“Underused space” in primary schools with falling rolls should be used for early years childcare, the children’s commissioner for England has said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dame Rachel de Souza also said bringing early education into schools would offer an opportunity to align the training, development and support of staff across the two sectors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The latest government projections predict the primary school population will fall by 16.6 per cent over the next five years. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A Schools Week<\/em> investigation earlier this year found councils are already reducing school capacity and repurposing empty classrooms<\/a>, with the number of surplus places set to soar by up to 140 per cent in some parts of England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Department for Education has also tasked its property company LocatEd with reviewing hundreds of school sites for potential housing developments<\/a>, after one of its bosses said the estate had surplus land equivalent in size to central London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But de Souza wants to see underused space to address problems with capacity in the childcare sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her Vision for Childcare report<\/a> highlighted challenges including complexity of funding, affordability and availability of placements, flexibility and availability of information about Schools should therefore be \u201cutilised to help address the early education challenge\u201d, the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The report pointed out that rent or mortgage payments currently account for 12 per cent of childcare providers\u2019 costs, while other costs including utilities account for 11 per cent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These costs are \u201conly likely to increase in the short term, and may make many childcare settings unsustainable\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Opening up schools to provide more early years education \u201cwould address both these issues\u201d, with take-up of free childcare currently \u201chugely variable\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Drawing on school resources to increase provision for two, three and four-year-olds in school \u201cwould be a way to meet this challenge and provide greater consistency across the country\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bringing early education into the wider school sector would also \u201cpresent an opportunity to align workforce training, development, and support with that of wider school staff and teachers\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor too long those educating the youngest children haven\u2019t had the respect and opportunities they deserve, and this needs to change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n de Souza’s report also called for an extended school day to address gaps in provision for older children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Schools \u201csit at the heart of their communities, visible to and trusted by families in the area\u201d, the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to school age children the “most straightforward approach to making childcare manageable and affordable is by providing an extended school day, so that children can be cared for on school premises”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This would address the \u201cbiggest existing gap in childcare provision, with the majority of areas saying there is a lack of provision for after school care for children aged 5 to 14\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAn extended school day not only works best for parents but can also open up opportunities for additional extra-curricular activities and clubs, including breakfast clubs, in the place that children are already familiar with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The government examined the possibility of an extended school day last year, but concluded implementing it would involve \u201csignificant delivery considerations\u201d<\/a> including teaching capacity, new legislation and accountability measures to ensure quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, ministers have told schools they will be expected to offer a 32.5-hour week from 2023, with Ofsted due to check on implementation. However, most schools already do this, and the majority of those that don\u2019t are within 15 minutes of meeting the requirement.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
local childcare.<\/p>\n\n\n\nUsing schools could make childcare more ‘sustainable’<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Extended day would address ‘gaps’ for older children<\/h3>\n\n\n\n