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The Conservative party has unveiled its latest manifesto, including a pledge to add nursery provision to all new primary schools.

 

The manifesto also reaffirmed the party’s commitment to the 30-hours offer, due to be rolled-out nationwide this September. It said that it would “immediately” create a capital fund to “help primary schools develop nurseries where they currently do not have the facilities to provide one”.

 

The Conservative party has pledged to support maintained nursery schools and “allow them to take on academy freedoms”. The party also said it would consider “what more is needed” for the sector, which it said included “looking at the best ways that childcare is provided elsewhere in Europe and the world”.

 

The Alliance has criticised the announcement that all new primary schools will include a nursery. Chief executive Neil Leitch said: “Private and voluntary childcare providers play an integral role in the delivery of childcare and early education in this country, and yet many have faced a persistent struggled for survival as the result of insufficient funding. As such, it beggars belief that the Conservative manifesto makes no attempt to address the issue, but instead, chooses to concentrate its funding efforts on increasing the number of school nurseries.”

 

Neil added: “If the 30-hour funded offer is to have any chance of succeeding and actually providing the places promised to parents, then the Conservative Party simply must ensure that adequate funding is available to all providers, not just a select few. Ignoring the needs of the private and voluntary sector, which for years has been the backbone of the childcare sector in the country, is thoughtless, offensive and rash.”