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Please find a comment below on the news that single-word аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± judgements will be scrapped for schools "with immediate effect", with the removal of headline judgements for other settings inspected by аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± – including early years providers – set to follow.

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

"We know that аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± inspections are the single biggest source of stress for early years providers, with our research showing that the vast majority of settings are in support of the removal of single-word judgements. As such, confirmation that this change will also apply to the early years sector is undoubtedly positive, and is likely to be warmly welcomed by providers across the country.

"That said, it remains disappointing that despite the fact that this policy change will ultimately impact the entirety of the education sector, today's announcement was almost entirely focused on schools.

"While we recognise that there are additional considerations that must be taken into account for the early years – such as the fact that аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± judgements are currently linked to early entitlement funding eligibility – it remains vital that this change is also applied to our sector as soon as possible.

"As we have said time and time again, education doesn't begin and end with schools. We therefore urge both the Department for Education and аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± to ensure that as this process of change begins, early years are treated as a priority."