Nursery funding overhaul planned for 2020

Friday 11 January 2019

A new system of funding for nursery places will be introduced by 2020.

The Education Minister, Senator Tracey Vallois, today announced intentions to phase out the current Nursery Education Fund (NEF), which sees almost every child receive nursery education subsidised by the States in the year before they start primary school.

The transition process will happen over the course of the September 2019 to August 2020 academic year, with plans for a completely new system by 2020.

Senator Vallois has now put together a shadow Policy Development Board to focus on the redesign of the Early Years provision.

Pictured: Senator Tracey Vallois, the Education Minister.

Chaired by the Senator, members of that board include: Assistant Education Minister Deputy Jeremy Macon, Children’s Minister Sam Mézec and Deputy Louise Doublet.

Stating the Council of Minister’s commitment to “put children first”, Senator Vallois pledged to consult with parents, carers, nursery providers and other key stakeholders throughout the process. 

In the interim, she added that the rate for 2019 to 2020 would rise by 2%.

The Minister for Education, Senator Tracey Vallois, has established a new Policy Development Board to focus on Early Years that will include addressing a new system of funding for nursery places. https://t.co/19aUnszGVU pic.twitter.com/lf1hUAyiZv

— States of Jersey (@StatesofJersey) January 11, 2019

The Education Minister commented: “For 2019-2020, as with the wider Government Plan, we will have a transition year, ahead of a broad new approach to Nursery funding from 2020. The current scheme of 20 hours of funded nursery education will remain in place until a new scheme is developed and implemented, which we are hoping will be in 2020. I am committed to keeping parents, carers and providers updated of the plans as we move forward.

“To give as much advanced notice, I can confirm that the hourly rate for 2019-2020, paid to nursery providers, will be £5.36 per hour. The figure is a 2% uplift on the current rate (£5.25). While financial challenges are considerable at this time, this shows a commitment to giving our youngest children and their families continued support for the best start in life.

“The Policy Development Board will work hard this year to devise new and sustainable plans to fund early years in the future.”