Government funding will boost nursery provision for three Morecambe and Lancaster schools

West End, Trumacar and Arkholme Primary Schools will all receive a share of £45m of Government funding, which is being used to provide 331 extra nurseries across the country.

The announcement follows a report published last week showing the Government’s childcare reforms have halved costs for eligible working parents since 2024.

The schools who will benefit have all bid into the fund, with plans to fit local needs.

Morecambe and Lunesdale MP Lizzi Collinge said: “The cost of living for families is at the forefront of my mind as an MP.

“A key aim of the nursery place programme is to help parents return to work in an affordable way and this second phase of the programme will create over 6,000 more childcare places, on top of the up to 7,000 already being delivered from the first phase of the programme.

“School-based nurseries are already providing a lifeline for families, making the school run simpler with fewer drop-offs and pick-ups. Combining with the Government’s 30 hours of funded childcare, they are cutting childcare costs in half for working families.”

The three schools have welcomed the news.

Arkholme head David Prescott said: “We are delighted that Arkholme C of E Primary School has been successful in securing funding through the school-Based Nursery Grant.

"This exciting development will enable us to create a brand new, purpose-built provision for two-year-olds, further strengthening our Early Years offer. It marks a significant step in expanding high quality provision for children and families in our community.”

West End Primary School head Sharon Cliff said: “West End is delighted by the amazing news that we can now expand our nursery provision. A number of children who attend West End have not previously had access to excellent nursery education, and this expansion will help change that – improving life chances for children across the community.

“It will also mean that children can benefit from a high quality nursery setting closely linked to the school, with support from a qualified full-time SENCo, an Early Years teacher, and dedicated nurture and behaviour provision.

"As a result, our children will be better prepared and school-ready by September.

“This expansion would not be available without the Government funding.”

Trumacar head Paul Slater said: “We are very excited that we have been allocated support from Government to open our eagerly awaited two-year-old provision at Trumacar Nursery and Community Primary School.

"We are confident that this will enhance all that our school provides for local children and their families in the Heysham area and enable our children to have a better start to their future lives through the provision of a high quality learning environment.

"We are now awaiting the final details of the scheme but know that its focus on younger children will have a marked effect on the future outcomes for all children within our vicinity and is something that our families have been asking us to provide for years.”

Alongside new nursery places, families can also benefit from 30 hours funded childcare for eligible working parents, free breakfast clubs and caps on branded school uniform costs.

The Government says that together, these measures could save families with children of different ages up to £8,500 a year.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said “As a parent, I know how hard it can be to juggle work and family life, especially in those early days where time is precious, and sleep is short.

“School-based nurseries are already driving a seismic shift in how childcare supports families. Now we’re going even further to build on what works with over 300 new nurseries – cutting childcare costs, simplifying the school run, and helping parents at a time when household budgets are under real pressure.

“This is about targeting support where it’s needed most, easing the cost of living and giving every child the best start in life.”

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Too many families still struggle to find affordable childcare close to home, making it harder for parents to balance work and family life.

“School-based nurseries are already helping fill those gaps in communities where childcare is hardest to find, giving children the strong start they deserve and helping parents access childcare close to home.

“By expanding these nurseries further and targeting them at the areas that need them most, we are making sure more families can benefit from quality early education while putting practical support in place to help with the cost of living.

“For too long, where a child grows up has shaped what they go on to achieve. This government was elected to change that – starting with giving every child the best start in life and making sure every family can actually access the childcare they need, wherever they live.”