(a)

the introduction of the free entitlement of 15 hours of early education for eligible two year olds from September 2013 had placed additional demand on childcare provision in Plymouth;

(b)

a detailed needs analysis had been carried out and it was estimated that places for 270 children were needed to cater for the September 2013 target of 696 children;

(c)

extensive work had been carried out within the childcare sector to encourage them to rearrange existing provision to cater for more two year olds, which had increased the number of places available to 430;

(d)

a total of £1.7m (including £500k from the DfE) had been allocated to the development programme, which had demonstrated the commitment to ensure our most vulnerable children had the best start in life;

(e)

a shortage of places had been identified in the North West and South West of the city, where the majority of children eligible for the free entitlement (based on Free Schools Meal criteria) would live, based on analysis of live birth data;

(f)

a number of projects had been identified as key to ensuring there would be additional capacity for the projected 2014 target of 1400 children, when the eligibility for two year olds was extended.  These projects included:

·         Noah’s Ark at Stonehouse;

·         Four Woods Children’s Centre;

·         High Street Primary School;

·         Morice Town Primary School;

·         Ernesettle Community School;

·         Ham Drive Nursery School;

·         Mount Wise Primary School;

·         Marlborough Primary School;

·         Barne Barton:

o   Phase 1 - a 36 place nursery on the Barn site, operational from April 2014;

o   Phase 2 - a second nursery to be planned in collaboration with the community.

(g)

additional places had also been planned for Whitleigh at the Wood View campus and Wise Owls on the Woodfield School site;

(h)

additional capacity was required in Honicknowle which would be addressed by the re-development of Knowle Primary School, incorporating Stepping Stones Nursery;

(i)

intensive support had been provided by the Early Years’ Service to those schools who had taken two year olds for the first time;

(j)

childcare sufficiency assessments had identified that Barne Barton had insufficient places for three and four year olds in their immediate locality, which had now been addressed through the two year old programme;

(k)

some nurseries were unable to fill their places for three and four year olds.  The nurseries involved had taken eligible two year olds, and provided flexible sessions that met the needs of working parents to address this ;

(l)

nursery schools at Ham Drive and Plymbridge had significant vacancies, particularly in the autumn term.

(m)

Childrens’ Centres had ensured that parents had access to education facilities, if required, whilst their children were in nursery;

(n)

nurseries were given extra funding to employ additional staff to cater for two year olds;

(o)

nurseries were offered extensive training to cater for two year olds;

(p)

some parents had taken up the opportunity of apprenticeship schemes whilst their child was in a nursery;

(q)

the regeneration of North Prospect had been taken into consideration when calculating the number of nursery places needed;

(r)

children were eligible for a nursery place in the term after their second birthday.  An element of discretion was used as and when needed as to when places were allocated;

(s)

Childrens’ Centres worked hard to ensure that parents enrolled their child as soon as possible after their second birthday, and that they utilised their full 15 hour entitlement;

(t)

nurseries worked on a three-term year,  as opposed to schools who worked on a six-term year;

(u)

entitlement to a free nursery place did not automatically mean entitlement to Free School Meals;

(v)

Childrens’ Centres encouraged attendance at nursery on a ‘little and often’ basis, rather than for long periods of time each day;

(w)

the new nursery facility at Barne Barton would be equipped with facilities to provide hot food.

(1)

needs analysis data is provided to all Ambitious Plymouth members;

(2)

the number of parents and others whose child is eligible for a funded early education place, and takes up the opportunity of an apprenticeship is provided to all Ambitious Plymouth members.