Labour pledges 3,300 new nurseries in existing primary schools

The plans, set to be included in Labour's election manifesto published later this week, will involve the conversion of 3,300 existing primary school classrooms into nurseries, to deliver provision for children from nine-months-old.

These classrooms are available due to declining birth rates and falling school rolls UK-wide.

Areas known as ‘childcare deserts’, where there is a severe shortage of childcare provision, will be targeted first under the party’s plans, taking a similar approach to Sure Start services, a UK-wide programme that was introduced to support children in disadvantaged areas in 1998 under Tony Blair's Labour government.

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The party estimates that the refurbishment of classrooms will cost £140mn and will be complete before the end of a first term. Funding will come from plans to levy VAT on private school fees.

Under the plans, the new childcare provision could be run by schools or by private or voluntary sector providers.

Reaction to Labour’s plans has been mixed, given the ongoing recruitment and retention crisis in the sector.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said: “With the vast majority of early years places in England currently delivered by private and voluntary nurseries, pre-schools and childminding professionals, we’re clear that supporting this critical part of the sector must be central to any early years reform.

“With an estimated 40,000 early educators required to deliver the additional places needed for the full early entitlement expansion, we continue to urge all political parties to focus on developing a clear and comprehensive workforce strategy to tackle the current staffing crisis. Only this, alongside a commitment to long-term adequate funding, will ensure that our vital sector is sustainable not just today, but in the long term."

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of National Day Nurseries Association, said: “We know from providers that there is demand for places from parents, and this will only grow as more parents are offered funded places from September.

"It will be important to ensure that spaces are suitable and age-appropriate environments for younger children. Drawing on the experience of established providers by working in partnership with them will be important.

"Any plans should be done in consultation with communities to ensure it is meeting the needs of local families and not duplicate or displace existing high-quality provision. Threatening the sustainability of existing pre-schools and nurseries will not help children or families."

Jane Harris, chief executive of Speech and Language UK, said: “We hope any party announcing new childcare places will also give central funds to run early language programmes in nurseries rather than waiting until reception. Children shouldn’t have to wait to have the best chance to learn to talk and understand words.”

The party has also said it will continue to deliver the previous government’s plans for a phased expansion of funded childcare, which will see 30 hours of childcare a week for nine-month-olds and above from September 2025.