Three new or expanded school-based nurseries are set to open in September, providing a lifeline for thousands of parents juggling children and work – and one of the new settings will be at Bailey’s Court Primary School in Bradley Stoke.
The other two nurseries will be in Withywood and Weston-super-Mare. Together, they are part of a second wave of schools across the country who have successfully applied for a share of the government’s £45 million fund to build or expand nurseries on school sites, to provide thousands more childcare places.
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said: “I know the juggle that so many parents and carers face, especially when childcare so often does not work.
“Three more schools opening a nursery setting, or expanding their current offer, will have a big impact for families in those areas, in addition to the seven new or expanded nurseries which were announced last summer.
“I also warmly welcome the new local-led model, providing the opportunity for our council partners to suggest areas which would benefit from more school-based childcare settings.
“As we continue to work closely with the government and our councils, my focus is on ensuring change that people can see and feel and lifting more children in the West out of poverty.”
Ms Godwin says parents in the West face an average journey time of 19 minutes to get their children to school, with many of these facing drop-offs in more than one location, so school-based nurseries could help.