Cherry Tree Hill Primary School’s nursery has expanded to accommodate more children as demand rises due to the Government’s offer of additional free childcare hours.
Located on the school site in Lime Grove, Chaddesden, the nursery could previously support around 26 children, providing a total of 780 hours of childcare per week.
In response to an increase in families applying for the full 30 hours of funded childcare, the nursery, part of Odyssey Collaborative Trust, has now been extended to allow for up to 39 children and 1,170 childcare hours per week.
Emily Maskell, Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Lead at the nursery, explained: “The reason for the expansion is that we’ve seen a growing number of parents requesting 30 hours of childcare, and our current facilities simply couldn’t meet that need. We wanted to ensure we could support more working families in our community.”
In September 2024, eligible working parents of children aged 9 months up to 3 years became entitled to 15 hours per week of funded childcare. From September 2025, this entitlement will double to 30 hours per week—extending from 9 months up to the start of primary school.
Schools and nurseries have been able to apply for grants of up to £150,000 to expand or create on-site nursery facilities, enabling approximately 3,000 new or expanded school-based nurseries, which is what Cherry Tree Hill Primary School has done for its nursery.
Beth Wood’s son Arthur has just started at the nursery at three years old.
“It’s been brilliant because my five-year-old son George is already at Cherry Tree Hill Primary School, so it allows me to drop them both off at school at the same time. It has also meant that I have been able to increase my work hours and don’t have to rely on childminders.”
Head teacher Paul Appleton said: “Having a nursery on the school site offers real benefits for families. It provides continuity and familiarity for children as they grow, and it’s more convenient for parents with siblings at different stages of their education. We knew that there was demand among children who would be coming to our school in reception for these nursery places. Being able to cater for that need allows us to get to know the children earlier, make their transition to reception smoother and, if we identify special educational needs during nursery, we can ensure that support is in place and ready for them when they start school.”
The recently completed extension includes a new quiet area and an additional toilet to better meet the needs of the children.
Ian Dewes, Chief Executive of Odyssey Collaborative Trust, said: “We are immensely proud and privileged as a school trust to have the ability to improve the communities we are a part of. Through expanding its nursery, Cherry Tree Hill Primary School will be able to make life simpler for families and ensure more children are able to thrive right from early years up to when they leave for secondary school.”
This article was written by Kirsty Green on behalf of Odyssey Collaborative Trust. Can we share your news and get you in the headlines too? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
