
Keep early years safe and funded
We need urgent funding for early years and maintained nursery schools now to prevent closures in this vital sector.
Maintained Nursery Schools (MNS) are under threat of closure due to chronic underfunding by the Government.
There are only 385 MNS remaining in England serving 40,000 children, many located in the most deprived areas of the country.
MNS give our youngest children the best start in life, including those with special educational needs and disabilities – and ensure access to the highest quality provision for families in the poorest parts of the country.
The DfE’s own figures show that the percentage of MNS in deficit has risen from 3.5% in 2009-10 to 20.8% in 2019-20 and the total deficit rose from £6.7m to £8.8m over that last year, indicating a rapid escalation of difficulties for the worst affected schools. That, of course, was before the pandemic hit. Joint research with Early Education, NAHT and Unison has found that as many as 46% were in deficit by March 2021 as a result of the additional costs and loss of income due to Covid-19.
Government supplementary funding of £60 million (30% of MNS budgets) annually has never been linked to inflation and was due to end in March 2022.
MNS need adequate funding and a long-term funding solution so they can continue the essential work they do every day.
The NEU are encouraging all MNS leaders to invite their MPs and local councillors to a visit in person or virtually, so that they can see for themselves the important work you do as educators and the positive impact you have on your students and local communities. This is the ideal opportunity to share with your MP how sustained long term under funding, exacerbated by Covid-19, is impacting your school and the work you do. With a greater understanding of the issues MNS are facing, we hope these visits will encourage your MPs and local councillors to impress upon the Chancellor the need for immediate action and provide a long-term sustainable funding solution for maintained nursery schools to be agreed and implemented as soon as possible.
Join the march on Downing Street in the autumn to save our Maintained Nursery Schools (MNS)
Join the march on Downing Street in the autumn to save our Maintained Nursery Schools (MNS)
Along with the School Cuts coalition, colleagues in Early Education, Unison and NAHT, we have held a number of successful online rallies to bring the issue into the wider public domain; the NEU is an active member of the All-party parliamentary group (APPG) for MNS and in 2020 and 2021 written several letters/briefings to the Prime Minister, Chancellor and Secretary of State for Education demanding:
MNS remain the most successful schools’ group for Ofsted ratings and play a huge role in improving social mobility. During the coronavirus pandemic, MNS have proved once again their value to our society, while many private settings were forced to close, MNS have absorbed the additional pressure by becoming Early Year Hubs and remained open for vulnerable children and those of critical workers.
All of this is under threat because of insufficient Government funding and support. MNS have had little or no access to additional funds provided to schools to combat the impact of coronavirus and no help to cover income lost as a result of remaining open during the pandemic.
#FundOurChildrensFuture #SaveOurNurseries
The impact of the pandemic and government delays on maintained nursery schools’ finances .
Report of a survey, April 2021