Eight local authority areas will pilot the 30-hour free childcare offer for working parents of three- and four-year-olds from September.
The areas taking part in the £13m trial are Wigan, Staffordshire (see box), Swindon, Portsmouth, Northumberland, York, Newham and Hertfordshire.
Local authorities put in bids to offer the 30 hours a year early in an open competition, and the eight councils chosen by the Department for Education were given the news last week.
It will be up to each council to decide how to run the scheme.
The announcement came on the day that the House of Lords approved minor amendments to the wording of the Childcare Bill, which enshrines working parents’ entitlement to the extra 15 hours on top of the existing 15-hour entitlement. The bill is expected to become law within weeks.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
