Decision details

To consider the report of the Senior Manager Children and Young People Strategic Commissioning, Education and Inclusion seeking approval of an Early Years Improvement Strategy.  The Early Years Improvement strategy sets out how early years providers, in receipt of early years funding, will be supported to increase effectiveness, including the introduction of an agreed set of minimum standards.

(i)  To approve the Early Years Provision Improvement Strategy, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report. 

(ii)  To delegate authority to the Director of Children’s Services to remove providers from the Early Years Provider Register following the procedure set out in the Early Years Provision Improvement Strategy.

The Government issued new statutory guidance that local authorities in England must have regard to when fulfilling their duties to secure free early education for 3 and 4-year-olds, and 2 year olds from September 2013.  The Early Years Provision Improvement Strategy reflects the new guidance.

The option to do nothing has been considered and rejected as this would mean the Council were: not working to secure high quality early years provisions for the City’s under 5s; failing to compile with the new statutory guidance or represent value for money.