Nurseries could tackle school space shortage

17 July 2009 Ross Watson Early Years Education

The National Day Nurseries Association has called on local authorities to consider using spare capacity in private, voluntary and independently run early years settings to tackle the current shortage of primary school places.

The NDNA said the PVI sector could take on thousands more four year-olds in day nurseries.

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the NDNA, said: "NDNA is in conversation with the Local Government Association (LGA) about a range of early years issues including how to make best use of the skills and capacity of the private, voluntary and independent day nurseries and how nurseries are well placed to support the current shortage of places. Parents, particularly of summer born children, may often welcome a later school start date for children."

Helen Johnston, LGA's programme director for children and young people, said: "Councils are mitigating the shortfall in primary school reception places by finding alternative solutions locally but a longer term solution is needed if all children are to be educated in suitable permanent classrooms."

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