Changes To The Allocation Of Free Full Time Nursery Places In Schools And Childrens Centres

Overview

This consultation is on the options for determining eligibility for a free place and also the possible models for allocating the places to schools and centres.

Why your views matter

The Early Years service must make savings of £3.2m. The areas that make up these savings are:

• Re-organisation of children’s centre services and closure of two children’s centres (Caversham and Acol), saving £1.4m
• Reduction in the number of free, full time nursery places for 3 and 4 year olds, saving £1.1m
• Reduction in subsidy to children under 3-years-old through a 10% increase in fees, saving £0.1m
• Reducing grants to community nurseries and drop ins, saving £0.6m.

It is very important to us that you have the opportunity to tell us what you think of the changes we are proposing to make and to put forward alternative suggestions you may have.

What happens next

At the end of the consultation period the Council considered all the responses made. This information fed into the final decision  regarding these savings proposals.

On the 8 June 2011 Cabinet considered a report setting out recommendations for the required savings within early years services.  One of the recommendations agreed was   that the number of free full time nursery places provided across primary schools and children’s centres should be reduced from 1450 to 800.  This reduction will come into effect from September 2012.

This decision and an analysis of consultation responses is available.

The aim was to share the decision following the outcome of this consultation is shared with schools and children’s centres before the end of the summer term 2011. This would assist planning during the autumn term 2011 for implementation in September 2012.