This service is managed by Education
Find a nursery or childminder
Childminders
We have early learning and childcare settings across Orkney, from Kirkwall to the outer isles. All settings offer 1,140 funded hours per year for eligible children. Most settings operate on a term-time basis (30 hours per week over 38 weeks), though some larger settings also offer a year-round option (25 hours per week over 46 weeks).
You can also use your funded hours with a partnership childminder, or split your hours between a nursery setting and a partnership childminder. This is called a blended placement.
For inspection reports, visit the Care Inspectorate website and search for the setting by name.
Related resources
Council Nurseries
Burray
Term Time- 30 hrs per week over 38 weeks
Morning: 9:30 to 12:00
Afternoon: 13:00 to 15:30
All day: 09:30 to 15:30
Address
Paula Peace, Head Teacher
Burray Primary School School, Burray KW17 2SS
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 years)
Dounby
Term Time - 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Early bird: 8:20 to 9:20
Morning: 9:20 to 11:50
Afternoon: 12:50 to 15:20
All Day: 09:20 to 15:20
Address
Jessica Nicolson & Leona Benston, Nursery Managers
Dounby Community School, Dounby, KW17 2JA
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 years and eligible 2 year olds)
Eday
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Morning: 09:00 to 12:00
Afternoon: 13:00 to 15:00
All Day: 09:00 to 15:00
Address
Rona Humphreys, Head Teacher
Eday Primary School, Eday, KW17 2AA
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 yrs and eligible 2 yr olds)
Evie
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Morning: 09:15 to 12:15
Afternoon: 13:00 to 15:15
Full day: 09:15 to 15:15
Address
Emma Jane Rendall, Head Teacher
Evie Community School, Evie, KW17 2PE
School Website: blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/or/evie/
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 yrs and eligible 2 yr olds)
Firth
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Morning: 09:30 to 12:00
Afternoon: 13:00 to 15:30
All Day: 09:30 to 15:30
Address
Emma Jane Rendall, Head Teacher
Firth Primary School, Firth, KW17 2ES
School website: blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/or/firth/
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 yrs and eligible 2 yr olds)
Glaitness
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks OR
Year Round – 25 hours per week over 46 weeks
Early Bird: 08:30 to 09:30
Morning: 09:30 to 12:00
Afternoon: 13:00 to 15:30
All Day: 09:30 to 15:30
End of Day: 15:30 to 17:00 (no end of day session on Friday)
Address
Shaun Tulloch, Nursery Manager
Glaitness School, Pickaquoy Road, Kirkwall, KW15 1RP
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/GlaitnessNursery/(opens in new tab)
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 yrs and eligible 2 yr olds)
Hope
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Morning: 09:30 to 12:00
Afternoon: 13:00 to 15:30
Full Day: 09:30 to 15:30
Address
Paula Peace, Head Teacher
Hope Community School, St Margaret's Hope, KW17 2TN
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 yrs and eligible 2 yr olds)
North Walls
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Contact school to confirm timings of sessions
Address
Andrew Trafford, Head Teacher
North Walls Community School, Lyness, KW16 3NX
School website: North Walls Community School – "Believe to Achieve"
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 yrs and eligible 2 yr olds)
Orphir
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Morning: 09:30 to 12:30
Afternoon: 13:00 to 15:30
All Day: 09:30 to 15:30
Address
Grant Thomson, Head Teacher
Orphir Community School, Orphir, KW17 2RB
School website: http://www.orphircommunityschool.co.uk
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 years)
Papdale
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks OR
Year Round – 25 hours per week over 46 weeks
Early Bird: 08:30 to 09:00
Morning: 09:00 to 11:30
Afternoon: 12:30 to 15:00
All day: 09:00 to 15:00
End of Day: 15:00 to 16:00 (no end of day session on Friday)
Address
Karen Petrie, Nursery Manager
Papdale Primary School, Kirkwall, KW15 1PJ
School website: www.orkney.co/papdale/
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 years)
Papa Westray
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Mornings: 09:00 to 12:00
Afternoons: 13:00 to 15:15
All Day: 09:00 to 15:15
Friday: 09:00 to 14:00
Address
Tim Ross, Head Teacher
Papa Westray Nursery, Papa Westray, KW17 2BU
School website: Welcome – Papa Westray Community School
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 yrs and eligible 2 yr olds)
Rousay
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Mornings: 09:05 to 12:05
Afternoons: 13:05 to 15:05
All Day: 09:05 to 15:05
Address
Angela Ferguson, Head Teacher
Rousay Community School, Rousay, KW17 2PR
