Nursery World - Early years and schools call on new education secretary for urgent help for sector 'on its knees'

With early years and schools in the midst of a crisis in funding, soaring costs and recruitment challenges, sector leaders have called for urgent financial support from the new education secretary Kit Malthouse.

Without urgent financial help, schools face reports of rises to energy costs of as much as 300 per cent PHOTO Adobe Stock

The National Day Nurseries Association said the private and voluntary sector must be included in any support for childcare, while the Early Years Alliance said the focus must be on investment in the sector, not deregulating it – a reference to Government plans to cut staff: child ratios.

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), said, ‘As the fifth education secretary in the past year, he has an overflowing in-tray. We now hope to see some continuity and stability in this department.

‘His priority must be to invest sufficiently in the early years sector and its workforce, because they make all the difference to children’s education and ultimately, life chances.

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