Nursery School Provision (Hansard, 2 May 1989)

HC Deb 02 May 1989 vol 152 c72W 72W

§ 18. Mr. Butler
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made since 1979 in extending nursery school provision.

§ Mrs. Rumbold
The total number of under fives in maintained schools increased from 428,000 in 1979 to 533,000 in 1988. In nursery schools and classes alone the numbers increased from 210,000 to 285,000. The age participation rate went up from 38 per cent. to 45 per cent.