NORTHERN IRELAND FORUM

FOR

POLITICAL DIALOGUE

________________

AN EXAMINATION OF

PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION IN

NORTHERN IRELAND

Presented to the Northern IrelandForum for Political Dialogue on

27 June 1997

Adopted:

AN EXAMINATION OF PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION IN

NORTHERN IRELAND

" A willingness to devote resources to the care of

children is the hallmark of a civilised society, as

well as an investment in our future "

(Mia Kellmer Pringle, 1975)

" The ultimate aim will be to provide one year of

nursery education for all those under compulsory

school age whose parents wish them to receive it "

(The Department of Health and Social Services and

The Department of Education for Northern Ireland,

1994," Policy on Early Years Provision for Northern

Ireland")

AN EXAMINATION OF PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION IN

NORTHERN IRELAND

CONTENTS

PAGE

1. INTRODUCTION 1

2. THE CASE REGARDING PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION 4

(a) Research

(b) European Experience

(c) Social Change

3. QUALITY PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION : THE MAIN 9

CHARACTERISTICS

(a) Curriculum

(b) Qualifications and Training

(c) Other factors

4. PRE-SCHOOL POLICY AND PROVISION IN NORTHERN 12

IRELAND

(a) Policy

(b) Provision

(c) Educare

5. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 24

6. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

27

7. POST - SCRIPT : THE PRE-SCHOOL VOUCHER SCHEME 31

AN EXAMINATION OF PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION IN

NORTHERN IRELAND

TABLES AND ANNEXES

PAGE

TABLE 1 : International Comparisons of Compulsory

33

School Age and % of Children Attending

Publicly Funded Services

TABLE 2 : Staff Qualifications and Staff : Child Ratios

34

TABLE 3 : Under 5s in Education in the UK (1994/1995)

35

TABLE 4 : Nursery Enrolments in Northern Ireland

36

(1980/81 - 1995/96)

TABLE 5 : Day Care Places for Under 5s in the UK

37 (March 1995)

TABLE 6 : Day Care Places 1985 - 1995

38

ANNEX A : Membership of Committee B

39

ANNEX B : Details of Submissions

40

ANNEX C : Council of the European Community

48

Recommendation on Childcare, 1992

United Nations Convention on the Rights

58 of the Child, 1990 (summary)

ANNEX D : Main Types of Pre-School Provision in

59

Northern Ireland

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 At its final meeting before the Summer recess, on Friday 26 July 1996,

the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue established a

Committee "to examine the contribution which education services and

structures make to the promotion of dialogue and understanding within

Northern Ireland and report to the Forum". Details of the membership of

the Committee are set out in Annex A of this report.

1.2 Within its broad remit, the Committee was tasked to examine two

specific issues

(a) the review of education administration in Northern Ireland carried

out by the Department of Education; and

(b) pre-school education and the proposed pre-school voucher

system.

1.3 The Committee's first report, "The Review of Education Administration

in Northern Ireland (Education and Library Boards)", was formally

adopted by the Forum on Friday 22 November 1996 and forwarded to

the then Education Minister, the Rt Hon Michael Ancram, with the

recommendation that "the Department should not proceed with the

restructuring of the Education and Library Boards at this time." The

then Prime Minister's subsequent decision not to implement the proposed

administrative restructuring until after the General Election was,

therefore, welcomed by the Committee.

1.4 Turning to its second topic, the Committee wrote to the key

organisations concerned with, or involved in, early years provision and

pre-school education, seeking their views. On 3 December 1996,

advertisements were placed in Northern Ireland's 3 main daily

newspapers seeking submissions from interested parties. Some 22 letters

and written submissions were received from a wide range of relevant

organisations during the Christmas recess. Many of these organisations

were invited to give oral evidence to the Committee between 4 December

1996 and 27 February 1997. Details of those who provided oral and

written submissions are at Annex B, as is a list of the documents and

reports considered. The minutes of evidence have been published

separately.

