The Minister with responsibility for Early Years, Early Intervention and Childcare at the Department of Education, Sam Gyimah MP, visited the Little Fishes Pre-School in Lings Wood with me last week.
The first 4 or 5 years of a child’s life are vitally important to the future prospects of that child. The stronger start they have in those very early years, the better their life chances as they get older. This is why the Government has invested over £1 billion in early childhood learning since the last election in 2010.
It is absolutely essential that when our children are at the age to go to school they are not lagging behind already and are ready for school.
I am therefore really pleased that Northampton has been selected as one of the local authorities on a national pilot scheme- the ‘Early Year’s Premium’, to bring extra funding to our pre-schools and nurseries specifically aimed at helping the most disadvantaged children in our society. Northamptonshire will now receive an extra £200,000 from the Government on top of the existing budget in order to operate this pilot scheme. I met the Minister in Lings to launch this nationwide scheme.
This scheme will target the poorest 3 and 4 year olds who may need that extra bit of help, as the nurseries will have the extra money to be able to buy the services they need to support those children- up to £300 extra per child. This might come in the form of extra home learning or funding additional learning trips.
It is great news that some of the most disadvantaged children in Northampton will benefit from this extra funding.