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Early Years Funding Reform
In March 2007, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) launched a consultation regarding changes to the school funding system to be implemented over the coming comprehensive spending review period 2008-09 to 2010-11. It set out a series of evolutionary changes to the distribution of funding to Local Authorities (LA’s) and schools, alongside more far reaching proposals to deal with the significant developments at 14-16 and for early years. Details of the consultation can be found by assessing the following link, teachernet.
The main objective of the consultation is to maximise take-up of high quality, free early years provision. Take-up is lower in disadvantaged communities, and we know that the predominant pattern of delivery can be a constraint on children benefiting from all of their entitlement. The reform of the free entitlement funding system is designed to support these objectives by:
- Removing barriers in the funding system to the flexible use of the free entitlement, so that children can take up their entitlement at more than one setting, and in different sectors
- Supporting the sustainability of all settings, giving them stability to plan for the future and improve quality
- Ensuring that the entitlement is free at the point of delivery for all parents, putting the right incentives in place to increase take-up of the free entitlement.
Another aim of the consultation is to align the funding systems for the maintained and the Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) Sectors. This will enable the LA’s to shape the market more effectively in response to parental demand, focus on quality, maximise take-up and to bring equity and parity between the sectors.
The proposal continues the programme of reform, which began with introduction of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and multi year budgets for schools for the period 2006-08.
To contact us please use our EYFR Contact Page
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