Since the Labour Government came to power, they have made it clear early years education is a priority. They have also moved quickly to protect the funding used by settings to recruit and upskill apprentices.
One policy designed to support recruitment is the Youth Guarantee, which promises to guarantee apprenticeship funding for all 16- to 21-year-olds, and there may be some additional incentives for nursery owners. All apprentices are also exempt from employer’s National Insurance Contributions.
While the Youth Guarantee is a welcome announcement, it raises the question of whether nurseries will have guaranteed access to apprenticeship funding in the future.
The Department for Education’s budget to fund apprenticeships in England has been 98 and 99 per cent spent in each of the last two financial years. Recent funding increases for some popular apprenticeship standards (including the Early Years Educator) will stretch the budget to breaking point.
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