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School Based Nursery Funding

School-Based Nursery Capital Funding

The School-Based Nursery Capital Grant is a one-time grant for eligible state-funded primary schools. A second phase of funding has now been released which allows schools to apply for up to £150,000 to convert spare space within existing buildings or propose new builds and extensions to establish or grow their early years provision. Find out more below.


Are you working on any other projects in your School or Nursery? Our dedicated team of experts are to here to support you every step of the way. Contact us below and one of the team will be in touch.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the School Based Nursery Capital Grant for?

A. The School-Based Nursery Capital Grant is a one-time grant available for eligible state-funded primary-phase schools. Schools can bid for up to £150,000 of funding to use for capital expenditure to:

  • convert spare space within school buildings into a new nursery
  • expand an existing nursery


Q. Who can apply?

Applications for grant funding are open to state-funded primary-phase schools in England that already offer some early education, such as a reception class. Projects must use surplus space in the school building. The grant cannot be used for new builds on school land.

To qualify, your project must meet all the eligibility criteria within the application. This includes securing support from your local authority and obtaining consent from your landlord or relevant freehold landowner where necessary. The DfE will evaluate applications that meet the eligibility criteria against the assessment criteria detailed in the School-Based Nursery Capital Grant 2025 to 2026 Guidance.

Q. What if I do not meet the criteria?

If you are interested in opening a school-based nursery in the future but you are unable or ineligible to apply in this round, you can register your interest online. This includes schools that:

  • do not meet the current eligibility criteria
  • are considering opening a nursery within a more extended timeframe
  • are facing other challenges at this time which prevent an application being made

You should detail why you would like to open or expand school-based nursery provision, the key challenges that prevent you from doing so, and what support may help you to achieve this in the future. Your contribution will help inform the development of the programme.

The Department for Education (DfE) may contact you to discuss support options and if they do, it will not affect the outcome of any future grant applications.

Q. Is there any additional guidance?

A. Yes, the DFE have provided two detailed guidance documents.

School-based Nursery Capital Grant 2025 to 2026 guidance

Establishing school-based nursery provision guidance

Early Years Provision Expanding Through a School Led Model

Q. How can TTS help me?

A. When applying for the school-based nursery capital grant you’ll need to provide the full costings for the project which our in-house educationalists can help with. They’ll work alongside our dedicated projects team to evaluate the space you have available, your expected budget and your curriculum to design inspiring and nurturing environments. Contact us for an initial consultation today.