§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the number and percentage of four-year-olds in(a) maintained nursery schools and nursery classes, (b) reception classes in primary schools, (c) private or voluntary sector provision and (d) pre-school provision overall, at the latest available date. [28079]
§ Mr. ForthThe table shows the breakdown between schools for four-year-olds born between 1 January 1989 and 31 August 1989. This is based on information collected in the Department's schools' census in January 1994. It excludes both those children who were three years old on 31 August 1993 but who were four years old on 1 January 1994, and those who were four years old on 31 August 1993 but who were five years old on 1 January 1994—the rising fives.
A separate estimate of all children who were four years old on 1 January 1994 suggests that at that time 498,000 four-year-olds—77 per cent. of all children aged four—were attending maintained schools. We estimate that approximately 120,000 more—19 per cent. of all children aged four—were in some form of private or voluntary provision.
Pupils aged 4 years of age in schools in England: January 1994 School type Pupils Percentage of population Maintained nursery schools and infant classes 48,176 11 Infant classes in primary schools 326,634 75 Independent schools2 18,511 4 All schools3 395,384 91 1 Full-time and part-time pupils aged 4 years of age at 31 August 1993 excluding pupils of compulsory school age in January 1994 (the rising 5s), expressed as a percentage of the relevant portion of the population aged 4 at 31 August 1993 2 Includes pupils in direct grant nursery schools. 3 Includes pupils in maintained nursery, primary and special schools, non-maintained special schools and independent schools.