Agenda item

Report CSD15112

The Committee considered a report outlining developments in Early Years’ Services and access to local high quality childcare provision across the Borough.

There were currently 777 early years providers across the Borough which comprised 110 pre-school settings, maintained nurseries (included as part of school inspection), 62 private, voluntary and independent nurseries and 597 childminders, 67% of which were rated as ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good’.  All three and four year olds were entitled to 15 hours Free Early Education per week, with some two year olds also eligible due to parent income-related benefits or who were considered to be vulnerable, such as Looked After Children.  As at July 2015, 683 two year olds had taken up Free Early Education placements, which was 70% of target numbers, and 6945 three and four year olds had taken up Free Early Education placements, which was 101% of target numbers due to children who were resident out-of-Borough accessing Bromley provision.  A range of outreach work continued to be undertaken with parents and professionals to encourage the take up of Free Early Education, with 1151 parents contacted through outreach work and nine information sessions delivered during the 2014/15 academic year.  The Early Years Pupil Premium had been introduced for two year olds in April 2015, with providers receiving a total of £27,853.20 to fund additional resources for 287 eligible children. 

Early years provision in the Borough would be impacted by a range of policy developments in 2015/16, including the introduction of the Common Inspection Framework for all early years settings on the Early Years Register and integrated health and early years reviews for two year olds from September 2015.  The Local Authority had volunteered to participate in a pilot scheme to test proposals in the Childcare Bill to double free childcare to all working parents of three and four year olds to 30 hours per week for up to 600,000 families.  The Government had also committed to increasing the average childcare funding rates paid to providers for each free place with a Department for Education review underway.  The Childcare Act 2006 stated that there was an exemption to the requirement to register as an early years provider with Ofsted in relation to early years provision for a child or children who had attained the age of three, if certain conditions were met, and the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act Clause 75 (2015) included an amendment to the wording from three to two years of age which reflected the Government’s encouragement for more schools to offer nursery provision for two year olds.

In response to a question from the Chairman, the Head of Schools, Early Years Commissioning and Quality Assurance confirmed that two maintained nurseries had been rated as ‘Inadequate’ as a reflection of their school’s Ofsted rating.  This requirement did not apply to private, voluntary and independent nurseries based on school sites.  A Co-opted Member highlighted the implications that the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act Clause 75 (2015) would have on private, voluntary and independent nurseries based on school sites, and underlined the need to ensure that these providers also understood how their leases would change as schools converted to academies.

A Member noted the pilot scheme to test proposals in the Childcare Bill to double free childcare to all working parents of three and four year olds to 30 hours per week, and queried if early years provision in the Borough could support the increase in free childcare provision.  A Government consultation was being undertaken to identify the implications of the proposed increase in free childcare provision and early years providers were encouraged to participate.  A Co-opted Member explained that a number of early years providers used ‘top-up’ fees received for additional hours of childcare to subsidise the free childcare provision, and that the proposed increase in free childcare might make it no longer viable for providers to offer free childcare places.  The Co-opted Member noted that early years providers also had queries about the introduction of integrated health and early years reviews for two year olds from September 2015, and the Head of Schools, Early Years Commissioning and Quality Assurance confirmed that a working group had now been established with representation from Health Visiting Services, Early Years Services and the Private, Voluntary and Independent sector to develop a local model for implementation.

In considering the take up of Early Years Pupil Premium, the Head of Schools, Early Years Commissioning and Quality Assurance outlined work that was underway to engage providers with the Early Years Pupil Premium which included a Provider’s Portal that had recently been launched.  There was the potential to share information regarding the Early Years Pupil Premium with schools to ensure that eligible pupils received Pupil Premium following a decrease in take up due to the introduction of universal free school meals for infants.  The Early Years Development Childcare Partnership for Bromley met twice a term to discuss a range of issues impacting early years provision, and the Portfolio Holder for Education would meet with the Assistant Director: Education and representatives of the Partnership outside of the meeting. 

It was noted that the Early Years Outreach service was currently staffed on 0.4 full time equivalent staff following a restructure, but the Head of Schools, Early Years Commissioning and Quality Assurance confirmed that this was under review and it was hoped to fill the 0.6 full time equivalent staff vacancy shortly.

A Co-opted Member was concerned that 175 child minders had closed during 2014/15 and further information on child minders in the Borough would be provided to Members following the meeting.

RESOLVED that the update be noted.