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Please find a comment below from the Early Years Alliance following the news that schools can now bid for funding to open school-based nurseries, and plans to clarify guidance on charges and top-up fees. 

Commenting on the news that schools can now bid for funding to open new nursery provision, Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said: 

“While we fully recognise the urgent need to tackle early years shortages – especially as they are particularly acute in areas of disadvantage – we’re clear that school-based nursery provision can only ever be one small part of a much wider strategy. 

“With private and voluntary early years settings delivering the vast majority of places, it’s critical that the government recognises the valuable contribution that this part of the sector can make to delivering the places that children and families need – not just as potential delivery partners to schools, but as standalone providers in and of themselves. 

“What’s more, it’s important to remember that physical space is only one piece of the early years capacity puzzle. With the sector currently in the midst of the worst staffing crises in recent history, tackling the ongoing recruitment and retention challenges facing providers – largely driven by continued low pay and a lack of recognition for early years as a profession –  simply must be a priority for ministers. Only by adequately supporting the early years workforce will the government have any hope of fulfilling the promise that has been made to families. 

Commenting on the news that the government plans to clarify statutory guidance on charging, Neil said: 

"We fully agree that it is important that providers are clear and transparent with parents on any additional fees and charges being issued beyond the funded hours. That said, many in the sector will be understandably frustrated at the mixed messages coming out from government: while the Department for Education recently confirmed that going forward it will refer to the early entitlements as 'government-funded' rather than 'free', under DfE guidance, providers are still not allowed to ask parents to subsidise the insufficient rates they receive from government. 

"At the Alliance, we believe that every family, regardless of their income, should be able to access affordable and high-quality early years provision - and we know that nurseries, pre-schools and childminders do their best to keep costs low. The reality is, however, that years of underfunding have made it impossible for the vast majority to stay afloat without introducing some form of additional charges. 

"Ultimately, the only way to ensure that early education is genuinely affordable for all is to ensure that sector funding reflects the true cost of delivering high-quality early years provision, both now and in the future. Without this, all the guidance clarity in the world won't actually help make places more affordable for parents."