Lancashire schools are set to build or expand nurseries after successfully securing a share of £45million in government funding.
The expansion, part of a national government scheme aimed at supporting working families and boosting childcare provision in disadvantaged areas, will see the new nurseries open from September.
The project is expected to deliver average annual savings of £8,000 to eligible parents by supporting access to their full childcare entitlement.
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.
"Now we’re going even further to build on what works with over 300 new nurseries – cutting childcare costs, simplifying the school run, and helping parents at a time when household budgets are under real pressure.
"This is about targeting support where it’s needed most, easing the cost of living and giving every child the best start in life."
In East Lancashire, Altham St James Church of England Primary School, Blacko Primary School and Colne Lord Street School are set to create new nursery provisions. Ribblesdale Nursery School, in Clitheroe, can use the funding to expand its current childcare provisions.
The full list of Lancashire schools set to benefit from the funding are:
- Altham St James Church of England Primary School,Burnley Road, Altham
- Blacko Primary School, Gisburn Road, Blacko
- Colne Lord Street School, Lord Street, Colne
- Ribblesdale Nursery School, Queens Road, Clitheroe
- Arkholme Church of England Primary School, Morecambe and Lunesdale
- Clifton Primary School, Clitheroe Rd, Lytham Saint Annes
- Grange CofE Primary School, Westmorland and Lonsdale
- Penwortham Broad Oak Primary School, South Ribble
- Singleton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Fylde
- Treales Church of England Primary School, Fylde
- Trumacar Nursery and Community Primary School, Morecambe and Lunesdale
- West End Primary School, Morecambe and Lunesdale
- Woodland Community Primary School, West Lancashire
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "Our school-based nurseries are already helping fill the gaps in communities where childcare is hardest to find, giving children the strong start they deserve and helping parents access childcare close to home.
"By expanding these nurseries further and targeting them at the areas that need them most, we are making sure more families can benefit from quality early education while putting practical support in place to help with the cost of living.
"For too long, where a child grows up has shaped what they go on to achieve.
"This government was elected to change that – starting with giving every child the best start in life and making sure every family can access the childcare they need, wherever they live."
The expansion will be supported by a £45 million investment to build or extend nursery facilities at 331 schools across England, creating more than 6,000 new childcare places.
The move comes as part of the government’s broader cost-of-living strategy, which also includes free breakfast clubs, capped uniform costs, and expanded free school meal eligibility.
It also aims to address persistent gaps in childcare access.
Government data shows that school-based nurseries already account for 35 per cent of childcare provision in the most deprived areas, compared to just 16 per cent in the least deprived.
The latest phase of the scheme will shift to a locally led approach, with councils invited to propose new nursery sites in areas of greatest need.
Best Start Family Hubs, which are being rolled out nationwide, will also be able to host school-based nurseries in the future.
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