Five infant and junior schools across Oxfordshire – including three located within Oxford itself – are set to grow their early-years programmes.
Additional investment has been unveiled to increase availability of places for youngsters aged up to five throughout the county.
Among those named are John Henry Newman Academy and St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, situated in the Littlemore area, alongside Tyndale Community School on William Morris Close in Oxford.
Beyond the city boundaries, Drayton Community Primary School in the vicinity of Abingdon and All Saints Church of England Primary School in Didcot will similarly boost their nursery provision.
The modifications are scheduled to commence in September for the upcoming school year, according to the government’s announcement.
Parents might pocket annual savings of as much as £8,000 through these fresh places, the Department for Education indicated.
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson stated that school-based nurseries were already assisting in filling gaps across communities where childcare proved most elusive, providing youngsters with the robust foundation they merit while supporting parents in obtaining nearby care.
By broadening these nurseries and focusing them on regions with the greatest requirement, the government was ensuring additional households could access quality early learning alongside practical assistance for living expenses, she continued.
For too long, a child’s postcode had determined their future prospects, she noted. This administration had secured power specifically to alter this – beginning by offering every youngster the finest possible start and guaranteeing all families could obtain required childcare regardless of location.
During the next programme stage, local authorities will direct strategies for fresh nurseries, leveraging their understanding of neighbourhood requirements to direct provision where demand is highest.
However, February saw proposals for a nursery at Osney Mead Industrial Estate dismissed by Oxford City Council over flood-related concerns.
This expansion forms part of broader family assistance, encompassing 30 hours of government-funded childcare, complimentary morning breakfast clubs and measures to control school clothing expenses – collectively enabling households to reduce spending by up to £8,500 annually.