Labour plans expansion of state nursery sector in England to ease pressure on parents

Bridget Phillipson visits Viimsi public kindergarten near the capital, Tallinn. In Estonia, all children are guaranteed a place in state-run kindergartens from 18 months. Photograph: Toms Kalniņš/Toms Kalniņš/EPA-EFE/The Guardian

Councils in England will be encouraged to open more high-quality maintained nurseries as part of ambitious Labour plans to transform childcare and ease pressure on struggling parents.

There are fewer than 400 surviving state nursery schools across the country, which are regarded as the jewel in the crown of early years education, but have struggled to survive in the face of budget pressures.