Government outlines early education reforms

The government has announced details of its planned early education reforms.

Speaking this week, children's minister Sarah Tether said the coalition's approach will improve the life chances of disadvantaged children.

"We need to end cycles of deprivation by reaching children from as young as two, therefore giving them the best chance to learn and develop. These reforms are vital because we know that high-quality early education can have a dramatic impact on a child's life chances in the longer term," she commented.

Ms Teather noted that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to early education, so local authorities need flexibility.

The government said it plans to legislate so that two-year-olds from poor backgrounds are provided with 15 hours of free education and reduce bureaucracy for professionals working in Sure Start centres.

"The government will be much less prescriptive about the services children's centres must provide in return for a commitment from providers to improve the quality of outcomes for the most disadvantaged children," Ms Teather added.
 

Meet the Teaching Personnel news team >>