School to expand age range to two-year-olds

Plans to extend the age range of an infant school and nursery in light of a government expansion of free childcare are set to be approved.

Westmorland and Furness councillors are being advised to back proposals for Victoria Infant and Nursery School in Barrow to cater for children as young as two.

The school currently provides education for three to seven-year-olds, but is looking to expand after recent education reforms.

A report prepared for the Liberal Democrat-run authority's cabinet says the proposed implementation of the change is from 7 January.

In March 2023, the then Conservative government announced an expansion of childcare entitlement to include 15 hours free early education per week for children aged nine months upwards from September 2024.

From September 2025 all children aged nine months upwards, from working families, will be able to access 30 hours of free early education per week.

The school carried out a consultation and 22 parents expressed interest in taking up the offer of provision for two-year-olds, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Other benefits highlighted in the report include helping children develop their language skills sooner and helping working families who currently struggle to find childcare cover locally.

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