More than 180 new school-based nurseries are set to open this month, with an additional 120 to follow in the next year. This initiative will provide extra places for over 4,000 children across 189 locations in England. The government is moving forward with phase two of its plan, focusing on schools that serve disadvantaged communities.
Schools will soon have the opportunity to apply for up to £150,000 from a £45 million fund to establish 300 new or expanded school-based nurseries for the upcoming year. This marks an increase in funding from the initial £37 million allocated for the first year of the nursery program.
New guidelines will be released for schools on how to submit bids for hosting a nursery on their premises. The Department for Education emphasized the benefits of children attending the same nursery and primary schools, creating a trusted environment for their development and assisting parents managing multiple drop-offs in the morning.
Keir Starmer has dedicated efforts to enhance the future of British children through his Best Start in Life campaign. In a recent article for The Mirror, the Prime Minister commended the government’s significant expansion of childcare support. Additionally, Labour has announced plans to expand free school meals, reduce uniform costs for parents, and invest £88 million in extracurricular activities.
Families with children aged nine months to four years can now access 30 hours of free childcare per week. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson highlighted the benefits of school-based nurseries in providing a stable environment for children and supporting working parents with dual drop-offs.
Expanding school-based nurseries under the Best Start initiative offers more options and convenience for parents, especially in areas where families require additional support. Jane van Zyl, CEO of Working Families, praised the expansion, noting that it will alleviate financial pressures for parents and enable more individuals, particularly mothers, to reenter the workforce or increase their working hours.
The collaboration between Reach and its partners involves using data collected through cookies to enhance site experience, analyze usage patterns, and display personalized advertisements. Users have the option to opt out of data sharing or sales by selecting the appropriate preference settings on the webpage. By accessing the website and its services, users agree to the use of cookies and the privacy practices outlined in the Privacy Notice and Cookie Policy.