"It's time to go Nick" says Scott Collins, PPC for South Northamptonshire
Scott Collins, Liberal Democrat
Parliamentary Candidate for South Northamptonshire Learn more
Scott Collins South Northants Prospective Parliamentary Candidate response to the Budget Statement
Why I am IN!
"It's time to go Nick" says Scott Collins, PPC for South Northamptonshire
Scott Collins South Northants Prospective Parliamentary Candidate response to the Budget Statement
Why I am IN!
3800 two-year olds to get free early years education in Northamptonshire – Scott Collins, Parliamentary Spokesman for South Northants Liberal Democrats
by admin on 19 July, 2012
Sarah Teather MP, Liberal Democrat Children and Families Minister
Liberal Democrat Children and Families Minister, Sarah Teather
has announced details of which two year olds would be eligible for free early years education from September 2014.She has also revealed that under the proposed criteria, 1700 two-year-old children from the most hard pressed families in Northamptonshire would be able to receive free early years education from 2013.
This is in addition to all three and four-year-old children in Northamptonshire who are already eligible to receive 15 hours of free early years education per week.
Commenting, Scott Collins, Parliamentary Spokesman for South Northants Lib Dems said:
“This is great news for parents and toddlers right across Northamptonshire and locally in South Northamptonshire. Early years education, through play and stories, helps young children prepare for school in the best possible way.
“It’s also a huge help to parents who may be struggling to juggle work commitments and having young children.
“Thanks to Liberal Democrats, one of the Coalition Government’s main priorities is to close the attainment gap between the poorest children and their more well-off peers. Supporting children and families in the early years has been shown to help close that gap whilst relieving pressure on hard pressed families.
“By making early years education freely available to the least well-off families and giving additional money to schools whose pupils are eligible for Free School Meals through the Pupil Premium we are ensuring we give our children the best start in life in a way that Labour never did in spite of their many promises to the contrary.”
Commenting further, Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg said:
“A decent early education can make a huge difference to the start of a child’s progress, unlocking their potential to help them follow their ambitions.
“All children should have a fair chance to get on in life, which is why we’re extending free childcare to two-in-five two year olds. Today’s consultation is about making sure we get that right.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Currently, 95 per cent of three and four year olds access 15 hours of free early education every week – more than 800,000 children nationally.
- On Thursday 5 July, Sarah Teather launched a consultation calling for views on which two year olds should benefit from September 2014. This is the second phase of the roll out of free early education to around 40 per cent of two-year-old children.
- In the consultation launched, the Department for Education proposes that in addition to those already eligible, two-year-old children should get free early education if they:
a. are in low income families earning no more than £16,190 each year;
b. have special educational needs or a disability; or
c. have been in care and been adopted.
- The Coalition Government set out in May 2012 how it will extend the free early years entitlement to the 20 percent least advantaged two year olds. This is based on the criteria for Free School Meals eligibility.
- This means around 150,000 children will benefit in phase one from September 2013. From September 2014 this will rise to nearly 300,000 two year olds.
Leave a Reply