Victoria Infant and Nursery School in Barrow to Lower Age Range to Two-Year-Olds

A proposal to broaden the age group served by an infant school and nursery, prompted by a government initiative to expand free childcare, is expected to receive approval. Westmorland and Furness councillors have been recommended to endorse plans for Victoria Infant and Nursery School in Barrow to accommodate children starting from two years of age. Currently, the school educates children aged three to seven, but it aims to broaden its services following recent changes in education policy. According to a report drafted for the cabinet of the Liberal Democrat-led authority, the planned effective date for this alteration is 7 January. The Conservative government, then in power, declared in March 2023 an increase in childcare eligibility, introducing 15 hours of free early education weekly for children aged nine months and older, commencing September 2024. Subsequently, from September 2025, all children aged nine months and above, whose parents are working, will qualify for 30 hours of free early education each week. A consultation conducted by the school revealed that 22 parents indicated an interest in utilizing the proposed provision for two-year-olds, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The report also underscored additional advantages, such as fostering earlier language skill development in children and assisting working families who presently face difficulties securing local childcare. For updates from BBC Cumbria, connect via X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. This material is Copyright 2024 BBC, with all rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.