£300,000 Funding Boost To Create New Nursery Places On Isle Of Wight

Children on the Isle of Wight are set to benefit from nearly £300,000 in funding to create more than 30 new nursery places.

The funding, from the Department for Education, will support expansions at two primary schools.

At Broadlea Primary School, £147,000 will be used to transform unused space within the existing building, creating 20 additional nursery places for families in the Sandown and Shanklin area.

Meanwhile, Bembridge CE Primary School has been awarded £150,000 on behalf of Windmills Preschool to help build a new facility at the front of the site, providing a further 12 places.

The investment is part of a wider push to expand school-based nurseries, making it easier for families to access early years education close to home.

Councillor Paul Brading says the funding will help give more children the best possible start, while supporting parents with childcare.

School leaders have also welcomed the investment, saying it will allow them to reach more families and improve facilities, helping children develop key social, emotional and language skills from an early age.