2,500 two-year olds to get free early years education in Leicestershire

A local councillor has welcomed news that 2,500 two year olds in Leicestershire will benefit from early years education from September 2014.

Under the proposed criteria, 2,500 two-year-old children from the most hard pressed families in Leicestershire would be able to receive free early years education.

This is in addition to all three and four-year-old children in the county who are already eligible to receive 15 hours of free early years education per week.

Commenting, Cllr Michael Mullaney (Lib Dem Hinckley Trinity) said:

"This is great news for parents and toddlers in our area. Early years education, through play and stories, helps young children prepare for school.

"It's also a huge help to parents who may be struggling to juggle work commitments and having young children.

"Thanks to Liberal Democrats, one of the Coalition Government's main priorities is to close the attainment gap between the poorest children and their more well-off peers.

"By making early years education freely available to the least well-off families and giving additional money to schools whose pupils are eligible for Free School Meals through the Pupil Premium we are ensuring we give our children the best start in life in a way that Labour never did."

Commenting further, Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg said:

"A decent early education can make a huge difference to the start of a child's progress, unlocking their potential to help them follow their ambitions.

"All children should have a fair chance to get on in life, which is why we're extending free childcare to two-in-five two-year-olds. Today's consultation is about making sure we get that right."