UK schools handed cash for new nurseries ahead of major free childcare expansion

Primary schools across England can now apply for part of a £15 million funding pot to deliver up to 300 new or expanded nurseries.

The initiative, announced by the Department for Education (DfE) comes as more than 320,000 additional children are now eligible for 15 hours of funded childcare a week. The government is aiming for all qualifying parents to have the full 30 hours from September next year.

Schools are now being encouraged to request up to £150,000, which they can use to create nurseries by "upgrading space" within primary schools.

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According to the latest estimates from the government department, approximately 70,000 new places and 35,000 early years workers will be necessary to accommodate the expansion to 30 funded hours come next September.

These projections, shared publicly for the first time, suggest that about half of the local areas will need to boost their capacity by 10 to 20 per cent to meet the demand anticipated for September.

Regions with traditionally lower household incomes, such as Northumberland, Plymouth, and Rotherham, are in need of a more than 20 per cent increase in funding.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson commented: "All children should have the opportunity of a brilliant early education, no matter who they are, where they’re from or how much their parents earn.

"Our new school-based nurseries will provide thousands of additional places where they are needed most, plugging historic gaps and making sure geography is no barrier to high quality childcare."

"Whilst some parents may not get their first-choice place next September, I’m determined that every parent is able to access