Single Funding Formula changes force cut in nursery hours
Maintained nursery schools in at least two parts of England have been told that their budgets will be slashed from next September because of the introduction of the single funding formula and the extension to the free entitlement.
Walkergate Early Years Centre, Newcastle
From September 2010, maintained settings in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and in Greenwich, London, which currently offer free, full-time places, will only be funded to provide the 15 hour per week free entitlement, in line with other sectors.
Dee Teasdale, headteacher of Walkergate Early Years Centre, in Walkergate, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, said, 'We may end up only opening for morning sessions and it could mean significant job losses. I'm furious about it. I think it threatens the future of our whole community. Many of our parents are on low incomes and we will not be able to look after their children while they are working or studying. It goes against all early years ideology regarding early intervention and erodes all the fantastic work that has been done here over the years.'
Fiona Kemp, headteacher of Robert Owen Early Years Centre in Greenwich, said, 'We do not know what we are going to do when the system changes. If we introduce top-up charging, there will be groups of children whose families cannot afford to pay. I worry that it will change what we are able to offer children and families.'
Early years experts fear that the cuts will be mirrored across the country as more local authorities notify settings of their Early Years Single Funding Formula base rate.
Research published last week by Early Education revealed that only one in five maintained settings knew what their funding would be under the new system (News, 1 October).
Megan Pacey, chief executive of Early Education, said, 'Historically, some local authorities have chosen to offer full-time places that equate to more than 15 hours a week, often in maintained nursery classes and schools, to children who have been identified as "in need" or having special needs that the provision can support and provide for. The double whammy of the introduction of the EYSFF and the extension to the free entitlement means it would appear that local authorities have no money to top up the additional funding required.'
She added, 'The Government has said it wants to create a level playing field for the maintained and private, voluntary and independent sectors. However, our concern is that the level of the field will be lowered rather than raised.'
Pauline Trudell, vice-president of the National Campaign for Real Nursery Education, said, 'The aim of the EYSFF was to improve access to early education for all children, but removing funding from the maintained sector and giving it to the private and voluntary sector is not going to do that. It is not a desirable situation when children who desperately need full-time early education are having their provision reduced to 15 hours per week.'
A spokesperson for Newcastle City Council said, 'All local authorities have been directed by the DCSF to review the formula for funding the free entitlement to address inconsistencies and fund on the basis of participation. An open. transparent, clearly reasoned formula has been agreed by the Schools Forum, which has nursery headteacher representation on it. Nursery school headteachers, governors and staff have been fully engaged in the process, and are receiving targeted support to help manage the transition process.'
A DCSF spokesperson said, 'Some local authorities have taken the decision to fund full-time childcare places (therefore providing free childcare for 25 hours a week or more) in certain circumstances, but this is a matter for them.'
- See letters, page 13.
