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Early years minister Caroline Dinenage has revealed that the DfE will publish an evaluation of the 30-hours pilot scheme next summer.

 

In a response to a parliamentary question on 2nd November, Caroline confirmed that a formal evaluation report would be published in July 2017.

 

“The evaluation is focusing on generating learning that can be used by early implementers and all local authorities ahead of national roll-out in September 2017,” Caroline said.

 

Neil Leitch, chief executive at the Pre-school Learning Alliance, said that given the news earlier this year that , he welcomed the announcement.

 

However, with the full roll-out of the scheme scheduled for just two months after July, he questioned how effective it is to wait until the start of the summer holidays to release the information.

 

“We remain unconvinced that these pilots will be able to inform the full roll-out of the 30-hours offer in any meaningful way,” Neil said.

 

“Not only are the funding rates being used for the trial different from those that will be used from September next year, but in many areas, extra restrictions have been placed on eligibility for the trial, meaning that the ability of the sector to cope with the demand for additional hours is not being properly tested.”

 

Commenting that it achieves nothing to paint a false picture of the impact that the scheme will have, Neil urged the government to reassess its approach to the pilots and ensure that they are a true reflection of what the 30-hours scheme will look like when it is fully rolled out.