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It's now even easier to choose your exercise books
Find your exercise books in no time with our new exercise book selector. Pick your size, ruling, colour, and number of pages, then simply add to basket!
YPO food waste
YPO's food waste management frameworks have been created to support local authorities on their journey of food waste separation to reduce landfill emissions. Find out more here.
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We've dropped our prices across a wide selection of exercise books. Durable quality and UK made, we stock the largest range of papers, colours and sizes.
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YPO refillable markers
Be one of the very first schools to experience our remarkable refillable whiteboard marker - sustainable stationery that keeps all your lessons flowing.
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bespoke procurement services
Our bespoke procurement services provide you with access to experienced practitioners, promptly and efficiently meeting your needs when required.
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We know that securing energy contracts can be a complex and difficult process, but we are here to help you. Explore our Energy Hub to find help and guidance, latest updates and more.
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Your guide to School-Based Nursery Capital Grant Funding: Everything you need to know

What is the School-Based Nursery Capital Grant?
The School-Based Nursery Capital Grant is a one-time grant that’s been made available for eligible schools in England. Its aim is to help deliver more nursery places across the country by upgrading spaces within school-based nurseries by converting or improving existing spaces.

We’re here to help those successful applicants to get the most out of their awarded funding – and that starts with having the right information. You can find all of the key details below to help answer questions you may have and guide you on your journey towards creating a brilliant nursery environment for little learners.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to get in touch with the YPO team who can find the best route forward for your Primary School-based nursery.
My school has been successful – now what can I do?
If you’ve been chosen as one of the 331 schools to receive nursery grant funding, that’s great news! With September 2026 as the deadline for opening, that gives you around 6 months to design your nursery space and get it fitted out. So, now’s the time to come up with a plan for moving forward.

You can put your capital grant towards a variety of things – furniture, sensory play equipment, outdoor spaces – including the physical works to install them. Whatever you need to get your nursery environment fit for new faces to join in September. And that’s where we come in!
How can YPO help?
Our wide range of products and furnishings, coupled specialised expertise in nursery environments, means we can help you create your ideal space – whether that’s indoors, outdoors or a form of sensory space.
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Plus, when you work with YPO for funding your nursery furniture, we’ll give you money back to spend on nursery classroom essentials or anything else you might need.
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We work with a number of leading brands that specialise in making Early Years learning the best it can be. So, by working with YPO, you can access everything you need in one place.

Explore our Nurture Childcare Stoke case study

Structured support for your school-based nursery
YPO also offers frameworks which provide tailored support to tackle specific areas or upgrades you may need assistance with. So, we can take care of the heavy lifting for you with a compliant route to market while you simply decide how you want things done.

Contact the YPO team about School-Based Nursery Grant Funding

Who can apply for School-Based Nursery Capital Grant Funding?
Who can apply for School-Based Nursery Capital Grant Funding?
In order to apply for the nursery grant funding, your school must reside in England and be either:

- a state-funded primary-phase school that currently offers some form of early years education
- a maintained nursery school that’s looking to grow their offering and/or premises
- a nursery provision run by a childminder or group of childminders

While funding for phase two of the School-Based Nursery Capital Grant Funding has now closed, you can start preparing your funding proposal for phase three (2027 to 2030) which must be submitted by 5pm on 30 September 2026.

Full details can be found in the School-based Nursery Capital Grant 2027 to 2030 Guidance from the Government.

Is funding guaranteed once you've applied
Is funding guaranteed once you've applied
No – every application is reviewed by the Department of Education to assess suitability and efficacy. They will use the information submitted within your funding proposal as the basis for their decision.

What sort of resources can the funding cover?
What sort of resources can the funding cover?
The School-Based Nursery Capital Grant Funding can be used on most resources that’ll help you create or expand a nursery provision. Examples of what it can cover include:

- Building works to create a new classroom on an established site or convert an existing space
- Refurbishment of existing spaces, such as flooring, lighting, ventilation, plumbing, etc
- New fixtures and fittings, such as storage units or bathroom facilities
- Nursery furniture to create a more suitable learning environment for early years education
- Outdoor learning space improvements, such as playground surfacing or outdoor furniture
- Accessibility needs, such as adding in ramps or widening doors to accommodate mobility needs

Staffing costs, consumable or temporary items, and on-going repairs are all excluded from the grant funding.


Is installation covered by the grant as well as furniture or equipment?
Is installation covered by the grant as well as furniture or equipment?
Yes – you can put part of the grant towards covering the professional installation costs of any furniture and equipment you purchase. However, they must comply with health, safety and EYFS standards to be eligible as part of the grant.

Can you combine nursery funding with other grants?
Can you combine nursery funding with other grants?
Yes – this is actually encouraged by the Department of Education to support bigger projects that can deliver even more nursery places. By combining the School-Based Nursery Capital Grant funding with other sources, you can maximise the resources available to create your ideal early years learning environment.

However, you will have to make sure that you comply with the different restrictions on what your different grants can be spent on. Careful planning is essential to make sure the correct funds are spent on each element of your nursery project.

Can you reallocate any unused funds to other projects?
Can you reallocate any unused funds to other projects?
Unfortunately not – any unused funding from the School-Based Nursery Capital Grant must be returned to the Department of Education, as it will help more schools to improve their nursery offerings too.

If you do misuse any funds that are left over from your project costs, it could affect eligibility for future government funding.