Closing the gap: the work of the Education Committee in the 2010-15 Parliament - Education Contents


2  EARLY YEARS

SURE START CHILDREN'S CENTRES

12. Our key inquiry into the early years sector took place in 2013, looking at Sure Start Children's Centres.[12] We found that although they were popular with parents there was a lack of clarity about their purpose and an accountability deficit. Our report contained a wide range of recommendations addressing issues around evaluating the impact of such centres, the role of Ofsted assessments, the collection of data on the reach of individual centres and the development of centre staff. We called on the Government to set out coherent, long-term thinking on early years and the place of children's centres within that, covering funding, responsibility across Whitehall and accountability.

13. We were disappointed that the Government's response failed to engage with our conclusions and recommendations, and as a result we called the Minister responsible before the Committee to explain the Government's position.[13]

SCHOOL READINESS

14. On 22 June 2011 we held an oral evidence session with health visitors and early years educationalists, examining the role played by health visitors in preparing children for school.[14] We returned to this issue at the end of the Parliament, examining the DfE's evidence base for its policy on summer born children.[15] Both of these one-off sessions highlighted the importance of ensuring that children are properly prepared for school.


12   Education Committee, Fifth Report of Session 2013-14, Foundation Years: Sure Start children's centres, HC 364-I Back

13   Oral evidence taken on 18 June 2014, HC (2014-15) 144 Back

14   Oral evidence taken on 22 June 2011, HC (2010-12) 1170 Back

15   Oral evidence taken on 4 March 2015 HC (2014-15) 1039 Back


 
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Prepared 16 March 2015