Five Oxfordshire nursery expansions due this September

Extra funding has been announced to boost the number of places for children up to five years old across the county.

Included in the list are the John Henry Newman Academy and St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, both in Littlemore, and Tyndale Community School in William Morris Close, Oxford.

Outside the city, Drayton Community Primary School near Abingdon and All Saints Church of England Primary School in Didcot will also increase their nursery capacity.

The changes are due to be introduced in September for the new academic year, the government said today in its announcement.

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Families could save up to £8,000 a year on childcare costs with the new places, according to the Department for Education.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Our school-based nurseries are already helping fill the 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 access the childcare they need, wherever they live.”

In the next phase of the programme, the district and city councils will lead plans for new nurseries, using their knowledge of local need to target places where they are most needed.

But in February, plans for a nursery at Osney Mead Industrial Estate were rejected by Oxford City Council over flooding fears.

The rollout is part of wider support for families, including 30 hours funded childcare, free breakfast clubs and action to keep school uniform costs down — together helping families save up to £8,500 a year.