School Based Nursery Capital Programme

Our Expertise in Early Years Childcare

Place Group has extensive expertise in the early years childcare sector – with its research team having worked with one-third of all English, and many Welsh, local authorities on early years childcare sufficiency and business planning projects since the initiation of the Childcare Act 2006.

---

Our Success in Phase 1 Applications to the DfE’s School-Based Nurseries Capital Programme

Place Group successfully wrote a number of applications for (the inaugural) Phase 1 of the DfE’s School-Based Nurseries Capital Programme (SBN) launched in October 2024, through which up to £150,000 in capital funding could be secured.

It has also been working in 2025 on the pre-opening project management of Phase 1 School-Based Nurseries.

Phase 2 of the programme was initiated by DfE during September 2025 –December 2025, again for up to £150,000 of capital funding.

Place Group wrote a number of Phase 2 applications, the outcomes of which are due to be announced in April 2026.
Phase 3 of the programme was announced in February 2026.

Three fundamentals for Phase 3 include:

• Family Hubs are now eligible (and encouraged) to submit an application
• The deadline for applications/submissions will be: 30th September, 2026
• There is no cap on funding now for a school’s application, so no £150,000 limit of capital funding (as was the case in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the programme).

Place Group has first-hand relationships with the relevant childcare sufficiency officers from the majority of English local authorities, and can support with this critical first process.

---

How We Support Applications

Place Group’s early years and childcare specialists can then write a compelling School-Based Nurseries Capital programme application for a school, Family Hub, Multi Academy Trust(s), Single Academy Trust(s) and/or a maintained nursery school or class.

We can take full responsibility for the following key elements:

• School site visits – confirming feasibility through a space assessment and business planning review, and establishing application viability with headteachers/Trust/Hub leaders.
• Consultation and engagement – launching, managing, and analysing feedback from the school/Family Hub community.
• Local authority liaison – engaging with relevant officers to ensure their full support for the application.
• Production of a Feasibility Study – covering:
  • Project overview and business model, including to support the buoyancy of a Reception cohort intake
  • Local demand and need
  • Approach to early education and the Early Years Foundation Stage
  • Evaluation of risks
  • Cash-flow and profitability forecasts.

---

Our Success in Managing the Pre-Opening of
successful SBN Applications

For successful Phase 2 applications, our experienced team can deliver the pre-opening project management like we did for successful Phase 1 applicants –
which typically involves actions including:

• Managing the capital project delivery
• Implementing the application’s business plan and vision
• Confirming turnover and profitability projections
• Support with marketing and ensuring occupancy
• Support with recruitment of the nursery leadership and team
• Liaison with the DfE
• Liaison (as required) with Ofsted registration requirements

---

If you are interested in further exploring how Place Group can support you with such an application please contact us at our Contact page.