Southwark Council provides more free nursery places

Southwark Council will be creating another 1,000 free nursery places in the borough for children under the age of two. The places will be opened up to children from less advantaged families throughout the year as part of the council's efforts to expand its free nursery provisions.

As it currently stands, children aged three and four are able to take advantage of up to 15 hours of term time free early education. Until now this offer did not stand open to two-year-olds in the borough. The council is set to change this and will be extending the 15 hour offer to younger children from September this year to those families that fulfil certain criteria.

For the first year - the school year 2013/14 - the free nursery places will be offered to families in the borough that are receiving certain benefits as well as vulnerable children that have been identified by the council. However, the next academic year will see the offer extended to a broader range of families to allow more children to benefit from the nursery places.

Councillor Dora Dixon Fyle, cabinet member for children's services, said: "I am so pleased that Southwark is rolling out its provision of free nursery places to help even more families in the borough.

"We know that quality nursery education gives children a good start in their learning and this is a wonderful opportunity for less advantaged parents to give their children a head start and the same opportunities to reach their educational potential as their peers."

Several different early years' education providers are to be funded by the council in order to deliver these free places. Each of the providers is high quality and includes a variety of children's centres, nursery schools, pre-schools, childminders and both private and voluntary sector nurseries.

More information is available from the council, which is also to assess applicants' eligibility for the nursery placements.

 

Published 2nd August, 2013

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