Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure that early years pupil premium funding supports her Department's quality improvement objectives in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle and (d) the North East.

The government is taking coordinated steps to ensure Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) funding aligns with broader quality improvement objectives.

Through the department’s Best Start in Life strategy, we are ensuring that families can access affordable high-quality early education. In April 2025, EYPP increased by an unprecedented 45%, to a maximum of £570 per year per child in all local authorities in England.

The government’s new early years strategy, ‘Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life’, links EYPP to improving quality of early years, strengthening transitions into primary school and enhancing workforce development. This includes the EYPP uplift targeted at areas most in need and published guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-pupil-premium-guide-for-local-authorities/early-years-pupil-premium-guide-for-local-authorities.

From 2026, we aim to provide additional EYPP funding in areas most in need, ensuring that children most at risk of falling behind receive support.