With applications for the next wave of new and expanded nurseries opening earlier this week, the MP for Oxford East has been encouraging local schools to take part.
Anneliese Dodds MP said: “Having thousands more nursery places right on primary school grounds will make life so much easier for so many working parents. It will make school runs smoother, make childcare more accessible, and get children ready to do the very best they can at school. Primary schools in Oxford now have the chance to apply for up to £150,000 in funding to help provide this.”
As part of the first wave, 300 schools-based nurseries are already being rolled out across the country. Over 4,000 extra places are now available as a result of the initial £37 million funding boost. With the second wave, an extra £45 million has been added to the pot to offer up to 7,000 more places by next September.
Windale Primary School in Blackbird Leys is one of the first schools to convert unused space into nursery places, with extra spaces for 3 and 4 year olds set to come in from January. Anneliese and Trish Elphinstone spoke with parents and guardians who were doing the morning run at the school earlier this month.
Trish said: “Parents were really happy to have more nursery places right in the heart of Blackbird Leys. As someone who grew up on the estate, it’s been great to see so many positive changes coming in for young people, like the new youth hub opening at the leisure centre as well.”
Anneliese added: “I’m so pleased to see these extra nursery spaces due to come in at Windale. And there’s more coming for local children and families. The government’s rolling out the largest ever expansion of government-funded childcare, training thousands more teachers, creating free breakfast clubs in every primary school, and expanding access to free school meals to every child on Universal Credit. Every child in Oxford East deserves the best start in life, so I’m pleased to see these really positive changes.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “The change we have delivered for working people this September is just the beginning – through our Plan for Change we are determined to give more children the best start in life. School-based nurseries offer a nurturing and stable environment for children that carries through into primary and helping hand for working parents tackling dual drop off. Delivering more of these – under our Best Start umbrella – means more choice and convenience for parents, and more opportunities to fill the childcare cold spots impacting families most in need of that little extra support.”
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Notes to editors:
The second wave of a further 300 schools-based nurseries will prioritise bids from schools serving areas with childcare cold spots in some of the most disadvantaged communities. An extra £45 million has been added to the pot to offer up to 7,000 more places by September 2026. Each school will be able to apply for up to £150,000 in funding.
A video of Anneliese Dodds MP and Trish Elphinstone outside Windale Primary School is available at https://www.facebook.com/reel/2499655350410485
The application page for schools opened on 22 September at https://apply-for-school-based-nurseries-capital-grant.education.gov.uk/
The Government has created a new online platform to help parents of young children, which can be found here: BestStartinLife.gov.uk
More information on how Labour is supporting families and children can be found at www.oxfordlabour.org.uk/how-is-labour-supporting-children-and-families
More information on 30 hours funded childcare can be found at https://www.oxfordlabour.org.uk/labour-childcare-plans-could-save-oxford-families-up-to-7500-per-child/