Nursery World - Take twos...beyond existing models of delivery

Local authorities will be funding 130,000 places for the 20 per cent least advantaged two-year-olds in 2013-2014, rising to 260,000 the year after. If providers across the private, voluntary, independent, schools and childminding sectors are to achieve these new targets, we may need to think beyond existing models of delivery, says James Hempsall.

To meet what is a dramatic increase in demand, we need to understand occupancy levels, map out attendance patterns, and identify gaps that can be filled flexibly.

This way, we can maximise the spare capacity in the system, take advantage of previously unused blocks of time, and identify ways in which expansion can be achieved - benefiting from the new government funding available to us.

Woodlands is an Ofsted outstanding, 50-place full-day care nursery established in 2006. It operates from seven rooms in a large detached house in Timperley, Cheshire. The nursery is open each weekday, all year round, from 8am to 6pm. The families using the nursery access full-time and part-time places. Woodlands is actively engaged in delivering places for eligible two-year-olds and through a flexible approach is able to meet both parental requirements and manage its sustainability.

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