Exclusive:
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson writes for the Mirror about the government’s childcare expansion – as she marks the start of ‘a revolution in early years education’
Earlier this week, I met Hannah, whose little boy, Nile, is already talking non-stop, stringing words together and making sentences. He goes to Little Oak Nursery at Fulbridge Academy – where Hannah knows he is happy and settled whilst she goes to work.
Today this government is getting on and delivering the change we promised to families up and down the country, rolling out top-quality childcare with two key goals: to improve children’s education and put money back in parents’ pockets.
As a parent, I know how much that matters to mums like Hannah. Early years education that gets their child ready for school, that’s available around the corner and doesn’t cost the earth. That’s why today I announced my plan for 300 schools to expand their nurseries and set up new ones.
It’s the start of a revolution in early years education. More places, higher quality, lower costs for parents. It’s at the heart of my vision for our education system, at the core of why I came into politics: to give every child, particularly the most disadvantaged, the best start in life.
The first 300 schools will get up to £150,000 each to convert unused classrooms into new nursery spaces. That’ll mean up to 6,000 new childcare places – most of them ready to go by September, when working parents will get 30 government-funded hours of childcare a week from when their child is 9 months old right up to starting school.
Too often I’ve heard the frustrations from parents who are keen to get back to work but are not able to because of sky-high childcare costs. Trust in politics matters. When the public are made a promise, they expect it to be kept. That’s why, when the Conservatives in government made a childcare pledge without a plan, this Labour government was determined to make it a reality. Families were promised funded childcare, now we’re delivering.
Come September, parents could save up to £7,500 a year through the 30 hours of funded childcare, compared with paying for it themselves. In today’s world, savings of that kind can be a huge help to family finances.
Importantly, we’re spreading these new places around the country, to the villages and towns where they are really needed, where up until now families have been missing out. Most new nurseries opening as part of this phase are in the North or Midlands. That includes around one in ten in the North East, with one wonderful school in Durham planning to build a whole new baby room and increase their provision for 9 months to two year olds by over 30 places.
There are too many childcare deserts in our country that suffer from a shortage of places, and now we are starting to fill them. And we’re doing it in a way that works for parents and for children.
Those early years are where the biggest difference to a child’s life can be made, where we can set our children up to start school ready and raring to go, where opportunities for better life chances first take root. That’s why the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change has set out the target of a record share of kids starting school ready to learn. And it’s why we’re focusing on primary schools.
Schools are at the heart of our communities, and school-based nurseries bring kids together from the earliest years – to build bonds from the beginning of their education. Parents can get to know the teachers, the teachers can spot issues early, and kids can get used to being at school. They see the same faces, they have the same friends, they play in the same playgrounds.
We’re not just expanding places — we’re helping schools turn unused classrooms into brilliant nursery spaces, tailored for early years learning. This is about unlocking opportunity in every corner of the country, and giving schools the tools they need to transform life chances for their youngest learners. Our plan for change doesn’t stop there. Later this month, the first 750 schools will lead the charge, kick-starting free breakfast clubs so families can save up to £450 a year, and every child can start the day right.
Through more nursery places, more breakfast clubs and more action, this government is putting children and families first. We’re giving parents choice, and helping every child get the best start in life. Through our transformative plans, thousands more parents will see the benefits Hannah has – seeing her son learn, thrive, and set up to succeed for when they start school.