FUNDING has been granted to boost the quality of early years education in South Lakeland.

The Teaching School Alliance are one of 60 teaching schools across the country to be awarded funding.

It will focus on working with local nurseries and early years providers in order to share the best practices and learn from each other to ensure a support for early education and help ease the transition from nursery to primary schools.

This project is jointly led by Kendal Nursery and Hindpool Nursery, Barrow-in-Furness, who are working together to develop triads of providers from the Barrow, Whitehaven and Carlisle areas.

Stephen Wilkinson, Executive Headteacher The Queen Katherine School, said: “This is a fantastic and exciting opportunity to make a difference to the lives of young children and it will enable professionals from early years settings to network and learn from each other in order to ensure that our children have the very best start in life.”