Many of those working in the sector said they were sad to see her go and praised her work, describing her as a 'champion' for high-quality early childhood education and childcare and admiring her dedication to delivering Sure Start children's centres and the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Critics of the EYFS, the Open Eye campaign, also praised her energy and commitment.
Ms Hughes announced on Tuesday that was stepping down at the next election for 'family' reasons and will leave Government after the next reshuffle, which is expected early next week.
Ms Hughes has been minister for children and families since 2005.
In a letter to the Prime Minister she said, 'I would not have chosen the current appalling climate to announce my decision when so many members are resigning for reasons to do with their Parliamentary allowances. I want to make it absolutely clear that this has nothing whatsoever to do with my decision or the reason for making it public now.'
The letter added, 'There are a number of personal and family issues which, taken together, are such that I cannot make the commitment to be in Parliament and away from home for a further five years beyond the next General Election. I now want to be at home much more than being a minister or MP will ever allow.'
Children's secretary Ed Balls said Ms Hughes had been an 'outstanding' children's minister.
'While I am sorry she has chosen to stand down, I very much understand the family reasons for Beverley's decision,' he said. 'She will be hugely missed in her current role by this Department and by the stakeholders she has worked with, whom I know have huge respect and admiration for all that she has achieved. But I know she will continue to take a close interest in the children's agenda and has a great contribution to make in the future.'
COMMENTS FROM THE CHILDREN'S SECTOR
Daycare Trust joint chief executive Alison Garnham:
'In her four years as children's minister Beverley Hughes has been a tireless champion of high quality early childhood education and care, and she will be missed by those of us working in the sector. The recent opening of the 3,000th Sure Start Children's Centre is a fitting testament to her substantial achievements in office; Sure Start Children's Centres make a huge difference to parents and children, providing childcare, early education and health services all over the country, and Beverley Hughes' role in delivering them is a legacy she should be proud of.'
Pre-school Learning Alliance chief executive Steve Alexander:
'Beverley Hughes has been a great supporter of the Alliance's work and will be missed. She has been a great ambassador for the education and welfare of all children, a fact exemplified by many of the initiatives introduced during her time in office. Some of her major achievements include making great strides with the children's centres agenda and driving through the free entitlement scheme to ensure that all young children can have access to good quality, affordable childcare. She has also shown an unswerving commitment to establishing the Early Years Foundation Stage, which has at its heart the vital principles of parental involvement and learning through play. We would like to wish Beverley the best of luck in whatever she moves on to, and look forward to working with her replacement in the future.'
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association:
'NDNA is sad to hear that the minister is to step down. Over the past four years there have been many developments in the sector, and Beverley Hughes has played a key role in many initiatives such as the Childcare Act 2006 and the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has shown her commitment to the mixed economy and has valued the important role that private, voluntary and independent providers have to play in delivering high quality childcare and early learning. The minister has spoken to our members on a number of occasions at conferences and events and made her commitment to partnership working clear. She has been a key supporter of the benefits high quality childcare offers to families, especially how it can help more disadvantaged children. NDNA would like to wish the minister all the best for the future and hope that whoever steps up to the challenge of this post is as keen to work with and understand the nursery sector.'
Andrew Fletcher, joint chief executive of National Childminding Association:
'During her four years as children's minister Beverley Hughes has been a tireless supporter of quality childcare through a period of significant change in the sector. In implementing the ten-year strategy, she has been a strong advocate for home-based childcare, stressing the important roles childminders and nannies play and keeping quality improvement on the agenda, most notably with commitments to childminding networks and raising the levels of qualifications across the workforce in the recent Next Steps for Childcare. I wish her well in her future endeavours and look forward to working with her successor.
The Open EYE Campaign:
'No-one has ever questioned Beverley Hughes' sincere commitment to her role as children's minister; but what our campaign has consistently questioned is the content of Government early years policymaking, and the totally inappropriate encroachment of a fashionable "audit and surveillance" ideology into children's delicate early years. We ardently hope that the new minister will have the same degree of energy and commitment to the post that Beverley has shown, but will prove to be far more open to the multiple concerns that exist across the early years field about the statutory imposition of alien and counterproductive organisational cultures on to the pre-compulsory school age sector.'
