Over 4,000 new childcare places will open in schools across the UK, helping thousands of families find care closer to home, the Government of United Kingdom announced this week. Nearly 200 schools are building new nurseries and plan to open in just two months. They’re set to beat the government’s original targets for places, giving parents more high-quality, affordable childcare options.
The new school-based nursery places will be ready in time for working parents to use the 30 government-funded hours, saving them up to £7,500 on average every year. Combined with savings from free breakfast clubs and school uniform caps, working parents with school-aged children could save up to £8,000 annually. The government picked schools in areas that don’t have enough childcare options to help parents who need it most.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said giving every child the best start in life is her top priority and making sure hard-working parents benefit from this rollout is a promise kept. She said every part of the early years sector has a vital role to play, and the progress made so far shows their dedication to children and families across the country.
The new places will help break down barriers for families by letting more parents return to work. A recent government survey found that of 2,723 people planning to increase their childcare hours in September, over half plan to work more hours too. Each school site will have about 20 places on average, with up to 6,000 new places total across 300 schools in the first phase.
The government announced almost £370 million more funding last month to support the program’s future, with the next phase starting in autumn. High-quality early education builds children’s confidence and social skills while preparing them for school.
