Nursery teachers in disadvantaged communities to be offered £4,500 incentive
The Education Secretary has said she wants to 'make sure every child has the chance to succeed', as ministers look to drive up quality and access in early education.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the Government's new strategy would 'help give our youngest children the very best start in life' (Jeff Overs/BBC/PA)
According to the Department for Education, some one in 10 nurseries have an early years teacher. The new incentive scheme of a government-funded and tax-free £4,500 payment will look to keep 3,000 more teachers in nurseries.
These will be targeted in the 20 most disadvantaged communities, the department said.
There will also be a shift towards Ofsted inspections every four years for early years providers, rather than the current six-year cycle.
Officials have also said there will be more money to fund partnerships between nurseries and schools to make transition periods easier.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'My driving mission is to make sure every child has the chance to succeed no matter their background – and this new strategy will help give our youngest children the very best start in life.
'The best way of reducing inequalities is by tackling them early: that's why we're joining up family support services through our Best Start family hubs, driving up quality in our early years system and strengthening support for children as they enter primary school.'
It comes after the Government announced that family hubs offering parenting support and youth services were set to be rolled out across every council in England.
The Department for Education is putting £500 million targeted at disadvantaged communities into the scheme, to put a Best Start family hub in every local authority by April 2026.
The announcements have been welcomed by the sector, but one figure has said the 'devil will be in the detail'.
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said: 'We're clear that this strategy will only work if it is backed up with the tangible support – financial or otherwise – that early years providers and other bodies and professionals need to build an early years system that works for all families.
'But after years of calling for a long-term vision for the early years, there's no doubt that this is a positive development, and we look forward to working with Government to turn vision into reality.'
Sarah Ronan, director of the Early Education and Childcare Coalition, has described Monday's strategy as 'a turning point in how we value early education'.
'Change won't happen overnight but it starts today with a shared mission to give every child the best start in life,' she said.
The Conservatives have said that the Government's financial decisions have left families facing 'higher childcare costs'.
Shadow education minister Neil O'Brien claimed that tax increases have 'left nurseries' across the country 'on the brink'.
'Labour's jobs tax is leaving providers with no choice but to hike fees or shut their doors. Families are being left to face higher childcare costs and fewer places.'
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