Schools welcome new and expanded nurseries

A total of 42 schools across the region have been awarded funds

More than 40 primary schools across north-west England will get new or expanded on-site nurseries under a £37m government scheme.

Schools across the country were invited to apply for funding to create new nurseries or add additional places at their current ones.

A total of 42 schools across the region have been awarded funds.

While the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) said the expansion could help create places in areas where there is was capacity, it warned "they must not threaten the existing high-quality provision".

Niall Owens, head teacher of St Oswald's Catholic Primary School in Coppull, said the news arrived on 1 April "so we were slightly sceptical".

"It was hard to believe at first," Mr Owens said.

"We are delighted that we will be able to use surplus space to welcome three-year-olds into the school.

"Pupils will receive a high-quality nursery education, which will ensure they are ready for the challenges of primary school."

Alex Borrill, head teacher of Woodchurch Road Academy in Oxton, said the news of the funding came "later than we had hoped", which made the preparation for the September term "a bit more challenging".

"This was an opportunity we couldn't let pass. The application window was tight, but we knew it was a priority and one we needed to pursue. Without this funding, making this project a reality would not have been possible."

Jo Grundy, head teacher at Unsworth Primary School in Bury, said as well as the government finance, it had also received additional funding from its trust, Oak Learning Partnership, to build its new preschool.

"Having a preschool within a school setting makes the transition from nursery to school so much easier for children as they are already familiar with their new environment and routines," Ms Grundy said.

'A major headache'

Jason Elsom, chief executive of non-profit Parentkind said many parents "struggle with finding good quality childcare".

"Parents with more than one child may be saved from the mad dash from nursery to school in the morning and afternoon," he said.

"We know that childcare is a major headache for parents with young children, from the exorbitant cost, to finding a reliable local place for their children.

"[The grant] will enable even more schools to help the children in their care to be school ready before moving from nursery to reception, giving them the best start in life."

The NDNA said "with existing providers facing issues of underfunding, higher staffing costs and local recruitment challenges, these new nurseries must not damage or undermine established early years settings".

"From the start of this month, private and voluntary providers are facing huge increases in their operating costs, including statutory wage increases, new National Insurance Contribution costs and utility bills to name a few," the executive chair of the NDNA, Purnima Tanuku CBE, said

"Nurseries across the country have already started to work with schools and families of children making the important transition into school. It is wrong to suggest that school nurseries are better for children transitioning into reception."

Overall, 300 schools across England are creating new or expanded nurseries under the scheme.

The government recently announced the rollout of 30-hour, centrally-funded childcare per child from September, which it said would save parents up to £7,500 on average.