Minister admits nursery schools need more cash
Children and families minister Nadhim Zahawi has said it would be “foolishly stupid” to deny that local authority-maintained nurseries are under financial pressure.
He made his comments with a rising number of nursery schools warning that they are in financial straits and at risk of closure.
Mr Zahawi urged town halls to hold fire on decisions about nurseries until the government’s forthcoming comprehensive spending review, due next year, as he vowed to lobby the Treasury for ongoing funding.
Nursery schools were given an extra £60 million by the government last year to support them through changes to the way early years education is funded. But this funding is due to end in 2020.
Giving evidence on early years provision to the Commons Education Select Committee yesterday, Mr Zahawi was pressed by the Conservative chair, Robert Halfon, on whether this funding should be extended beyond 2020, particularly in disadvantaged areas.
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