Collingham awarded £150,000 from DfE's School-based Nursery Capital Grant

We are absolutely delighted to share some exciting news with you about a potential new development at Collingham.

Last summer, we carried out a consultation with parents and carers of young children across our community to explore the possibility of establishing a pre-school on our school site. We were extremely grateful for the time so many took to respond. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive and gave us a strong indication that this would be both welcomed and beneficial for local families.

From the responses received:

• 86.1% felt that a pre-school at Collingham would be a good idea
• 88.9% agreed that a school-based pre-school would help children start school more confidently
• 86.1% valued the availability of wrap-around care
• 88.9% said it would have influenced their choice of primary school
• 97.2% highlighted the importance of provision being led by qualified and experienced staff

This feedback gave us the confidence to move forward and submit an application for government funding. As a result, we are now pleased to confirm that our application has been successful and we have been awarded £150,000 through the Department for Education's School-based Nursery Capital Grant. This funding will support the creation of 26 additional nursery places on our school site by rennovating the School Bungalow.

This is a significant and exciting opportunity for our school and community. It would allow us to begin working with children and families earlier in their educational journey, strengthening early development and ensuring a smooth transition into Reception.

We are currently in the early stages of planning and will begin exploring the project in more detail over the coming weeks, including the use of space, staffing and provision design. Our current aim is to open the pre-school provision by September 2027, although this will depend on the successful completion of all planning and development work.

We are also pleased to be able to share some early drawings with you. These reflect our initial vision for the space; however, please note that this is indicative at this stage, and a final design will be shaped by cost considerations and further planning work.

We will, of course, continue to keep you fully informed as plans progress and will provide further opportunities for you to share your views as the project develops.