Facebook Page: facebook.com/Rousaycommunityschool
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 yrs and eligible 2 yr olds)
St Andrews
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Early bird: 8:30 to 9:00
Morning: 09:00 to 11:30
Afternoon: 12:30 to 15:00
All Day: 09:00 to 15:00
Address
Lisa Rutherford, Nursery Manager
St Andrews Primary School, Toab, Deerness, KW17 2QG
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 years and eligible 2 year olds)
Shapinsay
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Mornings: 09:00 to 12:00
Afternoons: 13:00 to 15:00
All Day: 09:00 to 15:00
Address
Emma Clements, Head Teacher
Shapinsay Nursery, Shapinsay, KW17 2DY
School website: blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/or/shapinsayschool/
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 yrs and eligible 2 yr olds)
Stenness
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Morning: 09:30 to 12:30
Afternoon: 12:30 to 15:30
All Day: 09:30 to 15:30
Address
Grant Thomson, Head Teacher
Stenness Community School, Stenness, KW16 3LB
School website: www.stennesscommunityschool.co.uk
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 years)
Stromness
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Early Bird: 8:30 to 9:30
Morning: 09:30 to 12:00
Afternoon: 13:00 to 15:30
All Day: 09:30 to 15:30
Address
Caroline Easton, Nursery Manager
Stromness Primary School, Stromness, KW16 3JS
School website: www.stromnessps.uk
Nursery Facebook page: Stromness Early Learning and Childcare
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 yrs and eligible 2 yr olds)
The Strynd (Papdale catchment area)
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Morning: 09:00 to 11:30
Afternoon: 12:30 to 15:00
All Day: 09:00 to 15:00
Depending on demand, may offer early bird
Address
Fiona Greaves, Nursery Manager
The Strynd Nursery, The Strynd, Kirkwall, KW15 1EU
You can find us on Facebook – The Strynd Nursery
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 yrs and eligible 2 yr olds)
Sanday
Term Time – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Mornings: 08:50 to 12:20
Afternoons: 13:00 to 14:50
All Day: 08:50 to 14:50
Address
Kristen Muir, Head Teacher
Sanday Community School, Sanday, KW17 2AY
School website: sandayschool.weebly.com
Sanday Nursery Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SandayNurseryOrkney
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 yrs and eligible 2 yr olds)
Stronsay
Term Times – 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Mornings: 09:00 to 12:00
Afternoons: 13:00 to 15:00
All Day: 09:00 to 15:00
Address
Dr Petra McLay, Head Teacher
Stronsay Junior High School, Stronsay, Orkney KW17 2AE
School website: stronsayschool.weebly.com
School Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/350116690220936/
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 yrs and eligible 2 yr olds)
Westray
Term Times - 30 hours per week over 38 weeks
Mornings: 09:00 to 12:00
Afternoons: 13:00 to 15:15
All Day: 09:00 to 15:15
Fridays: 09:00 to 14:00
Address
Julie Muir, Head Teacher
Westray Nursery, Westray, KW17 2DH
(Registered for children aged 3 to 5 yrs and eligible 2 yr olds)
Childminders in Partnership
Anne Drever
Edna Fotheringhame
Kasia Moloney
Lorna Robertson
Paula Gray
Nicky Sutherland
Tammy Knox
Registration Forms
Childminder registration forms can be found by following the button below:
FAQs
What is a Partnership Childminder?
What is a Partnership Childminder?
Partnership childminders are registered childminders who have applied to work with us to deliver funded early learning and childcare hours. To qualify, they must be registered with the Care Inspectorate and have received grades of 4 (good) or above across all inspected themes. They can provide all or some of your child's funded hours. You can also choose to split your child's hours between a local authority nursery and a partnership childminder - this is known as a blended placement.
Can I use a childminder who is not in partnership with the Council for my funded hours?
Can I use a childminder who is not in partnership with the Council for my funded hours?
No. Only childminders who are in formal partnership with the Council can deliver funded early learning and childcare hours. If your childminder would like to find out more about becoming a partnership childminder, they can contact:
If I want to use both a partnership childminder and my local nursery, what do I need to do?
If I want to use both a partnership childminder and my local nursery, what do I need to do?
This is called a blended placement. During registration week, you will need to register for a place at your local nursery and complete a separate registration form for the partnership childminder. Before completing the childminder form, please make sure you have already spoken with the childminder and confirmed they have a place available for your child.