CHILDREN in Oxfordshire are set to benefit from a £2m investment in nurseries and pre-schools.

Oxfordshire County Council has agreed to hand over the money for building projects at 17 centres.

Projects range from completely new buildings to major overhauls of existing premises.

The money was given to the county council to spend on early years services by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Louise Chapman, the council's cabinet member for children, young people and families, said: “Oxfordshire County Council is really pleased to work with nurseries and pre-schools to make the best use of this investment opportunity.

“Over the next two years thousands of young children in Oxfordshire will benefit from improved buildings and outdoor space and a more stimulating early learning environment.”

BERINSFIELD

For Berinsfield Early Years Pre-school, the £300,000 grant to provide a new building at Berinsfield Primary School could make the difference between staying open and having to close.

Supervisor Lynn McCullough said: “This is amazing for us.

“If it wasn’t for us getting the grant, we probably wouldn’t have a pre-school any more — it is literally keeping us open.”

The pre-school, which provides care and education for about 40 children, is currently based in a mobile building which was designed to last for a few years.

The building was already secondhand when the pre-school took it over more than 18 years ago.

Mrs McCullough said: “Our existing building has lasted really well and done a fantastic service but it’s on its last legs.

“This is great news for the future."

CUMNOR

Cumnor Pre-school: Cumnor Pre-school has been pledged up to £300,000 for a new building at Cumnor Primary School site to replace its existing portable building. Supervisor Joanna Sims said: “It’s wonderful news.

“We’re in a temporary building at the moment and it hasn’t got much life left in it, so we’re desperate for a more permanent facility.

“This means we should be able to offer full day care, which we can’t do at the moment.”

The money will pay for a larger permanent building.

The pre-school currently cares for 35 children, aged from two to school age.

KIDLINGON

Kidlington Magpies Pre-school: Kidlington Magpies Pre-school will receive £300,000 to build a permanent home for the first time.

The pre-school, which hopes to increase its intake from 24 children a session to 32, currently uses Exeter Hall but will move to a new building at North Kidlington Primary School.

Supervisor Karen Woodward said: “It means so much. It’s unbelievable.

“As well as being able to offer parents and children more hours, more importantly the facilities will be just for us, so we will be able to put children’s work on the wall.

“At the moment, we can’t leave anything out.

“We have to pack everything away every day.”

Business manager Ian Jackson added: “It’s going to make a tremendous difference, because we currently have gravely inadequate storage, so we can’t give the kids anything like the facilities we would otherwise be able to do.”