Plans to extend nursery education to 12,000 two-year-olds in 500 areas of disadvantage were originally announced by Chancellor Gordon Brown more than two years ago in a spending review.
However, it was not made clear at the time whether the pilots would involve nursery education or childcare, or both.
But last week the DfES confirmed that further details would be published before the end of this month.
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association, said, 'This is a good step in improving affordability for parents and supporting the sustainability of the sector. It is crucial that private and voluntary providers are involved in the pilots, as they have the expertise and knowledge to deliver high-quality care for two-year-olds.'
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