• By September 2004, there will be a free
early education place for every 3 year old if their parents wish
it.
• By March 2004, 94 per cent of all early
years settings, inspected by OFSTED, should be making satisfactory
or better progress in delivering the Early Learning Goals.
• By March 2004, the Government will have
created 900,000 new childcare places for 1.6 million children,
which taking into account turnover, should allow around 1 million
extra children to benefit. By 2006, a further 250,000 new childcare
places will have been created.
• By March 2004, the Government's ambition
is that there should be a childcare place for every lone parent
entering employment in the most disadvantaged areas.
• By 2004, up to 45,000 new day care places
will have been created in state of the art Neighbourhood Nurseries.
• By 2004, the Government will have designated
100 Early Excellence Centres.
• Currently all 4 year olds, and 70% of 3
year olds, able
to enjoy free early education places. Every 3 year old will
be able to access a free place by April 2004, in advance of our
September 2004 target date. All 4 year olds have been guaranteed
a free early education place since 1998.
• The Foundation Stage was introduced in
September 2000, heralding a new era for children's learning. For
the first time, this critical period of children's development
has been explicitly recognised with its own distinct identity
and language. It covers the ages of 3 to the end of the reception
year, when children will be aged 5 to rising 6, and is complemented
by a set of Early Learning Goals.
• OFSTED has found early education quality
has improved markedly. In March 1998, 74% of provision was judged
as good; by March 2001, this figure had risen to over 93%.
• Early education funding for 3s and 4s
will double from £1bn in 1996-97 to £2bn in 2003-04.
• Since 1997, more than 553,000 new childcare
places have been created, benefiting over 1,007,000 children.
Taking account of turnover, this has added more than 322,000 places,
for over 604,000 children, to the stock of places available.
• By October 2002, 81 new Neighbourhood
Nurseries had opened. There are as further 1,200 Nursery projects
in development, accounting for over 43,000 new childcare places.
• 91 Early Excellence Centres have now been
designated across the country.
• 167,000 lower income families are currently
receiving substantial help with their childcare costs through
the childcare tax credit component of WFTC.
• Increases to the Sure Start Maternity
grant from £300 to £500 in June 2002 will benefit
215,000 low-income families a year to help with the costs of having
a new baby.
