Over 4,000 new childcare places to open in schools this September

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced that more than 4,000 school-based nursery places are set to open across England this September, with nearly 200 schools taking part in the first phase of the government’s early years expansion.

According to the government department, schools involved in the rollout were on track to exceed initial projections, creating additional childcare capacity in areas underserved by existing provision. Each site is expected to offer around 20 places, contributing to a total of up to 6,000 across 300 schools.

The expansion forms part of a wider government plan to support working families and improve school readiness among young children. It is backed by nearly £370m in funding, with a further phase of the programme scheduled to launch in the autumn.

The new places are intended to support working parents eligible for the government’s 30 hours of funded childcare, which ministers claim could save families up to £7,500 a year. Additional savings from free school breakfast clubs and the school uniform price cap could bring total annual savings to as much as £8,000 for parents with school-aged children.

According to a government survey, over half of 2,723 respondents who plan to increase childcare hours in September also intend to increase their work hours.

The DfE said school-based, private, voluntary and independent nurseries, alongside childminders, will all play a role in delivering the government’s childcare plans.

Programmes supporting early language and numeracy development will run alongside the rollout, including the Nuffield Early Language Intervention, now registered in 11,000 primary schools, and the Maths Champions scheme, which has recruited 800 additional settings.

Education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said: “Giving every child the best start in life is my number one priority, and making sure hard-working parents are able to benefit from this rollout is a promise made, and a promise kept.

“Every corner of the early years sector has a vital role to play, and the progress made so far, in the face of an enormous inherited delivery challenge, is testament to their dedication to children and families up and down the country.”

She added: “This September is only the beginning. This government has a clear Plan for Change to get tens of thousands more children school ready each year so that every child, from any background, gets the opportunities they need to get on in life.”