Margaret Edgington, who is vice-president of the National Campaign for Real Nursery Education, said that the 'long-standing' staff ratios of one specialised teacher to every 26 children in a nursery class and 1:20 in a nursery school, are 'gradually eroding' in some parts of the country.
She said, 'There is so much disparity. What I find is that nursery classes in particular, but also some nursery schools outside London, are often being run by nursery nurses or teaching assistants. Headteachers are also sometimes on the staffing ratio, and extra children who are barely three are being added to the ratios in a bid to drive up numbers at the school.'
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