The figures released by the Department of Children, Schools andFamilies, show that there were 1,136,300 children taking up places inJanuary 2008. They are the most accurate figures released to date aschildren are counted only once, even if they are registered with morethan one provider.
In previous years children were counted at each setting they attended,resulting in double-counting if children were registered with more thanone provider (News, 7 June 2007).
The new method of collecting data follows the introduction of achild-level Early Years Census for 2008 and is based on 20,161 returnsfrom local authorities received up until May.
Data collected under the old method, where children were counted twiceif they take up free provision at two different providers, showed thatthe number of three- and four-year-olds taking up the free earlyeducation entitlement had risen by 34,300 year-on-year to 1,160,400, or97 per cent of the population.
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