Mary Opens New School-based Nursery at Stoke Primary
Mary Creagh MP cuts the ribbon to open The Meadow (with some help from the children Stoke Primary School)
Coventry’s first new school-based nursery – The Meadow at Stoke Primary – was officially opened by Mary Creagh, MP for Coventry East on Friday 12th September. It is one of 300 school-based nurseries across the country in the first wave of a £37 million investment by the Government.
Mary cut the ribbon and declared The Meadows officially open at a ceremony attended by the people who have made this happen - parents, staff, local authority officials and building contractors. This was followed by a tour of the smart new facilities on the school grounds. From next week, local two-year olds will gradually be introduced to the space, which will eventually have places for up to 30 children; 15 in the morning and 15 in the afternoon.
Stoke Primary already had a nursery for three-year olds and they have seen the amazing impact that engaging with education can have, especially for vulnerable children. Three out of five children who joined the current nursery at age three were assessed as having good progress by the end of their reception year. This is significantly higher than those that did not come to the nursery.
Mary Creagh MP said “We know that children benefit from high quality education before they start school. The brilliant staff at Stoke Primary have seen it with the children they have helped already. This new government funding makes it possible for them to do even more to give children in Coventry the best start in life.”
Stoke Primary is a proudly multicultural school, with families from 45 different countries and many different cultures and religions. The sight of parents chatting together at the school gates on Briton Road sharing their experiences and supporting each other is a fantastic example of multicultural Britain at its best.
Headteacher Mat Ascroft said, "At Stoke we understand the importance of Early Years learning and the difference it can make to children's life chances. Receiving this grant has enabled us to start to provide a quality learning environment for local two-year olds. Our brilliant staff are really energised and looking forward to welcoming the children. We can't wait to see how our youngest cohort thrive and grow in our caring, nurturing and ambitious Meadow."
"High quality Early Years provision can transform children’s life chances,” said Lucy Fox, the Early Years Lead who will be running The Meadow. “Our team has worked hard to create an environment where every two-year old can flourish, and we are delighted to be able to offer this to our community."
Parents of children starting at The Meadow are delighted. "I'm excited, I'm very excited, I'm really excited to get her in," said one parent. "I'm happy, she is so smart and she is sitting at home doing nothing so school will be good for her. I'm happy and I love it."
Another parent said "It's great that he gets to access these hours, really great."
There are still some nursery places for this term so if local parents would like their children to join The Meadow, they can contact the school on 024 7645 1724 or office@stoke.coventry.sch.uk
Giving Children the Best Start in Life
The expansion is a key part of Labour’s Plan for Change to deliver practical support for families, boosting local economies, and helping parents stay in work.
Nurseries in schools is just one part of the Labour Government’s ambitious plan to for our children. This month sees the landmark expansion of 30 hours of funded childcare which is a game-changer for working families in Coventry. It could save parents up to £7,500 a year. This comes the same week as the Labour government has delivered 30 hours of free childcare from age nine months to reception year. Despite inheriting a pledge without a plan from the Conservatives, this Labour government has delivered the largest ever expansion of government-funded childcare, with over half a million children set to benefit nationally this month alone.
Parents can access an all-new online platform BestStartinLife.gov.uk to offer support beyond the nursery door, with everything they need to give their children the best start in their early years and beyond. This will become a go-to destination for families navigating the early years and beyond – so they can play their vital role in getting their children school-ready.
Amid the ongoing success of the first phase, Labour is determined to go further and faster to tackle childcare cold spots to offer more choice for parents in Coventry.
As part of its drive to give every child the best start in life, the Labour government has invited more primary schools to bid for up to £150,000 funding from a £45 million pot to create a further 300 new or expanded best start school-based nurseries - offering up to 7,000 more places - from September 2026.
This second phase will prioritise quality bids from schools serving areas with childcare cold spots in some of the most disadvantaged communities, delivering thousands of new places for families who need them most. Contributing to the vibrant childcare market with a range of options that suit all family’s needs, school-based nurseries offer children the opportunity to grow up and learn in a consistent environment all the way up to age 11, so they can continue to thrive in an environment they trust.
Mary Creagh MP said “I know from speaking with families across Coventry childcare can put pressure on household finances. That’s why Labour’s offer of 30 government-funded hours of childcare has already begun to make a massive difference to local parents – saving them £7,500 a year and giving children the best start.”
“I’m so glad to see Labour doubling down by making high-quality early years education more accessible, affordable and convenient, boosting parents’ work choices and children's life chances. Making life easier for parents by reducing the pressures of the school run means they can keep working with confidence, earning more money and supporting wider economic growth, a priority in Labour’s Plan for Change.”
Testament to the incredible work of providers and the Labour government, 9 in 10 parents are getting one of their three top choice nursery places. Alongside the Best Start school-based nurseries rollout, Labour is upping funding for the sector to £9 billion next year to support delivery of a brilliant early years education to give every child the best start in life.