Bridget Phillipson has said extra childcare places in new school-based nurseries in England will be available to families from next year.
The Education Secretary said the early years was her “first priority” as she accused the Conservatives of leaving behind a “threadbare” childcare system.
The expansion of funded childcare for working parents – which was introduced by the Conservative government – began being rolled out in England in April.
Working parents of all children older than nine months are now able to access 15 hours of funded childcare, before the full roll-out of 30 hours a week to all eligible families in September 2025.
In its manifesto, Labour said it would open an additional 3,000 nurseries through “upgrading space” in primary schools, to deliver the extension of Government-funded hours families are entitled to.
Ms Phillipson told the Labour Party Conference: “Today I can tell you that change begins, delivery begins: those extra places start opening next year.
“The first phase of our new nurseries, of high-quality early education, boosting life chances for children and work choices for parents.”
From next month, schools will be invited to bid for a share of £15 million capital funding, with capacity in the programme to deliver up to 300 new or expanded nurseries in this first round.
Schools will need to demonstrate how their proposals will respond to local demand, and funding will be allocated to successful schools in spring 2025 to support delivery for the first cohort of places.
This is the first step to delivering the government’s ambition for 3,000 new nurseries in primary schools.
The Education Secretary told the conference in Liverpool: “Our mission to deliver opportunity for the next generation must start with our youngest children.
“So much in life depends on those crucial early years before school, when the gaps between rich and poor open up.
“It is my first priority. The life chances of our children, and the future of our country, demand nothing less.”
Sir Peter Lampl, founder of the Sutton Trust charity, said: “The Government’s plan to set up new nurseries in schools is an excellent one given the pressures on the early years system to deliver the expansion of funded hours.”
He added: “We now urgently need a plan to equalise entitlements for children from poorer backgrounds. These children stand to benefit most from early years education but are excluded from expanded provision.
“For a government saying it will break down barriers to opportunity, this is the wrong approach. Without action, we are likely to see disadvantaged children falling further behind their peers.”