§ Baroness Blatchasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the comments made by Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 22 October (H.L. Deb., col. 906), how many graduate-trained teachers will be employed to support playgroups; and who will fund them. [HL922]
What ratio of graduate-trained teachers to playgroups or numbers of children in playgroups are to be employed under the new proposals for early years' learning. [HL923]
§ Baroness Ashton of UphollandWe have asked local early years development and childcare partnerships (EYDCPs) in association with their local education authorities, to ensure that a ratio of one teacher with qualified teacher status to every 10 early education settings in the private, voluntary and independent sector, including playgroups, is achieved by 2004.
As a result, we have estimated that by 2004 approximately 1,500 teachers with qualified teacher status will be needed to support all early education settings in the private, voluntary and independent sector including playgroups. It is for EYDCPs to decide how this should be arranged.
Education Standard Spending (ESS) will increase by 6 per cent for 2002–03; £50 million in ESS has been provided with the aim of supporting qualified teacher involvement in early years settings and the introduction of early years area special educational needs co-ordinators. Local education authorities will need to decide how much of that increase they spend on employing qualified teachers as they make progress towards the target.