Editor's view - How much of a premium for early years?

Last week, the day before the Budget, Nick Clegg and David Cameron
took us all a bit by surprise by unveiling plans to extend the tax-free
childcare scheme and fund an Early Years Pupil Premium.

Well, if we'd forgotten that we're now in the run-up to an election, this was certainly a reminder!

The tax-free childcare scheme will help a lot of people - including, controversially for many, couples earning up to £300,000 between them. It should be a vote winner for the middle income, middle classes, of course.

At least the amount of help for those on Universal Credit has gone up from 70 percent of childcare costs to 85 percent, which should be a boost to those on low incomes.

The Early Years Pupil Premium is an initiative that 4Children has campaigned for for some time, and it is good news that it has been given the go ahead.

However, initial calculations about the £50 million allocated indicate that the sum per head for disadvantaged threeand four-year-olds will be far less than the £900 or so for primary and secondary pupils under the existing scheme. More details from the Department for Education are due.

And what early years providers really want to see is action on the funding for the free places for two-, threeand four-year-olds. As we all know, the shortfall on this over quite a few years has cost nurseries dearly, and continues to threaten sustainability - especially with the latest rise in the minimum wage due in October (see page 4).

Finally, welcome to our new columnist Professor Cathy Nutbrown, who starts her new role this week. We are sure you will enjoy her wise words.