Commenting after the passing of motion 8 at NEU Annual Conference, Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:
“High-quality early years education enables children to learn and thrive, the benefits of which last long beyond the foundation stage. A high-quality early year’s education also contributes towards social equality, and supports those who need it most at the earliest opportunity.
“Run by specialist, highly qualified educators, Maintained nursery schools (MNS) provide the highest quality of early education. They also serve a disproportionately high number of children with SEND, and/or those from disadvantaged backgrounds, who may otherwise not access early education entirely.
“The present government has chosen to neglect both the educational importance of the early years and longstanding issues that face the sector. Poor pay and working conditions have made it incredibly difficult for settings to recruit and retain staff whilst families of children with SEND are struggling to access early education that can best support their needs.
“These issues are underpinned by underfunding. The additional £204 million of funding (rising to £288 million in 2024) was welcome, but it did not prevent further closures and therefore does not go far enough to meet the annual shortfall in funding for existing entitlements. Gaps remain both in current funding allocations and in the plans for extending funded hours, which look to make a dire situation even worse.
“The NEU values the early years and will continue to support those working in this vital and vibrant sector. It’s about time the government does too.”