New edition of Birth to 5 Matters launched
The Early Years Coalition has launched the updated and expanded second edition of Birth to 5 Matters (Bto5M), non-statutory guidance for the Early Years Foundation
The Department for Education (DfE) has today launched a “test and learn” pilot for its planned expansion of school-based nursery provision. Under the scheme, primary schools can apply for up to £150,000 of £15 million capital funding, provided they make the case for local need and get sign off from their local authority.
The following guidance is available from the DfE:
DfE have stated:
“Maintained nursery schools and special schools cannot apply for this grant because they do not have spare space created by declining primary school rolls. They are however encouraged to register their interest to open new nursery places in the future. This will help inform future development of the programme.”
We welcome the recognition that maintained nursery schools have expertise and capacity and a strong track record of delivering the highest quality provision to the most vulnerable children, and their capacity to be part of this expansion in future.
DfE have also published analysis of access to childcare in the private, voluntary and independent sector in England. Unfortunately, the usefulness of this data is somewhat limited by its omission of data on school-based nursery provision, and it may therefore overstate the issues regarding access in the most disadvantaged areas where we know that school-based provision already predominates.
Early Education’s Chief Executive, Beatrice Merrick, said:
“We welcome the school-based nursery pilot insofar as it provides capacity for additional high quality provision, and endorse the rationale that there is evidence both that early years provision in schools often fills the gap in economically disadvantaged areas where it is challenging for private and voluntary sector nurseries to operate, and in such areas offers higher quality teacher-led provision that improves children’s life chances.
“However, the guidance for schools is far from comprehensive in covering the issues schools need to think about, and we will be organising briefings to ensure schools get the support they need to develop high quality provision, whether they choose to run it themselves or partner with other parts of the early years sector including maintained nursery schools, PVIs and childminders.”
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