• New Best Start nursery to open at St John’s Church School in Orton from September, creating more local childcare places for families
• Part of Labour’s expansion of school-based nurseries to help cut childcare costs and support parents balancing work and family life
• Builds on wider early years reforms, helping eligible families save thousands of pounds a year
Families in Orton and across Peterborough are set to benefit from more accessible and affordable childcare, as the Government confirms funding for a new Best Start school-based nursery at St John’s Church School.
The new provision will create additional nursery places close to home, helping parents manage busy working lives while ensuring children can access high-quality early education from a young age. The nursery is expected to open from September, as part of Labour’s wider rollout of school-based childcare.
Across the country, more than 300 schools have been successful in securing a share of £45 million to build or expand nurseries on their sites. The latest phase of the programme is set to deliver over 6,000 new childcare places, building on thousands already being created through earlier funding rounds.
School-based nurseries are designed to make daily routines easier for families, reducing the need for multiple drop-offs and pick-ups and helping parents return to or remain in work. Combined with Labour’s wider childcare reforms – including expanded funded hours for eligible working parents – the changes are aimed at significantly reducing the financial pressure many families face.
Sam Carling, MP for North West Cambridgeshire, said:
“Access to affordable childcare is one of the biggest challenges many families raise with me locally. That’s why it’s really positive to see the Government investing in Orton to expand nursery provision and create more places close to home.
“School-based nurseries can make a genuine difference – helping parents balance work and family life, simplifying the school run, and ensuring children get a strong start in their early years.
“This builds on the wider support Labour is delivering for families, from funded childcare hours to free breakfast clubs and action to reduce the cost of school uniforms. Together, these steps are about easing the pressure on household budgets and making sure children growing up here have every opportunity to thrive.”
Nationally, over a million parents are now using government-funded childcare support. Alongside new nursery places, eligible families can benefit from up to 30 hours of funded childcare, which can save thousands of pounds a year, as well as additional measures designed to help with the overall cost of raising a family.
The expansion of Best Start nurseries forms part of the Government’s broader plan to support working families, improve access to early education, and ensure that where a child grows up does not determine the opportunities available to them.