Newcastle LabourCity parents of three and four year olds get increased right to free flexible nursery schooling

City parents of three and four year olds get increased right to free flexible nursery schooling

Thousands of Newcastle parents are to get increased rights to flexible, free, part time nursery provision for 15 hours a week over the whole school year it was disclosed this week.

1,800 children aged three and four will be entitled to free early years education. As part of the Government’s commitment to young children the offer for all three and four year olds will be increasing from 12.5 hours to 15 hours of free early years education per week over 38 weeks a year. The programme will be rolled out from September 2009 starting with the city’s most deprived neighbourhoods such as Cowgate.

Councillor Stephen Lambert, a member of Labour’s Shadow Executive said:

“Good quality early years schooling is important to a child’s development and future. Anything that improves the prospects for our youngsters is good news for parents and carers across the city”.

Nursery schools across Newcastle will get £1 million from the Government to extend free early years education for children. The extra cash will be used for educational entitlement for all 1,800 three and four year olds from the current 12.5 hours to 15 hours.