Seven Primary Schools in Devon will receive funding to increase their capacity for early years provision for children below school age.

The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed that each of the schools will receive up to £150,000 to create new early years places in their schools.

Devon County Council supported the schools with their applications for the Schools-Based Nursery Grants.

The schools include:

The schools all meet the DfE’s grant criteria, demonstrating that there's a clear need for more early years places in their local communities, and there are high levels of deprivation in their catchment areas.

Winkleigh Primary School plans to expand its early years provision with the installation of a new modular building on the same site.

Their current nursery has a capacity for 51 children. But demand for baby places in Winkleigh is already exceeding their current capacity, with projected numbers rising beyond the available space.

The proposed development will increase provision for children under the age of two, from 12 places to 21 places and for two-year-olds from 13 to 20 places. Current provision for three and four-year-olds will remain the same with 26 places.

The school says that the expansion will enable them to meet rising local demand for baby places; provide an age-appropriate, high quality setting for the slightly older pre-school children; support more children with special educational needs and disabilities and those eligible for early years pupil premium who may also be eligible for a Free School Meal at the nursery; and improve the sufficiency of early years provision in the Winkleigh area.

The additional places are expected to be available between 8am and 6pm all year-round, enabling parents and carers to work or attend training without the need to travel long distances to access childcare.