Nursery Education (Hansard, 5 July 1995)

§ Mr. Blunkett
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what were the number and percentage of three-year-olds in(a) maintained nursery schools and nursery classes, (b) infant classes in primary schools, (c) private or voluntary sector provision and (d) pre-school provision overall, at the latest available date. [32038]

§ Mr. Forth
Information on three-year-olds in schools in England in January 1994 is shown in the table. Information is not available for the private or voluntary sector.

Pupils aged three years of age in schools in England: January 1994

School type Pupils Percentage of population¹

Maintained nursery schools and nursery classes 265,669 41

Infant classes in primary schools 1,285 ²—

Independent schools³ 20,964 3

All schools⁴ 290,458 45

¹ Full-time and part-time pupils aged three years of age at 31 August 1993, including pupils who became four years of age by 1 January 1994, expressed as a percentage of the estimated population aged three at 31 August 1993.

² Negligible—less than 0.5.

³ Includes pupils in direct grant nursery schools.

⁴ Includes pupils in maintained nursery, primary and special schools, non-maintained special schools and independent schools.

§ Mr. Nigel Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking to ensure that the extension of nursery education to all four-year-olds does not lead to a reduction in places currently available to three-year-olds. [31952]

§ Mr. Forth
My right hon. Friend will shortly announce the details of her policy to provide a pre-school place for all four-year-olds whose parents wish to take it up. She has already made it clear that there will be new money to fund the expansion of places.

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the cost of providing nursery education for(a) all three-year-olds and (b) all four-year-olds whose parents want it. [31976]

§ Mr. Forth
The aggregate cost would depend on parental preference and on local expenditure, where information is not collected separately for under-fives or for nursery schools.

Pupils aged three years of age in schools in England: January 1994
School type	Pupils	Percentage of population¹
Maintained nursery schools and nursery classes	265,669	41
Infant classes in primary schools	1,285	²—
Independent schools³	20,964	3
All schools⁴	290,458	45
¹ Full-time and part-time pupils aged three years of age at 31 August 1993, including pupils who became four years of age by 1 January 1994, expressed as a percentage of the estimated population aged three at 31 August 1993.
² Negligible—less than 0.5.
³ Includes pupils in direct grant nursery schools.
⁴ Includes pupils in maintained nursery, primary and special schools, non-maintained special schools and independent schools.