§ Mr. AllanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance he has issued to local education authorities in respect of the use of grants available to them under the Nursery Education and Grant-Maintained Schools Act 1996 and subsequent legislation, for children to be educated in primary school reception classes until the term in which they attain the age of five. [57218]
§ Ms HodgeFunding is available through Revenue Support Grant and nursery education grant to provide three terms of early education before compulsory school age for all four-year-olds whose parents wish their children to take advantage of this. The places can be in the state, private or voluntary sectors, with the local Early Years Development Plan setting out where they will be secured. The Department has issued guidance on producing Early Years Development Plans and a document, "Requirements of Grant 1998–99", which sets out the eligibility criteria and conditions under which nursery education grant may be paid during the period April 1998 to March 1999.
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