Speaking at the Labour Party Conference today (25/09/24), the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, announced schools will be invited to bid for a share of £15 million in capital funding to run up to 300 school-based nurseries, under the first round of the initiative, from October.
The sector has reacted with caution, urging the Government to ensure the policy is planned properly to avoid 'unintended consequences’, and warning that it can only be successful with enough educators to deliver the childcare places.
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), said, ‘The announcement of 300 nurseries in schools from September next year needs to be planned properly to avoid any unintended consequences. The early years sector is already struggling with a workforce crisis and underfunding of places for three and four-year-old children.’
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
