§ Miss Joan Lestorasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is Government policy on pre-school education;
(2) what is the Government policy in relation to the admission of rising-fives to primary schools.
§ Dr. BoysonThe Government's policy is to encourage local authorities to provide pre-school education for the under-fives in nursery schools and nursery classes in primary schools, and to admit rising fives to reception classes in primary schools whenever resources permit.
844WWe have provided in the rate support grant settlement for 1980–81 for expenditure on the under-fives to remain broadly at the present level, and we are retaining a modest nursery education building programme, which should provide over 2,000 additional nursery places during the current financial year.
Expenditure plans for the period 1980–81 to 1983–84 provide for a reduction of 5 per cent. in expenditure on the education of under-fives, which is expected to result in a reduction of between 5 and 10 per cent. in the number of under-fives in school. It has been assumed that the reduction in numbers will fall mainly on younger children in reception classes rather than on those in nursery schools and classes, although this is a matter on which each local education authority is free to make its own decision. The Education Act 1980 requires the approval of the Secretary of State for the closure of nursery schools or nursery classes attached to primary schools.