Our latest research demonstrates that the majority of parents disagree with the government’s policy of using SATs and other formal tests to judge primary schools, according to new research. In sharp contrast to the government’s position, parents do...
Councils divert £63.5m of childcare funding to plug gaps elsewhere
Figures published by the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) reveal that councils are “shortchanging children and leaving providers out of pocket” by moving early years funding to tackle overspending in other areas of education. The early...
General election: Tory early years pledge ‘would push childcare funding deficit to £800m’
The Conservative Party’s childcare manifesto could increase the early years funding deficit to £824m, a new report has warned. A cost analysis of early years pledges from all main political parties by independent research agency Ceeda shows all...
Charity’s early support in children’s centres halves in two years
The number of families accessing early help from the charity Barnardo’s in children’s centres has halved over the last two years. The charity has revealed in its 2018/19 annual report that 92,000 parents, carers and children accessed its...
‘Free’ childcare offer will lead to more nursery closures, finds research
Nearly a quarter of childcare providers predict they could close next year due to insurmountable financial pressures resulting from delivering the government’s 30 hours ‘free’ childcare offer, new research shows...
DfE ordered to publish early years funding calculations
The Department for Education has been told to disclose details of how it calculates early years funding levels by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) following a lengthy freedom of information dispute. Current national funding rates...
