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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