Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to extend the eligibility criteria for the early years pupil premium to children aged 9 months to three years who receive the 15 hours childcare entitlement in 2024.

The early years pupil premium is currently available for 3 and 4-year-olds eligible for the early years entitlements.

From April 2024, the early years pupil premium will be extended to all eligible 2-year-olds and from September 2024 to all eligible children aged 9-months to 3-year-old accessing the early years entitlements. This will be payable on a maximum of 15 hours per week, or 570 hours per year.