§ Mr. RuffleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many(a) full-time and (b) part-time nursery places there were in the Suffolk Local Education Authority area in (i) 1996–97, (ii) 1997–98, (iii) 1998–99 and (iv) 1999–2000 for (A) three-year-olds, (B) four-year-olds and (C) all children aged under five years. [130521]
§ Ms HodgeThe available information on the numbers of under fives in Suffolk Local Education Authority area who are in some form of early years education is shown in the following tables. Table 1 gives the number of children in early years education places in Suffolk Local Education Authority area from 1997 to 2000.
Since September 1999, we have invested substantially in the creation of new, free early education places for three-year-olds. During 1999–2000 funding, via the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships, was focused on 65 authorities based on social need. From summer 2000 this extra funding will also be available in Suffolk and the other remaining LEAs. Table 2 shows 1048W current estimates of the number of new funded places of three-year-olds being created in all sectors in Suffolk for summer 2000, autumn 2000 and spring 2001.
Currently, all eligible four-year-old children in England are now in some form of early education, including 16 per cent. in private and voluntary places. Funding is provided through the early years partnerships for LEA, voluntary and private provision. In England, there are now 120,000 more free places for three and four-year-olds compared with 1997.
Table 1: Children aged three and four years of age in early years education places Suffolk Local Education Authority. 1997–2000 (provisional) Positions as at January Part-time Full-time Total Aged three1 2000 679 2— 679 1999 748 2— 748 1998 593 2— 593 1997 642 2— 642 Aged four3 2000 5,221 2.497 7,718 1999 5,441 2,527 7,968 1998 5,677 1,959 7,636 1997 2,849 2,638 5,487 Total under five 2000 5,900 2,497 8,397 1999 6,189 2,527 8,716 1998 6,270 1,959 8,229 1997 3,491 2,638 6,129 1 Includes pupil numbers collected from maintained schools in England in January each year (Annual Schools' Census). 2 Not applicable 3 Includes pupil numbers collected from maintained schools in England in January each year (Annual Schools' Census). From January 1998 these data are combined with estimates submitted by LEAs for Nursery Education Grant purposes relating to private, voluntary and independent providers in spring.
Table 2: Current estimates of new funded places for three-year-olds in Suffolk Local Education Authority area: projected position as at summer 2000, autumn 2000 and spring 2000 LEA maintained Private Voluntary Independent Summer 2000 75 220 230 0 Autumn 2000 75 290 290 0 Spring 2001 75 210 220 0