Alliance responds to Department for Education survey on two-year-old provision in schools
28th April 2014
Commenting on the findings of the new Department for Education survey on two-year-old provision in schools - which states that 34% of participating schools, which are all either delivering or planning to deliver places for two-year-olds, reported challenges around identifying/allocating funding, while 37% voiced concerns about the future financial stability of offering places - Alliance chief executive Neil Leitch said:
鈥淭he results of this survey demonstrate the problems that arise when policy-making is based on ideology rather than research and consultation. The government has been so eager to push ahead with its plans to place two-year-olds in schools 鈥 despite the continued opposition of parents and providers 鈥 that it has neglected to fully consider whether these plans are actually workable in practice.
鈥淎s those that work in the private, voluntary and independent sector are already well aware, the provision of two-year-old places has significant cost implications. 新澳门六合彩官网开奖 are often required to adapt or expand their premises, hire additional staff, and ensure that existing staff are adequately trained to meet the specific emotional and development needs of the children who will be taking up these places. To date, the sector鈥檚 repeated calls for increased funding for the scheme have been ignored by government, and yet here we have schools citing precisely the same concerns.
鈥淚f the two-year-old scheme is to succeed, the government must accept that high-quality provision doesn鈥檛 come cheap. Pushing two-year-olds into schools as a cut-costing measure is, as the survey results demonstrate, not a feasible solution in the long term. We urge the Department for Education to start working with all early years providers, not just schools, to develop this offer in a sustainable way, so that we can be confident that the best possible early education and care will be given to those children who need it the most in the years to come.鈥
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Notes for editors
- The Pre-school Learning Alliance is the largest voluntary sector provider of quality affordable childcare and education in England.
- Through direct provision and its membership of 14,000 nurseries, sessional pre-schools and parent and toddler groups, the Alliance supports over 800,000 children and their families in England. The Alliance also develops and runs family learning programmes, offers information and advice, runs acclaimed training and accreditation programmes and campaigns to influence early years policy and practice.
- For information about the Pre-school Learning Alliance, visit our website: