Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of extending the early education offer for working parents with three and four-year olds to 30 hours per week on the availability of provision for three and four-year olds who are entitled to 15 hours per week and receive that provision in maintained nursery schools and nursery classes.

The Government remains strongly committed to the universal entitlement for three- and four-year-olds because of the evidence that it promotes school readiness and longer-term outcomes, particularly for the most disadvantaged children. A number of 30 hours early implementer areas are focusing on ensuring that disadvantaged children remain able to access the free entitlement, including in maintained nursery schools.

Most maintained nursery schools are located in disadvantaged areas, and are strongly focused on supporting the communities they serve. We do not expect them to offer the 30 hours entitlement at the expense of disadvantaged children in receipt of the universal entitlement. We would, however, encourage maintained nursery schools to consider a range of options for being involved in the delivery of the 30 hours entitlement, including working in partnership with other providers.