Cross-party MPs call on government to take ‘urgent action’ to stop nursery school closures

‘Ability of nurseries to provide support for vulnerable children is being seriously undermined’

State-run nurseries are at risk of closure if funding is discontinued, MPs say (PA)

A cross-party group of 71 MPs has called on the government to take “urgent action” in protecting funding for state-run nursery schools, warning that many could face closure.

The MPs – including 12 Conservatives – have signed a letter calling for the funding of almost 400 maintained nursery schools across England to be safeguarded beyond 2020.

Nursery schools provide specialist support to the most vulnerable children – including those with special educational needs and disabilities, the letter to education and treasury ministers says.

“We call on you to continue providing the resources they need for that vital role, and to recognise the urgency of doing so now,” the MPs say.

Among the signatories is MP Robert Halfon, Tory chair of the education select committee, as well as ministerial aide Craig Tracey, and former ministers Tim Loughton and Dan Poulter.

Since 2016, the government has committed to supplementary funding of around £59m a year for nursery schools – but this is only guaranteed until 2019.

MPs are calling for a commitment to funding past 2020, warning that “warm words will not pay the bills”. They say a loss of this funding would represent a 31 per cent cut to the nurseries budget.

“With many maintained nursery schools at risk of closure, a long term funding solution is now urgent and cannot await the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review,” the letter says.

It adds: “Over the last few years, most maintained nursery schools have already undertaken extensive efficiency savings including restructuring and making staff redundant.

“The ability of maintained nursery schools to provide the exceptional quality of teaching, leadership and support for vulnerable children and families is being seriously undermined.”

Former shadow educations secretary Lucy Powell, who co-ordinated the letter as chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on nursery schools, said: “If the government isn’t careful, many nursery schools will close by stealth waiting for help that many never come.

“They cannot wait for the spending review. We need action now to safeguard their future in the short term, whilst a long term fix is found so these schools can thrive and grow.”

Tracy Brabin MP, shadow early years minister, said: “Maintained nurseries do extraordinary work closing the gap between the most disadvantaged children and their peers, often in areas of deprivation and with particular expertise in supporting children with special educational needs or disabilities.

“Only this week, I have heard from nursery heads who have been told their schools will have to bake cakes or take in laundry to make ends meet. This is deeply shortsighted.

“To close the disadvantage gap you need quality teaching in the early years and the government needs to act to safeguard it.”

Beatrice Merrick, chief executive of national early years charity Early Education, said: “Ministers talk about the importance of improving the quality of the early years workforce to help close the gap for our most disadvantaged children.

“These beacons of excellence share their expertise to raise quality across the early years sector, and provide education and care for children with special educational needs and disabilities whom other settings struggle to support.

“Failing to fund them sustainability will ultimately be far more costly than investing now in a vital part of the early years infrastructure.”

A Government spokesperson said: “Maintained nursery schools make a valuable contribution to improving the lives of some of our most disadvantaged children – that’s why we are providing local authorities with around £60million extra a year until 2020 to protect maintained nursery schools funding. Ministers regularly meet with Maintained Nursery School leaders.

“Overall, we are spending a record £6bn a year to deliver high quality early years education. This means we can provide almost 750,000 disadvantaged two-year olds with 15 hours free childcare. Low income families can continue to get this amount of childcare for their three-and-four-year-olds, doubling to 30 hours for working families.

"Decisions about what happens after this will be taken as part of the next Spending Review. We urge councils not to make premature decisions on the future of these nurseries."