HC Deb 21 November 2001 vol 375 cc347-9W
Mr. Chope

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, (1) pursuant to her answer of 12 November 2001,Official Report, column 539W, what criteria were used in deciding which new early excellence centres should be designated; [16600]

(2) pursuant to her answer of 12 November 2001, Official Report, column 539W, if she will consider the proposal from Somerford Infant School as part of the next batch of early excellence centres designated; [16601]

(3) pursuant to her answer of 12 November 2001, Official Report, column 539W, if she will list those applicants who have been invited to develop their plans further; [16602]

(4) pursuant to her answer of 12 November 2001, Official Report, column 539W, on early years excellence, on what grounds the proposal for a centre at Somerford Infant School was considered not yet ready to join the programme; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the Government's response to the proposal and details of its invitation to the school to develop its plans further; [16603]

(5) pursuant to her answer of 12 November 2001, Official Report, column 539W, on early years excellence, how many expressions of interest there were in joining the early excellence centres programme. [16604]

Mr. Timms

[holding answer 20 November 2001]: Criteria and detailed requirements for joining the Early Excellence Centre (EEC) programme are set out in guidance issued by the Department. Guidance issued in February provided the framework for designations made so far this year. Additional guidance was issued on 5 October. The core activities of the programme which all centres are expected to deliver, or have well advanced and convincing plans to develop, remain unchanged and are as follows: good quality integrated early education and daycare for children 0 to five requiring centre-based extended-day and extended-year provision; parental and carer involvement in the education and care of children, eg schemes for family learning, developing parenting skills, raising parents' expectations and in other ways; support services for children and parents and carers of children, eg health, counselling and information services, home support, drop-in facilities; effective early identification and intervention for children in need and children with special educational needs, with a view to improving children's prospects and, wherever appropriate, achieving inclusion in mainstream provision; access to adult education and training by parents of young children and other adults, including those seeking skills and qualifications for employment; raising standards of integrated early years provision among other early years providers, including voluntary and private providers, childminders and other carers, by contributing to the training and development strategy of the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and through the development and dissemination of good practice.

Decisions on designations also take into account links with other Government programmes, geographical coverage, support of key partners, especially the local Early Years and Childcare Development Partnership (EYCDP), and commitment to multi-agency working.

The Department received 135 expressions of interest following the issue of the February guidance and 14 new centres were announced on 1 October. Officials are continuing to work closely with a further nine centres in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Wigan, Peterborough, Norfolk, Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Bury, on the basis of expressions of interest received in response to the February guidance. A further 93 expressions of interest in joining the programme have been received since additional guidance was issued in October.

Somerford Infant School's expression of interest in the EEC programme was submitted in response to the guidance issued in February. It was closely linked to emerging local proposals for the development of a Neighbourhood Nursery, but did not meet the requirements set out in the guidance for joint Neighbourhood Nursery/Early Excellence Centre schemes. Neither did it provide sufficient coverage of the core activities or relate them sufficiently well to the wider strategy of the EYCDP.

The Department wrote to the school inviting it to develop its plans further. I have placed a copy of that letter in the Library. The additional guidance issued in October indicates that those invited to do further development work should submit a fresh expression of interest taking into account feedback received. The guidance included full contact details for relevant officials at the Department and encouraged partners to make contact with them for further information.

The Department has not received a further expression of interest from Somerford Infant School. To continue to develop its interest in the programme the school should contact officials at the Department who will be most willing to discuss it with them.