The report which examines early years systems in a range of countries to identify the best combination of approaches for high-quality education and pinpoint lessons for England, also says that planned changes to staff: child ratios and qualifications risks worsening the quality of care.
It argues that the Government’s expansion treats ‘early years as solely childcare’ and ignores the ‘substantial educational and economic benefits of high-quality universal provision.’
The report, World Class, by researchers at RAND Europe, highlights ‘major’ issues with England’s current childcare system, which it warns will be ‘exacerbated by the Government’s planned expansion.
The issues it identifies include – a large proportion of the poorest children being locked out of extra early years education, insufficient funding rates and planned changes to staff.
It warns against following in the footsteps of Quebec, which expanded early years provision without a focus on quality, resulting in negative outcomes for children in the long-term.
In comparison, the report says that efforts to increase staff qualification levels in Estonia and investment of just over £1 billion to recruit and train almost 2,000 new early years educators in New York, could be beneficial for England.
Recommendations for funded places
The report makes the following recommendations for England:
- To provide equal access to early years provision for all children, particularly at ages two, three and four where there is greater existing evidence of educational benefit.
- If universal provision is not possible, introducing a sliding childcare fee scale based on parental income.
- Considering offering universal, completely free part-time places to all children in disadvantaged areas to help with the take-up while avoiding stigma.
Recommendations for training and wages
On training and qualifications, the report refers to data suggesting almost half of staff qualified to Level 6 and above are aged over 40, with 21 per cent aged over 50, approaching retirement in the next 10 to 15 years.
It also acknowledges that fewer staff are now working towards higher qualifications.
The report goes on to recommend:
- The Graduate Leader Fund be reinstated and consideration be given to targeting it to areas with higher disadvantage.
- Early years wages be increased and made more equitable across settings. It says that wage increases should be accompanied by proportionate spending by Government, otherwise providers may be required to charge parents higher fees to compensate.
Alongside the report, the Sutton Trust has calculated how much childcare support families are eligible for across the world depending on their househould income.
‘As a rich country, we should have a better education system.'
Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chairman of the Sutton Trust and chairman of the Education Endowment Foundation, said, ‘By treating early years provision solely as childcare, we are storing up inequalities for the future.
‘As a rich country, we should have a better education system. By drawing on best practice from around the world, we could create an early years system that sets young children on a path to a lifetime of success.’
The Early Years Alliance said it was clear from the report that the ‘only way the expansion can be effectively implemented is if the sector plays a central role in deciding how the plans will work in practice.’
The National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) agreed that 'decision makers must work closely with the sector', and warned that any 'expansion or change must be thoroughly costed'.