Nursery World - Quality counts over time spent in setting

A session of high-quality core early years education needs to lie at the heart of any wraparound care package for young children, according to a report published by the Sure Start Unit. The national evaluation of the wraparound care pilot project, released in July, concluded that although extended provision offered by pilot settings in the maintained sector emerged as the highest quality, followed by private day nurseries and then playgroups, the key factor for an integrated package is a 'quality core early education place' and that 'a "package" comprising a "school quality" early education place and extended provision in the maintained or the voluntary and private sectors could also provide a quality experience.'

The national evaluation of the wraparound care pilot project, released in July, concluded that although extended provision offered by pilot settings in the maintained sector emerged as the highest quality, followed by private day nurseries and then playgroups, the key factor for an integrated package is a 'quality core early education place' and that 'a "package" comprising a "school quality" early education place and extended provision in the maintained or the voluntary and private sectors could also provide a quality experience.'

The research, funded by the DfES, was carried out during 2002 and 2003 by the University of Oxford, the Institute of Fiscal Studies and the National Centre for Social Research. Researchers looked at five pilot areas across the UK - Cornwall, Ealing, Kirklees, Lancashire and York - that offer extended provision 'wrapped around' a core early education place to improve developmental outcomes for children and meet the needs of parents.

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