Term-time only
A nursery or pre-school that opens only during school terms, usually about 38 weeks a year
By The Toddly editorial team · Last updated 11 November 2026
Term-time only settings follow the local school calendar and close for the school holidays. Many sessional pre-schools, school nurseries and some day nurseries work this way. Funded hours fit them naturally, because the entitlements are based on 38 weeks, so families often pay little or nothing beyond meals and extras. The trade-off is that you need other care in the holidays. If you work all year, compare them with an all-year nursery using a stretched offer. See our term-time only guide.