School nurseries asked to open for longer

The Government is looking to increase the opening hours of school nurseries and cut 'red tape' to allow them to take two year olds.

The Government is looking to increase the opening hours of school nurseries and cut 'red tape' to allow them to take two year olds.

Liz Truss, the childcare minister, has told the Telegraph that she is writing to local authorities to ask that school nurseries open for longer hours. The government is also looking to introduce legislation to allow school nurseries to take two year olds. The most deprived two year olds are eligible for 15 hours' free funding and this will be extended to around 40% of two year olds later this year. 

The Government says longer hours will allow mothers to work part time, for instance, two longer days of seven and a half hours, rather than having to split the free hours over five days. It adds that it will also mean children from more deprived backgrounds are less likely to fall behind their wealthier peers.

Some school nurseries already offer care to children under three, but they have to register with Ofsted before they can do so. Truss says this stipulation, which she refers to as 'red tape', will be removed by September. 

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