Please find below a comment from Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, on new Department for Education statistics, which show that:

• The number of three- and four-year-olds registered for the universal early entitlement offer is down 14,200 (1.2%) from 2024 and the lowest in the statistical series

• The number of eligible two-year-olds registered for the disadvantaged early entitlement offer is down 20,800 (18%) from 2024 and the lowest in the statistical series

• The number of three- and four-year-olds registered for the working family early entitlement offer is up 17,200 (5%) from 2024 and is the highest in the statistical series

 

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

“We know how important access to quality early education and care is, particularly for children from more disadvantaged backgrounds, and so it is incredibly concerning to see that while the demand for working family entitlements is rising, take-up of the universal and disadvantaged offers has reached record lows.

“We have long warned that a political focus on early years provision as ‘childcare’ to encourage parents to work, rather than vital early education that supports children’s learning, would exacerbate the disadvantage gaps we already see across the early education system – and it’s clear from these figures that that is exactly what is happening.

“We welcome the current government’s focus on breaking down barriers to opportunity – and its recognition of the key role that the early years plays in this – but as these statistics clearly show, there is a long of work needed undo the damage already done.”