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Graduate-led sector made 'pipe-dream' by new funding formula

The Government’s dreams of a childcare sector led by graduates could remain just that if proposals to strip town halls of powers to pay ‘quality supplements’ get the go ahead, sector leaders have warned.

Local authorities can currently spend some of their early years grant on funding qualified teachers (with QTS) and recruits with Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS), in settings where the free entitlement is offered.

But this freedom is conspicuously absent from the Early Years National Funding Formula (EYNFF) papers, currently out for consultation.

Commentators point out that ‘quality costs’, and exactly how settings will be able to afford the highest qualified staff remains to be seen.

Both PVI and maintained settings are worried that the supplement will not feature on the final EYNFF list, to be published by the Department for Education (DfE) after the public response has been considered.

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