the full list on Fife Council's 2-year-olds page.
Sources and last checked
We last checked every fact on this page against the official sources below on . Services and dates change, so follow the links before you rely on anything here. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.