Newcastle Labour has today called on schools in Newcastle to apply to become part of the next wave of new or expanded nurseries directly on primary school grounds, to make life easier for working parents, cutting down the school run and giving children a seamless start to their education.
It comes as Labour has confirmed over 4,000 extra school-based nursery places have been made available across England this month as a result of the government’s initial £37 million investment, vowing to tackle childcare cold spots in the next phase of the rollout.
Contributing to the vibrant childcare market with a range of options that suit all family’s needs, school-based nurseries offer children the opportunity to grow up and learn in a consistent environment all the way up to age 11, so they can continue to thrive in an environment they trust.
Amid the ongoing success of the first phase, Labour is going further and faster to tackle childcare cold spots to offer more choice for parents in Newcastle
To assist Labour’s drive to give every child the best start in life, Newcastle Labour has invited local primary schools to bid for up to £150,000 funding from a £45 million pot to create a further 300 new or expanded best start school-based nurseries – offering up to 7,000 more places – from September 2026.
Labour’s second phase will prioritise quality bids from schools serving areas with childcare cold spots in some of the most disadvantaged communities, delivering thousands of new places for families who need them most.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
“The change we have delivered for working people this September is just the beginning – through our Plan for Change we are determined to give more children the best start in life.
“School-based nurseries offer a nurturing and stable environment for children that carries through into primary and helping hand for working parents tackling dual drop off.
“Delivering more of these – under our Best Start umbrella – means more choice and convenience for parents, and more opportunities to fill the childcare cold spots impacting families most in need of that little extra support.”
Councillor Lesley Storey, Labour’s Cabinet member for Children and Families on Newcastle City Council said:
“Working families need all the help they can get. Labour has already extended 30 hours free childcare – worth up to £7,500 per child per year – and now we are going further, making life easier by reducing the pressures of the school run.
“Local schools can apply to form part of the next wave of school-based nurseries – and receive up to £150,000 in funding. That’s good for schools, good for parents and good for children too. I hope lots of local schools apply.”
Testament to the incredible work of providers and the Labour government, 9 in 10 parents are getting one of their three top choice nursery places. Alongside the Best Start school-based nurseries rollout, Labour is upping funding for the sector to £9 billion next year to support delivery of a brilliant early years education to give every child the best start in life.
With Best Start free breakfast clubs saving parents £450 a year and setting children up for the school day, alongside the cap on branded uniform items and £1.4 billion to fix the inherited state of crumbling classrooms, Labour’s Plan for Change is building a better future for working families in Newcastle. A future that boosts work choices, life chances, and makes the juggle of kids and career that much easier.