THREE primary schools are extending their early years hours this autumn.
Education Minister Rob Ward said the extensions, which form part of the government’s commitment to increase childcare provision, would offer more hours to 79 children who use the nurseries and “incentivise parents to take up some or all of 32 unused spaces”.
Plat Douet School will extend their nursery hours from 7.30am to 5.30pm, d’Auvergne School will extend theirs to 6pm, possibly not until October half-term, and Trinity will extend to 6pm.
In the States, Deputy Ward said: “The plans we have to continue extending childcare will be underpinned by principles of choice, affordability and accessibility for families. Maintaining the high quality services are key to success.”
The minister committed to opening up more nursery places in schools earlier this year – and while he remains committed to putting on 15 more hours of universal childcare for two- to three-year-olds, he added: “I’m not going to offer more hours of universal care when the provision is not there.”
He said he hoped that there would be a “significant increase” in provision for two- to three-year-olds before the next election, “because if it is in place then, it won’t be changed [after the election].”
