Brent Council in North West London has been chosen by a Government department as an exemplar for others to follow in developing a new funding formula for free nursery places for three-year-olds.
The council was one of the first wave of local authorities in England to introduce the Early Years Single Funding Formula (EYSFF) which funds the extended free entitlement to nursery education. From September 2010 this entitlement increases from 12.5 hours to 15 hours a week. However, since September 2008 over 90 per cent of Brent's private nurseries and a number of primary schools have been offering 15 hours as part of a national pilot.
The government initially instructed all local authorities to implement the EYSFF by April 2010 but following pressure from private nurseries and sector lobby groups the deadline was extended until April 2011. Brent, however, was well advanced with the formula and ready to implement from April 2010. The government recognised the significant progress made with developing the EYSFF involving all stakeholders and Brent was allowed to implement the formula from last April.
The council has now been singled out by the Government Office for London and the Department for Education as an example of good practice. Brent will share its experience with other local authorities to help them get ready for the April 2011 deadline.
Cllr Mary Arnold, Lead Member for Children and Families, said;
"It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our early years team that Brent Council has been singled out for praise. Thanks to the new scheme nearly 250 more three years olds have been able to access nursery education."
Denise Burke, Interim Head of Early Years at Brent Council, said;
"The council has worked successfully in partnership with early years providers across the borough to ensure a smooth transition to this new way of funding. We are looking forward to working with our colleagues in other local authorities to help them achieve the same success."
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