Nursery World - Ground is levelled for NEG

Changes to make early education funding fairer and more transparent will be introduced as part of Government plans to ensure that the private and voluntary sector is on a level footing with maintained provision.

Plans include creating a standardised method for calculating the freeentitlement for three-and four-year-olds in all early yearssettings.

Following the Government's response to the consultation on Funding forSchools, Early Years and 14-16, children's minister Beverly Hughes saidon Monday that reforms would be introduced in stages:

- In 2009-2010, all local authorities will count pupils in maintainedand PVI settings in the same way so that providers will receive fundingbased on take-up.

- From 2010-11, all local authorities will introduce a new single localfunding formula for maintained and PVI settings with a standardisedtransparent method of setting funding per pupil

- In 2011-12, a single transparent formula so early years funding can beclearly identified in each local authority's funding.

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