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Please find a comment below from leading early years membership organisation the Early Years Alliance on the release of government figures on the rollout of the early entitlement expansion. The statistics show that 40,000 additional educators and around 85,000 new places are required by September 2025.  

Commenting Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said:

“Today’s government statistics paint an incomplete picture of the situation facing early years providers and families alike.  

“Let’s be clear, England's early year sector continues to face severe capacity challenges. So while these statistics may show the number of places that have been granted, what they don't reveal is whether families have been able to access all the days and sessions they need: a parent who has been given one day a week at their local setting – but needs five – may technically have a funded place, but not one that meets their needs. And of course, it's highly likely that those families accessing places will be facing sharp fee increases for any unfunded hours they take up or additional charges as a direct result of years of sector underfunding.   

“What's more, it's not clear from these figures how many two-year-old places are newly-created places, rather than existing places where parents have switched from paying privately to accessing government funding. With government admitting not only that 40,000 additional educators are required by September 2025 but also 85,000 new places, it's clear that, regardless of the positive spin government is trying to put on the current situation, the challenge facing the sector is an immense one.  

"Even for a healthy sector, rolling out such an ambitious scheme would have been a tall order - but of course, our early years sector was already incredibly fragile coming into this policy. If the government is to have any hope of rolling out this offer successfully in the long term, it's crucial that ministers acknowledge and tackle the fundamental issues facing nurseries, pre-schools and providers. That means a comprehensive workforce strategy that focuses on retention as well as recruitment, and crucially. funding that reflects delivery costs, both now and in the future."