Nursery is to be given a share of £745k fund
ANURSERY in Gawsworth will benefit from extra funding to support the delivery of 30 hours’ free childcare for working parents of three and four-year-old youngsters.
High Hopes Nursery in Gawsworth will be getting a share of the £745,733 secured by Cheshire East from the government to help five nurseries across the borough boost their free places.
Cllr Liz Durham, cabinet member for children and families, said: “This is such good news as the council is absolutely committed to providing a good range of services to meet local needs and this includes working with ‘early years’ providers to support young children and their families.
“Working closely with our schools, education partners and parents, we are confident we can continue to help provide the highest quality of provision going forward so that our children and young people can achieve their highest potential – and that parents can be supported in their choice to return to the workplace.”
From September, three and four-year-olds in England will be entitled to 30 free hours of care per week in term time – up from the current 15 hours.
The 30-hour extension is available to families where both parents, or one parent in lone parent households, earn more than the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the national living wage.
There is an upper income threshold of £100,000 per parent per year, although couples who earn more than this between them will still be able to access the extension.
Parents who do not meet the work criteria will continue to access the current offer of 15 hours free childcare a week in term time.