Pre-School Education

HC Deb 12 January 1987 vol 108 cc30-1W

Mr. Rathbone

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number and percentage of three to four-year-olds having some form of pre-school education in the private, maintained or voluntary sector.

Mr. Dunn

The number and percentage of three and four year olds in England in January 1986 who were having pre-school education in the private or maintained sectors are given below. Information on pre-school education in the voluntary sector is not collected centrally.

	Pupils aged 3 and 41	Percentage2
Private Sector3	28,643	2
Maintained Sector4	482,760	41
Total	511,403	43

¹Full and part-time pupils. Ages at January 1986.

²Pupil numbers expressed as a percentage of the estimated 3 and

4 year old population.

³Non-maintained nursery and independent schools. Non-maintained special schools excluded.

⁴Maintained nursery and primary schools. Maintained special schools excluded.