Early Years and childcare grants

Early Years Revenue Grants

Providers must meet at least two of the following criteria:

• The project will pay for additional resources to support a child with SEND.
• The project will build capacity to deliver the entitlements to children with SEND.
• The provider is offering a place a term before a refugee child is eligible under the 2 year old, universal or extended entitlements
• The project will provide additional places for universal/extended 3 – 4 year olds in areas where there is an identified shortfall.
• The project will provide additional places for the new working parent entitlements 9 – 3 year olds in areas where there is an identified shortfall.
• Start up funding for out of school provision where a provider can demonstrate a need.
• Provider at risk of closure invited to apply for sustainability funding.
• Is newly registered or judged good or outstanding by Ofsted.

Providers that meet the key criteria in areas where a sufficiency gap has been identified will be prioritised. 

Email a brief outline of your proposal to earlyeducationupdates@oxfordshire.gov.uk 

DfE School-Based Nursery Grants - Phase 2

Phase 2 of the School-Based Nurseries (SBN) capital grant initiative is now closed, and we are waiting for information on successful bids.

Phase 3 was launched by the DfE in February 2026, and will require Oxfordshire County Council to decide on a potential bid for a programme of funding to implement places from September 2027.

When further details are available, we will share them.

In the meantime, if you have any comments or queries about School-Based Nursery Grants, please direct these to the School Organisation and Planning team at school.planning@oxfordshire.gov.uk, including 'SBN Queries' in the subject title.

School-Based Nursery Grant Phase 3 – Expressions of Interest invited (deadline 5pm Monday 1 June)

The latest phase of the Government’s School-Based Nursery capital grant opportunity is now live. Phase 3 runs from 2027 to 2030 and represents a shift from school‑led bids to local‑authority‑led, multi‑year strategic proposals. Its purpose is to increase access to high‑quality early years places, particularly in areas under pressure from childcare sufficiency and deprivation.

Oxfordshire County Council will work with schools and Academy Trusts to devise a bid to submit to the DfE in September 2026. The DfE will announce successful bids around April 2027. 

A council SBN working group will review expressions of interest and work further with applicants that appear to best meet the key DfE and OCC criteria in June and July. 

Complete the expression of interest form no later than 5pm on Monday, 1 June. We will let you know w/c 15 June if we wish to take forward your project for possible inclusion in the DfE bid

• Expression of Interest: School-Based Nurseries Capital Grant Phase 3

Key criteria

• Based on a Primary or Maintained Nursery School site (can be in partnership with a private, voluntary or independent provider)
• Creates new and/or additional funded nursery places
• Provides new places in areas/age groups identified by OCC as a sufficiency concern (see below)
• Increases access to free nursery provision for vulnerable groups (e.g. SEND, 2YO  Early Learning ‘disadvantaged’ places)
• Does not create additional capacity which would jeopardise other early years provision in the area
• Places must be capable of becoming operable between 2027 and 2030
• Value for money – basic cost per new place (match funding will assist with this)
• Must work in partnership with any existing on site early years provision
• Must have suitable surplus space/land to develop

All projects must comply with DfE’s Establishing School‑based Nursery Provision guidance: School-based Nursery Capital Grant 2027-2030: information for local authorities, March 2026

There is no limit to the number of projects that we can bid for or on the cost per project, however please be aware that the council has limited capacity to support the detailed development of individual projects. Academy Schools should liaise with their MAT before completing the EOI.

If you require any further information, please email school.planning@oxfordshire.gov.uk with ‘SBN 3’ in the subject header.