Education provision: children under 5 years of age, January 2012
Early years provision for children under 5 years of age in the local-authority-maintained, private, voluntary and independent sectors.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
Reference Id: SFR13/2012
Publication Type: Statistical First Release
Publication data: Local Authority data
Local Authority data: LA data
Region: England
Release Date: 28 June 2012
Coverage status: Final
Publication Status: Published
This publication includes data on the provision of education for children under 5 years of age, including funded places and overall numbers of children benefiting from early years education.
The latest statistics are for January 2012 and update those previously released on 22 June 2011.
The information included in this publication is sourced from the early years census and school census. Further guidance and technical specifications for the censuses can be found at:
The key points from the latest release are:
- In January 2012, the number of 3- and 4-year-olds benefiting from some free early education was 1,264,420 or 96% of the 3 and 4-year-old population (1,224,470 or 95% in 2011) - an increase of 39,950 children. The percentage benefiting has increased by 1 percentage point from last year. For 3-year-olds the figure has remained the same as in 2011 at 93%. The figure for 4-year-olds also remains the same as 2011 at 98% .
- In January 2012, the part-time equivalent number of free early education places taken up by 3- and 4-year-olds was 1,229,500 or 93% of 3- and 4-year-old children (1,186,400 or 92% in 2011). For 3-year-olds the proportion of part-time equivalent places taken up has risen by 1 percentage point from 2011 to 89%. The figure for 4-year-olds remains the same as in 2011 at 97% of 4-year-old children.
The number of 3- and 4-year old benefiting from some free early education at local authority (LA) level is also included in this publication for the first time. Take-up rates in London region are lower than the national average; London has a take-up rate of 89% for 3- and 4-year-olds compared to the national value of 96%. The north-east, Yorkshire and the Humber, and the south-west are the regions with the highest take-up rates with a take-up rate of 98% for 3- and 4-year-olds.
Chris Noble
01325 735421