Nine schools in Sheffield earmarked for new nurseries or extra childcare places under DfE scheme
Nine schools in Sheffield are either getting a new nursery or adding new childcare spaces under a Government scheme.
800 new childcare places will be created at 40 schools in Yorkshire and the Humber from in September 2026 through grant money from the Department for Education.
There will be more room for children under four at the following schools and nurseries in Sheffield:
- Beighton Nursery Infant School
- Bradfield Dungworth Primary School
- Brougham Street Nursery School
- Greenhill Primary School
- Hillsborough Primary School
- Pye Bank CofE Primary School
- Willow Tree Community Primary School
- St Mary's Catholic Primary School
- St Peter's Catholic Primary School
The Department for Education was unable to say how many places will be created at each, or how much grant money each would receive.
Headteacher at Hillsborough Primary Nicola Wileman, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been chosen for this grant - it's such a great thing for our school and our whole community.
“Our area has faced real challenges over recent years, with higher levels of deprivation and a drop in nursery provision since Covid, meaning too many children were starting school without having accessed early childcare.
“This expansion will help us ensure every local family has access to a quality, trusted nursery, giving children the best possible start in life and helping parents get back into work and back into the community.”
Headteacher at Pye Bank CofE Primary Rhea Kurcewicz, said: “We're thrilled to receive this funding - demand for full-time nursery places in our area has never been higher as more and more local parents are getting into work, and this expansion means we can finally meet that need.
“Pye Bank is the hub of this community, and we already work closely with families on everything from housing to healthcare, so being able to offer more childcare places adds to that vital wraparound support.
“We can't wait to welcome more of our youngest children through the doors.”
Sheffield City Council will lead plans for creating new nurseries, despite nearly all of the schools above are operated by academic trusts.
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.”
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