Children with SEND, or who come from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, are being let down by a government policy to create more school-based nurseries in schools.
A report from the Sutton Trust and Social Market Foundation found a “reality gap” between the government’s intentions and ambitions to create 3,000 new places, and how it’s actually going on the ground.
The study, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, revealed a “limited appetite” among schools to set up on-site nursery if they don’t already have one.
Seven out of ten said they were unlikely to do so, and only a fifth said they had plans to open nurseries or were likely to.
Even if all these schools followed through, the programme is likely to fall significantly short of its target, the report said.
“This matters because school-based nurseries have the potential to be particularly impactful for those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with SEND, with existing school-based nurseries more likely than other providers to serve these groups,” the study found.
“They’re also more likely to offer higher quality provision with better-qualified staff, as well as having strong links to schools which help to smooth the transition between pre-school and reception.”
The government’s school-based nursery programme is now facing a reality check on its implementation
For SEND children it also means that any additional needs may not be identified as early, or interventions implemented, to support pupils before they start school.
The study found that large parts of England are ‘childcare deserts’, particularly in more disadvantaged areas, suggesting that expanding provision could help address access gaps if it is well-targeted.
Carl Cullinane, Director of Research and Policy at the Sutton Trust and Principal Investigator on the project, said: “The government’s school-based nursery programme is a promising initiative, but it’s now facing a reality check on its implementation.
“This research highlights there’s still a mountain to climb in creating new places and targeting them in the right areas.
“To harness the benefits of this policy, the government needs to provide more support to schools, both financial and in terms of guidance on best practice.
“If we’re serious about widening access to quality early education and childcare, and improving school readiness, this initiative needs to be far better targeted where it can make the most difference.
“Meanwhile, we need to re-examine access to early education for the lowest income families.”
