New rooms and outdoor play at Westbury nursery

A Westbury nursery has expanded its facilities with new playrooms and larger outdoor play area, with support from Wiltshire Council and government funding.

BebeTots Nursery & Pre-School now offers an additional 28 spaces for children aged 0-3 years and an additional 24 spaces for children aged 3-4 years.  The nursery has turned an empty building adjacent to its existing site into three new playrooms, providing open access to outdoor play for children aged 0-5. This expansion has created an additional 52 spaces in total for children in their early years.

The building has been adapted to be more accessible for all families, ensuring children can enjoy both indoor and outdoor play in all weather conditions.

The new extension was officially opened on 10 March.

Nursery owner, Jennifer Morris said: "We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded these two grants and appreciate all the support we have had from Wiltshire Council throughout the project. The grants we were awarded have enabled us to provide an exceptional environment for all children to thrive and achieve their full potential. Our team have worked so hard to ensure a smooth transition to the new larger rooms, and we are forever grateful for all their hard work too."

The expansion has been funded from £136,000 from the Wiltshire Council Early Years Capital Expansion Grant and an additional £165,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Invest in Wiltshire scheme.

Kathryn Davis, Director Education and Skills at Wiltshire Council said: "As the government introduces 30 hours' support for families from September, we need more spaces. BebeTots is one of 16 early years settings to benefit from this government funding, helping us to create an additional 325 places in Wiltshire and there will be more before September."

Beyond nursery expansions, the government's capital funding has also supported 74 providers in expanding wraparound care services, including before- and after-school clubs at primary schools starting this September.