Courteney Donaldson, managing director of childcare and education, said rising costs and 30 hours are resulting in the creation of a two-tier early education system, where nurseries catering for richer parents buying more hours are able to offset stagnant Government funding and rising costs.
She said, ‘We have seen an increasingly divergent landscape. Nurseries doing well are doing very well. These are well prepared for 30 hours, in locations which are more affluent' and they 'can reinvest in their business and their people'.
However, settings catering for poorer parents ‘accessing a nursery simply to access 30 hours’ are struggling to meet rising costs, she said.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here