The government has announced over 300 new or expanded school-based nurseries, creating thousands of additional childcare places from September. The initiative is part of a £45 million funding pot, with 331 schools successful in their bids to build or expand nursery facilities on their premises.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the move as a 'seismic shift' in childcare support for families. The Department for Education (DfE) stated that the new nurseries will provide 6,000 more places for children, spanning locations from St Ives to Gateshead.
This announcement follows a first wave of 300 school-based nurseries unveiled last April. Labour's 2024 election manifesto promised to open an additional 3,000 nurseries by upgrading space in primary schools across the country.
Working parents of children over nine months have been able to access 30 hours of funded childcare per week since September last year. The new nurseries aim to increase the number of available places, easing the burden on families.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'Our school-based nurseries are already helping fill the gaps in communities where childcare is hardest to find, giving children the strong start they deserve and helping parents access childcare close to home.'
