Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will reverse her Department's decision requiring Level 3 early years educators to have at least grade C GCSEs in English and mathematics.

A well-qualified workforce in the early years is absolutely crucial and that is why the Government has committed to developing a workforce strategy which will help employers attract, retain and develop staff to deliver high quality provision.

This will include a response to a recent consultation the Department published on the literacy & numeracy qualification requirements for level 3 Early Years Educator staff. This consultation closed on 28 November 2016 and received over 4,000 responses.

The Department is currently analysing the responses and a government response will be published in the new year.