Doncaster schools among new nurseries creating 800 childcare places in Yorkshire
Families across Yorkshire and Humber will soon have more childcare close to home, with 40 schools set to open or expand school-based nurseries from September, with Doncaster schools among those involved, the Government has announced.
Schools are reporting the expansion will create around 800 new places locally - making it easier for parents to balance work and family life, while cutting the cost of childcare.
Two Doncaster schools – Canon Popham CofE Primary Academy in Edenthorpe and Castle Academy in Conisbrough – are among those who have joined.
It comes as more than a million parents nationally are now using the government’s funded childcare offer, saving eligible working families up to £8,000 a year per child.
School-based nurseries can make life easier for busy families - allowing parents to drop children of different ages off in one place, cutting travel time and helping children settle more easily into school life.
These new places will help families in Yorkshire and Humber access childcare closer to home, helping to close gaps in access across the region.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Our school-based nurseries are already helping fill the gaps in communities where childcare is hardest to find, giving children the strong start they deserve and helping parents access childcare close to home. “By expanding these nurseries further and targeting them at the areas that need them most, we are making sure more families can benefit from quality early education while putting practical support in place to help with the cost of living. “For too long, where a child grows up has shaped what they go on to achieve. This government was elected to change that – starting with giving every child the best start in life and making sure every family can access the childcare they need, wherever they live.”
Schools across the region will benefit from the funding - helping to create new nursery places and expand existing provision for local families.
In the next phase of the programme, local authorities will lead plans for new nurseries, using their knowledge of local need to target places where they are most needed.
The rollout is part of wider support for families, including 30 hours funded childcare, free breakfast clubs and action to keep school uniform costs down.