City of London members are to vote on whether to maintain The Aldgate School’s subsidy on June 30
Affordable childcare at the City of London’s only state primary school may have its future funding secured after an outcry by parents.
The Aldgate School is an ‘Outstanding’-rated facility in the east of the Square Mile, by the border with Tower Hamlets. The school provides affordable childcare for kids aged between three months and three years old, for which it is reliant on a subsidy from the City of London Corporation.
In March 2024 Corporation members agreed to change the delivery of childcare services in the City and end the subsidy for The Aldgate School, with the changes to take effect from September 2025.
The decision has led to push-back from parents and other interested parties with the Corporation twice extending the funding.
Last June members voted to maintain the support until August 2027, an outcome welcomed in-part by parents despite fears about the service beyond next summer.
More recently a petition was organised urging the Corporation to commit to the subsidy ahead of a crunch meeting on June 30.
Wayne Daly, a parent involved with the petition, said the funding has enabled those with children to return to work.
He said: “The facility in Aldgate is school-based, and the only early years setting in the City with its own contained, outdoor playground. Early years children benefit from the extensive school infrastructure and institutional organisation, and it encourages social mobility for children.”
The officers’ report, published ahead of next week’s Community and Children’s Services Committee meeting, lays out two options.
First, to continue providing the annual £60,000 in financial support; or second, to stick to the planned August 2027 cut-off.
The paper reveals that in February this year the school’s Governing Body informed the Corporation that if no future funding was available the 0-2 childcare service would have to end.
In April costings were shared by the school indicating a shortfall of £60,000 annually to retain the provision.
“The Head Teacher and Co-Chairs of the Governing Body have indicated a willingness to continue delivery if the shortfall in funding is met by the City Corporation,” officers wrote. This would facilitate continued delivery of locally valued and affordable childcare offering preferential fees for City residents.”
Officers added The Aldgate School is based within the Portsoken ward, which has the highest proportion of low-income households in the City.
Funding is also required to cover three years’ pay protection for four members of childcare staff at the school, enabling them to be moved from Corporation pay scales to National Joint Council levels.
One issue raised by officers was the “outstanding matter” of the cost of a potential lease with The Portal Trust, the owner of the school site.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) however understands this has been resolved, and that an agreement has been reached between the school and The Portal Trust to continue using the space beyond September 2027.
The potential extension of the subsidy beyond August 2027 has been welcomed by parents and others who have campaigned for the service.
Common Councillor Jason Pritchard, a representative of Portsoken, said the news is “extremely encouraging…and a significant step in the right direction for local children and families”.
He told the LDRS: “Whilst there is still an important decision for members to take on June 30, I warmly welcome the fact that they are now being asked to consider an option that would provide ongoing financial support for affordable childcare provision at The Aldgate School.
“One of the most important aspects of this campaign has been highlighting the link between affordable childcare and social mobility. Accessible and affordable childcare is not simply about supporting children – it enables parents to work, helps reduce inequalities and gives children the strongest possible start in life.
“Supporting affordable childcare at the City’s only state primary school is not simply a funding decision – it is an investment in future opportunity.
“This has been a genuine community effort involving parents, governors, staff, GMB [union] representatives, residents, campaigners and local journalists who have worked tirelessly over many months to make the case for something that matters.
“I hope members will now support the option that would allow this important provision to continue and provide certainty for the school and the families who rely upon it.”
Jiya Dave, a parent with a child at The Aldgate School, said: “I was pregnant when we moved to the City of London. I expected high standards and a city that puts families first. The reality was quite different.”
Ms Dave said she is “shocked” that the £60,000 subsidy is even being debated – “the price of a single City salary” – when the Corporation is spending millions on schemes including the Barbican Centre refurbishment.
“We chose The Aldgate School deliberately,” she said. “It is exactly the model the Government is actively investing in; school-based, outdoor space, a natural pathway from baby room to primary school.
“The Government is funding schools to create this. Whereas the City of London is voting whether to continue funding one that already exists.
“Whether it was the original £174,000, or £60,000; 4 children or 14, it’s a rolling provision where the numbers will change over the years and in the context of things the numbers don’t matter. Our children deserve to be prioritised. They are the future of this city.”
Rachel Blake, Labour MP for Cities of London and Westminster, said she has been contacted by a number of parents and staff concerned about the future of the provision.
“For many local families, this isn’t just a childcare service, it’s an important part of the school community and a vital source of support,” she said. “With the ongoing pressures many families are facing, access to affordable, high-quality childcare is more important than ever.
“I hope the City of London Corporation will listen to the concerns being raised and do everything possible to work with the school to secure the future of this provision for the children and families who rely on it.”
Anna Lee, GMB Regional Officer, said: “The City of London Corporation have been hoping that the outcry on this issue would just go away over time, but they have not been able to provide any feasible alternatives which would provide affordable childcare for working parents. The City needs to confirm the £60,000 funding required to keep the service going.
“This is peanuts to one of the wealthiest local authorities in the country, but means everything to the staff, parents, and children who are part of this wonderful service.”
A City of London Corporation spokesperson said: “In June last year, elected members agreed a time limited package of support for 0–2 childcare at The Aldgate School, running until the end of August 2027. That timetable remains unchanged.
“This support was put in place to provide stability for families while the City Corporation and the school work together to explore financially viable options for the future.
2We are continuing to work collaboratively with school to examine costs and potential future models, and will keep families informed as this work progresses. There is sufficient, high quality, accessible childcare for all our families across the Square Mile and we are committed to supporting eligible families to access it through Government childcare entitlements and the City Corporation’s Childcare Accessibility Scheme.
“Families can also receive support through the Best Start in Life scheme, which brings together wider support for families with very young children, including advice, health services and early development support.”
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