Latest EPPSE findings assert lasting effects of pre-school
Children who attend pre-school are more likely to take AS-level exams than those who don’t, new research has suggested. The study, a follow-up of the longitudinal Effective Provision of Pre-school Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE) research, aimed to establish whether the effects of pre-school and the early home learning environment (HLE) continue to predict academic […]
Government responds to Affordable Childcare Committee report
The government has finally responded to a report by the House of Lords Affordable Childcare Committee, nearly a year after it was published. The report, published by the committee following a five-month long evidence gathering exercise, described the “uneven allocation of funding” for free early education places in the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) sector […]
Commons seeks views on Childcare Bill
Early years practitioners are invited to submit their views on the Childcare Bill, the House of Commons has confirmed. The Bill, which was initially presented in the House of Lords and had its second reading debate on Tuesday (25 November), has now been committed to a Public Bill Committee. The committee is expected to hold […]
£300m for 30 hours scheme as plans for ‘national funding formula’ are announced
The government will invest £300 million to increase the average hourly rate childcare providers receive, chancellor George Osborne has confirmed today (25 November). Delivering his Autumn Statement and Spending Review, Mr Osborne said the extra funding would be provided from 2017 – 18. The chancellor confirmed that the £300 million, plus £50 million in capital […]
Ofsted figures show falling places, rising outcomes
A drop in the number of registered childcare providers has caused early years places to decrease by 11,529 between March and August this year, suggest new Ofsted statistics. While the number of childminders has fallen by 1,449 (3%), the number of providers on non-domestic premises has also decreased by 629 (2%) during the period. The […]
Slight rise in children’s centre judgements as inspections are suspended
The inspection of children’s centres has been put on hold pending the outcome of the government consultation, Ofsted has confirmed. Along with its latest children’s centre statistics, the inspectorate gave an explanation for the temporary suspension, stating: ‘The secretary of state does not consider it appropriate to start a new inspection cycle under a framework […]
‘Robust’ primary assessment needed, Nicky Morgan claims
National tests for seven-year-olds should be reintroduced in England, according to Nicky Morgan. The education secretary has claimed that “robust” assessment is needed to measure progress in schools. In an announcement today (3 November), she said: “We’ll be working with head teachers in the coming months on how we get this right, holding schools to […]
New research questions value of free entitlement for children’s development
Free early education entitlement does not deliver long-term benefits for children’s development, according to new findings. Research carried out by the University of Surrey, the University of Essex and the Institute of Education suggests that, while free part-time nursery places for three-year-olds enabled some children to do better in assessments at the end of reception, […]
Child benefit should be conditional on free hours take-up, report claims
The receipt of child benefit should be conditional upon all parents eligible for the free entitlement scheme enrolling their children in ‘quality pre-school education’, according to a new report. Promoting more diverse social networks for disadvantaged people from ethnic minority groups, published by independent think tank Bright Blue, proposes that policy to tackle poverty should […]
Inquiry launched into life chances strategy
The Commons Work and Pensions and Education Select Committees have launched an inquiry into the government’s life chances strategy and the role that early years intervention plays in shaping lives. The inquiry will examine government proposals to introduce new life chances indicators, which will see the government track child poverty by monitoring educational attainment at […]
Government opens consultation on compulsory first aid training
The consultation, which closes on 10 December at 5:00pm, invites early years providers, parents, healthcare professionals and local authorities to submit their views on the proposal, which would see all newly qualified Level 2 and 3 early years staff to complete either a full paediatric first aid (PFA) or an emergency PFA certificate if […]
Ofsted finds link between qualifications and outcomes
Nurseries and pre-schools with a large proportion of highly qualified staff are more likely to be rated as ‘outstanding’, new Ofsted statistics suggest. Non-domestic settings in which 75% or more of staff are qualified to Level 3 or above are more than twice as likely to be given the rating, according to the figures. While […]