The unique and hidden value of Birmingham’s maintained nursery schools
In partnership with Birmingham’s 27 Maintained Nursery Schools, we have produced an in-depth report which captures the range of additional activities and vital services the Maintained Nursery Schools in our city offer to children and families, above and beyond the levels of funding that they receive.
Unique and Hidden Value
The report includes a series of powerful case studies exemplifying the work done with and for children:
~ With a range of SEN/D
~ English as an additional language
~ Where there are child protection plans in place
~ Where they are from low-income households
Furthermore, we have considered the number of such children being supported in this way and extrapolated the hidden value of this unfunded work which takes place across the city, which is in the region of £11,5000.
If these Nursery Schools were not undertaking this work, the additional and long term costs to the city would be many times higher and, more importantly, there would be many children who would miss out on opportunities to achieve that they might never get again.
The Valuable Role of Maintained Nursery Schools
We put forward this report to raise the profile of the valuable work that Maintained Nursery Schools do in Birmingham (and across the country too) which extends far beyond the simplistic view of offering a childcare place.
Nursery Schools must be considered through more than just the lens of childcare sufficiency and we must consider the benefits that all children, especially the most disadvantaged children, gain from their existence, not to mention the benefits for the wider early years sector and the city as a whole.
This report will be launched by CREC at an event at Castle Vale Nursery School in Birmingham on Friday 24th May 2019 where local MP Jack Dromey and shadow minister Tracey Brabin will meet to discuss the valuable role of Maintained Nursery Schools and how vital it is that a long-term, effective funding solution can be agreed by the DfE and the Treasury, which considers the full breadth of their role and impact.
Without such a funding solution, the hidden value of Maintained Nursery Schools that we have revealed in this report will be lost to the city forever.
Download the full report here or by clicking on the image above.
National Launch
The national launch of the campaign to secure long-term funding for our Nursery Schools, where our report will be profiled and offered as supporting evidence ahead of the government's Spending Review, will take place on Friday 21st June at Birmingham City Council House.
More information about the event, which will feature several speakers including Dr Chris Pascal, Ian Ward, Jack Dromey MP and Lucy Powell MP, please refer to the official invitation.
If you would like to attend, please register* via the official Eventbrite page here.
*Places at this event are extremely limited so please register your attendance early to avoid disappointment.