Because these reforms change the funding and policy context for early years and SEND, the Council does not believe it is right to continue the consultations on the previous basis. No decisions have been taken on closure.
The White Paper and related reforms change the national policy and funding landscape for early years and SEND. In response, the Council has reviewed the funding envelope for maintained nursery provision and agreed to increase investment in SEND inclusion support in the maintained nurseries.
This will create 25 additional SEND Inclusion Unit places for local children with an increase in funding of £250,000 per year, bringing the total funding for SEND Inclusion Unit places in the maintained nurseries to £450,000. In total there will be 45 SEND Inclusion Unit places across Lambeth’s maintained nurseries. Given these changes, the Council will consider next steps for maintained nursery provision in light of the new national framework.
In February the Council launched consultations because maintained nursery provision is under significant financial pressure linked to falling pupil numbers. Over the past five years, pupil numbers have fallen by more than 35 per cent, and the maintained nursery schools recorded a collective budget deficit of £2.4m at the end of the 2024/25 financial year.
The Council’s decision to consult followed representations from the federation’s governors and headteacher in November 2025. They proposed a model that would expand SEND nurture and inclusion places and reduce the number of nursery sites, as a way of responding to falling rolls and ongoing deficits. Governors were clear that the final decision rests with the Council given the wider financial and public interest implications. The consultations were intended to publicly test those proposals with parents, staff and the wider community.
Cllr Ben Kind, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education, said:
“We are ending these consultations early because the government’s reforms change the context and we have reviewed the funding position in light of that.
“I have spoken with ward councillors for Windrush, Clapham Park and Clapham Abbeville, alongside the representations we have received from the federation governors and headteacher, and what we have heard directly from parents. I understand how strongly families feel about these nurseries and the role they play in our communities.
“We continue to offer significant financial support to the nurseries each year to protect the services they provide. In addition to the £3.2million the nurseries received in 2025-26 from the Government, which includes £706,000 in recognition of the higher costs that nursery schools face, we provided a further £756,000 to the nurseries.
“My daughter went to Holmewood Nursery School and received an excellent start. I have seen first-hand how much maintained nursery schools can do for children and families. In light of the government’s White Paper and the changes now coming forward on SEND and early years, we have reviewed the funding envelope and we are increasing support for SEND inclusion places in our maintained nurseries.
“Despite this significant additional support, their financial position remains very challenging and continues to overspend the funding provided. We will continue to work with parents, staff, governors and early years partners to secure high quality provision for Lambeth children.”
The Council has ended the consultations early today, 16 March, and has notified the maintained nursery schools to advise them of the decision. Everyone who provided their details as part of their response to the consultations will also be contacted.
