Best Start grants are delivering £150,000 of funding to Harrow as part of a £12 million national investment, marking what ministers call a transformative step in early education and childcare.
The Best Start initiative promises to roll out 30 hours of government-funded childcare for working parents, saving families up to £7,500 per child per year. It also aims to boost nursery capacity by creating and expanding school-based nurseries, and to end ‘toddler top-up fees’, tackling overcharging on essentials such as nappies. A record uplift to the early years’ pupil premium will also help children most in need to thrive.
In welcoming the grant, Harrow Labour’s shadow portfolio holder for education & children’s services, Cllr Stephen Hickman, has said that the new Best Start Family Hub will give parents the support they need and children the strong foundations they deserve.
However, questions remain about whether £150,000 is enough to make a meaningful difference in Harrow. Critics argue that such a sum may struggle to expand nursery places, sustain staffing, or guarantee quality provision. There are also calls for transparency over how Harrow Council will allocate the funding – how many new childcare places will be created, and how success will be measured.
Local observers say the true test will come in the months ahead: whether childcare providers can scale up staff and deliver improvements without sacrificing quality, and whether central government support continues beyond a one-off grant.
The Best Start initiative promises to roll out 30 hours of government-funded childcare for working parents, saving families up to £7,500 per child per year. It also aims to boost nursery capacity by creating and expanding school-based nurseries, and to end ‘toddler top-up fees’, tackling overcharging on essentials such as nappies. A record uplift to the early years’ pupil premium will also help children most in need to thrive.
In welcoming the grant, Harrow Labour’s shadow portfolio holder for education & children’s services, Cllr Stephen Hickman, has said that the new Best Start Family Hub will give parents the support they need and children the strong foundations they deserve.
However, questions remain about whether £150,000 is enough to make a meaningful difference in Harrow. Critics argue that such a sum may struggle to expand nursery places, sustain staffing, or guarantee quality provision. There are also calls for transparency over how Harrow Council will allocate the funding – how many new childcare places will be created, and how success will be measured.
Local observers say the true test will come in the months ahead: whether childcare providers can scale up staff and deliver improvements without sacrificing quality, and whether central government support continues beyond a one-off grant.
Harrow Monitoring Group 