“Underused space” in primary schools with falling rolls should be used for early years childcare, the children’s commissioner for England has said.
Dame Rachel de Souza also said bringing early education into schools would offer an opportunity to align the training, development and support of staff across the two sectors.
The latest government projections predict the primary school population will fall by 16.6 per cent over the next five years.
A Schools Week investigation earlier this year found councils are already reducing school capacity and repurposing empty classrooms, with the number of surplus places set to soar by up to 140 per cent in some parts of England.
