Please find below a comment from the Early Years Alliance following today’s publication of  annual education provision statistics for children under five by the Department for Education.

The data, which can be read here, show 115,900 eligible two-year-olds registered for the 15-hour early entitlement offer in January 2024, down 7% compared to 2023 and the lowest figure in the series. 

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

“The fact that the number of two-year-olds registered for the 15-hour entitlement has reached a series low is deeply worrying. 

“We all know that early education has a significant impact on a child’s development, and there is a wealth of evidence showing that children from more disadvantaged backgrounds benefit the most from access to quality provision. 

“With the sector now in the midst of an early entitlement expansion focused on working families, it is absolutely crucial that any future early years policies look to narrow the disadvantage gap before even more children lose out – especially given that a recent National Audit Office report into the expansion raised concerns that it may only widen it further.  

“At the Alliance, we believe that every child – and especially those from economically poorer backgrounds – must be able to benefit from early education and care. As such, we hope that the new government has this high up on their list of priorities and we look forward to working with them to achieve this.”