Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson’s speech to the Labour Party Conference, where she announced that new school-based nurseries will start opening next year.
“We welcome the Education Secretary’s focus on early years education as this is so important for improving the life chances of children. Her plan to start opening new nurseries in primary schools from next year is a clever way of addressing two problems. The first of these is the huge difficulty the government faces in delivering a commitment to extending free childcare in an early years sector which does not have enough funding, staff or places. The second is the challenge faced by many primary schools where the number of pupils is in decline, and they are left with empty classrooms and reduced funding.
“However, opening new school-based nurseries won’t fully solve either issue and action will be needed to improve funding rates in early years and primary education if we are to provide the level of support required to close the disadvantage gap in educational outcomes which begins early in children’s lives. The government will need to be much more ambitious for our public services and we hope to hear this reflected in its forthcoming Budget.”