Playgroups in some parts of Leicestershire may have to close and more than 500 children could lose their free places because the county council has underestimated the demand for provision.
Playgroups in some parts of Leicestershire may have to close and more than 500 children could lose their free places because the county council has underestimated the demand for provision.
Leicestershire county council has written to 300 early years providers telling them that some children with free places this term will not have them from January unless they live within certain postcode areas. Up to 560 children aged three are believed to be affected.
In a statement, the council said that the take-up of places 'far exceeded estimated numbers' and if this continued, 'it would result in an overspend'. It needs a further 215,000 to meet the demand for free places.
The council has written to the Department for Education and Skills on behalf of the local Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership to warn of the impact of the shortfall on parents and providers. But the Government has refused the council's request for more money or permission to make savings by offering a minimum of three sessions for children instead of five, as this would breach legislation.
Leicestershire was given 3.1m to provide 2,638 nursery education places for three-year-olds this year. The DfES said, 'In accepting this funding Leicestershire agreed to work within the allocation given to them and meet the rules and regulations relating to this money.'
Angela Berry, who runs the Markfield Playaway Playgroup, has had to tell the parents of three children that they would not qualify for free places next term. She said, 'I am disgusted. I think it is so unfair to decide this on the basis of where people live.'
Amanda Watson, a single parent from Oadby whose three-year-old son is set to lose his free place, has launched a county-wide protest petition. She said, 'The annoying thing is that I live in a small house with two children, and yet down the road there are four-bedroom households with two salaries coming in who still get funding because they live near a housing estate.'
Vin Hollis, county co-ordinator for the Pre-School Learning Alliance and its representative on the EYDCP, said the decision to base free provision on postcodes would not assist the more deprived areas. She said, 'We've created all these free places and promised them but we can't fund them. Some rural playgroups could close because they won't have the funds to keep going. They've done their budgets for this term and next. My big fear is that children could end up missing out on pre-school education because their parents won't be able to afford the fees.'
Parents expressed their anger to early years minister Baroness Ashton when she came to open a special needs facility at Oadby last week. The Government has said it will guarantee five two-and-a-half hour sessions a week for every three-year-old in England whose parent wants them from September 2004.
Leicestershire county council has written to 300 early years providers telling them that some children with free places this term will not have them from January unless they live within certain postcode areas. Up to 560 children aged three are believed to be affected.
In a statement, the council said that the take-up of places 'far exceeded estimated numbers' and if this continued, 'it would result in an overspend'. It needs a further 215,000 to meet the demand for free places.
The council has written to the Department for Education and Skills on behalf of the local Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership to warn of the impact of the shortfall on parents and providers. But the Government has refused the council's request for more money or permission to make savings by offering a minimum of three sessions for children instead of five, as this would breach legislation.
Leicestershire was given 3.1m to provide 2,638 nursery education places for three-year-olds this year. The DfES said, 'In accepting this funding Leicestershire agreed to work within the allocation given to them and meet the rules and regulations relating to this money.'
Angela Berry, who runs the Markfield Playaway Playgroup, has had to tell the parents of three children that they would not qualify for free places next term. She said, 'I am disgusted. I think it is so unfair to decide this on the basis of where people live.'
Amanda Watson, a single parent from Oadby whose three-year-old son is set to lose his free place, has launched a county-wide protest petition. She said, 'The annoying thing is that I live in a small house with two children, and yet down the road there are four-bedroom households with two salaries coming in who still get funding because they live near a housing estate.'
Vin Hollis, county co-ordinator for the Pre-School Learning Alliance and its representative on the EYDCP, said the decision to base free provision on postcodes would not assist the more deprived areas. She said, 'We've created all these free places and promised them but we can't fund them. Some rural playgroups could close because they won't have the funds to keep going. They've done their budgets for this term and next. My big fear is that children could end up missing out on pre-school education because their parents won't be able to afford the fees.'
Parents expressed their anger to early years minister Baroness Ashton when she came to open a special needs facility at Oadby last week. The Government has said it will guarantee five two-and-a-half hour sessions a week for every three-year-old in England whose parent wants them from September 2004.
