The National Campaign for Real Nursery Education (NCrNE) warns thatdespite Government guidance that nursery schools should be protectedfrom closure, there is 'growing anxiety' about the Early Years SingleFunding Formula (EYSFF), which from April next year will be used tocalculate funding for the free entitlement for all providers.
Some nursery school head teachers say that local authority officers donot understand how nursery schools are run.
Members at the NCrNE annual meeting voted unanimously for the Governmentto monitor the situation amid fears that the formula will threatenmaintained nursery schools and classes.
Pauline Trudell, vice-president of NCrNE, said, 'While some localauthorities do value their nursery schools highly, others have beenforced to make cuts. There is a lot of anxiety. We have heard of somenursery schools facing large cuts in funding, but we won't have thewhole picture for a while.'
She added, 'Finance officers in local authorities are not necessarilyaware of teachers' pay and conditions, or that nursery education isqualitatively different.'
Although nursery schools may be viewed as more expensive to run, thelong-term benefit for young children's outcomes was recognised inresearch by the Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE), andacknowledged by government, she said.
'Maintained nursery schools are models of good practice. If we lose themwe lose the capacity to improve the entire sector.'
Nursery schools employ a head teacher and have dedicated premises andother overheads that make them seem more expensive.
EYSFF guidance says that 'LAs must remain aware of the presumptionagainst closure of nursery schools.' (Analysis, 20 July.)
Members also called on the Government to reject the Primary CurriculumReview recommendation that all children should start school theSeptember of the school year in which they turn five.
- Early childhood consultant Lesley Staggs was elected chair of NCrNE atthe meeting. A new chair is elected annually.