In a new report, Sound Foundations, commissioned by the Sutton Trust, researchers from Oxford University argue that the scheme should be expanded to 30 per cent of twos by 2014, rather than the 40 per cent planned, because not enough early years providers are of a sufficient quality to provide the places.
This would relieve the pressure to find places and also allow the eligibility criteria to be tightened to allow only nurseries and childminders graded good or outstanding by Ofsted to provide the places.
The report argues that more than 20,000 early years workers will need to qualify as Level 3 (A Level equivalent) to bring them up to the standard required to provide good quality care.
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