Labour announces plan for new early years review
By Shannon Pite
Labour has today announced plans for a large-scale review into the early years sector, ahead of next year's general election.
The review, which was announced by shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson at Labour's annual conference in Liverpool, will be chaired by Sir David Bell, the former chief inspector of Ofsted, and the former permanent secretary at the Department for Education.
Labour said its review would develop a plan for the upcoming expansion of the early entitlement offers, consider major reform of the early years workforce and inform the party's plan to deal with challenges around the lack of availability of early years places.
The party also plans to look at ways to use spare capacity in primary schools due to falling birth rates to provide additional early years places and to remove restrictions on local authorities from opening nursery provision.
The review will consider major reform of the childcare workforce as well as inform Labour鈥檚 plan deal with the lack of available childcare in England where there are two children for every childcare place.
Bridget Phillipson MP, Labour鈥檚 Shadow Education Secretary, said:
鈥淥ur ambition starts, as education starts, at the beginning of all our lives: our childcare system must be about life chances for children, as well as work choices for parents.
鈥淭hat is why I am determined that new investment in childcare comes with ambitious reform, to ensure early education is available in every corner of our country for every family and every child, to drive up standards for our youngest children and for the amazing people who support and teach them.
鈥淎nd that focus on high and rising standards, is why today I鈥檓 announcing that Sir David will lead Labour鈥檚 work to develop the plan we need, for the workforce we need, for the qualifications they鈥檒l have, for the settings where it鈥檒l happen, to deliver our ambition for a modernised childcare system, from the end of parental leave to the end of primary school.
Commenting, Neil Leitch, CEO of the 无码天堂, said:
鈥淲e have long argued that a clear and comprehensive long-term strategy for the early years is desperately needed, and the launch of an early years review would be a very positive step towards that goal.
鈥淭hat said, for the proposed review to have genuine, long-lasting impact, those on the frontline in early years settings would need to play a key role in driving its direction and areas of focus. The early educators who work day-in and day-out to deliver quality care and education to our youngest children in the most challenging of circumstances know best what our sector needs, and so it鈥檚 critical that they are central to any decisions made about its future.鈥