Parents flock to take up full free early education entitlement
Janaki Mahadevan
Thursday, June 23, 2011
The extension of the free entitlement to early education has led to more than 86 per cent of three- and four-year-olds experiencing 15 hours of free provision a week, latest figures reveal.
Government statistics published this week show the vast majority of parents are taking up the full free entitlement but some families are not accessing any free education.
In January, the number of three- and four-year-olds benefiting from some free education was 1.2 million or 95 per cent, the same percentage as the previous year.
Responding to the figures, a Department for Education spokeswoman said: "It is encouraging to see that 86 per cent of children are already accessing this extended offer. Overall, take up of the free entitlement is high.
"However, there is still a minority of children who are not accessing free early education. They are among the most disadvantaged children in the country.
"That's why we are funding voluntary and community organisations over the next two years, and working through health visitors, to specifically target these disadvantaged families."
The government is aiming to extend free early education to all disadvantaged two-year-olds by 2013.
"By getting this support to poorer families earlier we hope they will continue to take up the free entitlement until their children start school," the spokeswoman added.
