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24
Mar
£250,000 early education centre to be created at Harrogate school
A Harrogate primary school has secured £250,000 to open an early education centre for the town.
The centre, which will cater for up to 37 babies and children from birth to nursery-age all-year round, will be based at Willow Tree Community Primary School on Wetherby Road.
Work to develop the centre, which is due to open in September 2027, will begin this summer.
The school received £150,000 from the government's school-based nursery capital grant, which allows schools and nurseries to apply for up to £150,000 to create or expand a school-based nursery.
The government says school-based nurseries make the school run simpler with fewer drop-offs and help parents return to work.
Northern Star Academies Trust, which Willow Tree belongs to, provided a further £100,000.
Willow Tree headteacher Robert Mold said:
We know there is high demand for school-based and teacher-led nursery provision that focuses on school readiness and is available all-year round. That's what our early education centre will provide, offering parents a school-led option for their youngest children.
We already provide excellent early years education at Willow Tree, with a strong network of early education practitioners across our multi-academy trust. Our curriculum develops children's communication skills and a love of books and reading, with time spent learning in nature and enrichment opportunities.
Jenn Plews, chief Executive of Northern Star Academies Trust, said:
"We know from research that children's development in their earliest years shapes their opportunities in future life. That's why we're investing in high quality early education, to improve life chances for our youngest children in Harrogate".
Northern Star Academies Trust is a group of 15 primary and secondary schools across Harrogate, Skipton, Keighley and Bradford.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
As a parent, I know how hard it can be to juggle work and family life, especially in those early days where time is precious and sleep is short.
School-based nurseries are already driving a seismic shift in how childcare supports families.
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