He believes there is an argument for their collective action, sharing of resources, and overarching strategic management. All of this is for schools to work out, of course. But it made we wonder how the early years and childcare sector should respond.
Schools are far better funded and have much more rigid structures than early years. One of the reasons for this smaller financial settlement, I had come to believe, is an apparent mistrust of the mixed economy of the sector - given it contains private, voluntary, independent and maintained models.
The costs and delivery arrangements are so diverse, services are so flexible and responsive offering a multitude of choice, that we are miles away from the uniformity that schools have. I thought there was a fear of profiteering, but the evidence shows how academies are not immune to market forces. At the very least our present dilemmas are a result of a profound lack of understanding of the sector. And an unequal playing field. As well as a lack of the sector’s strategic response.
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