A Harrogate primary school has secured major funding to develop new teacher-led nursery provision as part of a new “Early Education Centre” for the town.
Willow Tree Community Primary School on Wetherby Road in Harrogate has secured £150,000 from the Government’s “school-based nursery” programme. The grant is being matched with investment from Northern Star Academies Trust to create an Early Education Centre with spaces for up to 37 babies and children from birth to nursery-age.
The Centre, which will provide an all-year-round service, is scheduled to open in September 2027. Work to develop the Centre will begin this summer.
Willow Tree Headteacher, Robert Mold, said:
We already provide excellent early years education at Willow Tree, with a strong network of early education practitioners across our multi academy Trust. Our curriculum develops children’s communication skills and a love of books and reading, with time spent learning in nature and enrichment opportunities.
We know there is high demand for school-based and teacher-led nursery provision that focuses on school readiness and is available all-year round. That’s what our Early Education Centre will provide, offering parents a school-led option for their youngest children.
The Chief Executive of Northern Star Academies Trust, Jenn Plews, said:
We know from research that children’s development in their earliest years shapes their opportunities in future life. That’s why we’re investing in high quality early education, to improve life chances for our youngest children in Harrogate.
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.
Schools across the region, including Hillsborough Primary and Pye Bank CofE Primary will benefit from the funding – helping to create new nursery places and expand existing provision for local families.
Northern Star Academies Trust, which includes Willow Tree Community Primary School, is a group of 15 primary and secondary schools across Harrogate, Skipton, Keighley and Bradford.
