The Guardian view on early years education: new nurseries must be the start of something bigger | Editorial

andIGURES appears a Overly In the number of safety accidents that include children in the nurseries in England, a reminder that the government -funded expansion in the early years should be closely monitored. The increasing entitlement to free places, which the recent government announced and is gradually presented, is very welcome. Bridgit Philipson’s decision Giving priority for the new nursery role in the north and Midlands in the first round of funding was good.

High -quality pre -school settings are the basis for future learning. It is especially important at a time The increased attention About the growth of young children – with increasing numbers in reception chapters unable to feed themselves or go to the toilet. At the present time, early learning opportunities are not distributed equally or incentive – partially because service providers depend on income from fees as well as general financing. The 4000 new government nursery places must provide a batch of pre -school in the poorest parts of the country.

Almost all the nursery is safe. Many excellent. total, 97 % has been judged either good or suspended Under the old Offsted system – which will soon be replaced with new report cards. In addition to the benefits of children, free places offer parents, especially mothers, the opportunity to combine paid work with care duties – raising their income. This is why investment in the early years was considered a long time The issue of feminism.

But as in health and children’s social care settings, concerns about safety should be taken seriously. An ongoing investigation by the Steport Council in the surrounding circumstances The death of Jenviev MihanAnd that was nine months old when she was killed in the Tiny Toes nursery in 2022, it should provide vital information. It is worrying that the nursery, at the time of her death, had a good classification. The sharp height of the number of safety reports to the Offsted, It was revealed by the BBCIt requires a response from the ministers. He claims that some nurseries are cheating from inspectors, for example, by asking the sick employees to attend, carefully viewed.

MS Phillipson is right to invest in the early years and remind voters about Certainly start The program that was built by a previous party government before dismantling under the Conservative Party. At the same time, the government should be clear with the public about the situation he inherited, as the three largest service providers – with about 70,000 nursery places between them – are funded – and that the series that expanded last year, the planet, is funded by the children’s planet, Private property rights. In the same period, the two largest volunteer groups have shrunk, while the number of children’s children (most of them women who work for their own accounts decreased).

Teaching early years at reasonable prices is social good. As well as adherence to the increasing standards. Currently, the nursery role is often searched less than schools (every six years instead of four), which is wrong – given its importance and the weakness of young children – and in line with the situation of the humble sector and ignorance. Recent changes to employment rates The situation worsened In some places. Especially when they are new and settle, children and young children need attention.

It is difficult to raise the quality of education in the early years while keeping it affordable. But this is what should happen. The new nursery for Mrs. Philipson is a promising start, but there is a lot to do.

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