Plan to create new nursery places is unlikely to work, research finds

A flagship government policy to create 100,000 new nursery places using spare capacity in English primary schools is "unlikely to work", according to research.

- Sally Weale

The analysis blames a geographical mismatch between capacity and demand, while leaders in the sector have raised concerns about staffing, the provision of sleep areas for the youngest children, toilets that are too big and sinks that are too high for nursery-age children.

Headteachers have been invited to apply for up to £150,000 in the first round of funding, which will support up to 300 new or expanded nurseries in state primary schools, building to a final target of 3,000 nurseries.

The success of the policy is critical as the government is under pressure to create sufficient places to fulfil its promise of 30 hours of free childcare a week for eligible parents of children aged from nine months to three years from next September.