1.5 Shortly after beginning its investigation, the Committee had to amend its

terms of reference when, on 10 December 1996, the then Secretary of

State, Sir Patrick Mayhew, announced the deferral of the introduction of

the Pre-School Voucher Scheme in Northern Ireland due to public

expenditure constraints. The current study became an examination of

pre-school education provision in Northern Ireland with a view to

making recommendations to the Department of Education about the way

forward.

1.6 Not far into its study, the Committee realised that there is a wide range

of services falling into the definition of pre-school provision,

compounded by the distinction between the Department of Health and

Social Services and the Department of Education. The permutations

include day nurseries and crèches, playgroups, childminding, nursery

schools and nursery classes.

1.7 This report is relatively short as the Committee does not wish to repeat

facts which are already well documented. Much of the research into the

benefits of pre-school education is well known, as are the details of

European provision for pre-school children and of the changes in family

structure in post-sixties Britain. Only the key points are, therefore, set

out in Section 2 by way of background.

1.8 The main body of the report (Sections 3 - 6) attempts to define quality

pre-school education, to examine policy and provision in Northern

Ireland and to make recommendations for future provision.

1.9 This report enjoys widespread cross-party support and the Committee, in

conducting its examination, was conscious of the relevance of this issue

to the remit of the Forum - the promotion of dialogue and understanding

in Northern Ireland.

2. THE CASE REGARDING PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION

2.1 The Committee was impressed by the fact that every organisation and

individual giving evidence was convinced of the value of, and need for,

quality pre-school education.

2.2 Regarding the benefits to the young child, the Committee's attention was

repeatedly drawn to the evidence of British, European and American

research. Increasing demand for early years provision can be attributed

both to this growing awareness of the benefits to children and to

changing social and family structures, particularly since the 1960s.

(A) Research:

2.3 A considerable body of research points to the likely benefits to young

children of quality pre-school education. The key points are:

(a) In the early childhood years, learning occurs at a pace never again

to be repeated - largely due to the young child's curiosity to

explore.

(b) Good quality pre-school education promotes children's social,

emotional, physical and intellectual development and pays

dividends when they start formal education because the

foundations of reasoning and communication have been laid early.

(c) It is the quality of pre-school education experience that is

important; good quality provision enhances development, poor

quality provision does not.

(d) Children from disadvantaged backgrounds gain the most benefit or

compensatory effects in terms of increased self-confidence and

self-esteem and positive attitudes to school, as well as intellectual

development.

(e) Interaction with other children and adults is important in fostering

the development of the child's social and linguistic skills. Children

from isolated backgrounds, for a variety of reasons (e.g. social,

economic, geographic etc.) can benefit from the opportunities for

social interaction and communication provided by pre-school

education.

(f) Pre-school education is more than a preparation for primary

school. It helps provide a foundation for responsible citizenship

(the High/Scope long-term study, "Significant Benefits"). Cost

benefit analysis of the High/Scope study suggests that the

long-term savings to the exchequer may significantly offset the

costs of provision.

2.4 The Committee heard that the Department of Education has

commissioned a survey of the findings of recent research into the

effectiveness of different types of pre-school provision, particularly

the effects of pre-school education on the development of language

and pre-literacy skills and whether the effects of pre-school education

are related to social background factors. The Department also proposes

to extend to Northern Ireland research commissioned by the Department

of Education and Employment from the Institute of Education (entitled

"Effective Provision of Pre-School Education") into the effectiveness of

different forms of pre-school provision.

2.5 There is also a need for a programme of continuous assessment of early

years’ provision to measure its effectiveness and assist in the planning of

services.

(B) European Experience

2.6 There is a wide difference between the United Kingdom and the rest of

Europe in the extent of publicly-funded pre-school provision. The

Committee heard that:

(a) Throughout the European Union there has been a rapid expansion

of pre-school education since the 1960s.

(b) Most compulsory formal schooling in Europe does not begin until

age 6 or, in Scandinavian countries, until age 7.

Table 1 sets out some relevant comparative statistics.

2.7 In seeking to explain the difference between Britain and the rest of

Europe, Peter Moss reported that "Britain has been strongly influenced

by the view that care and education of young children is mainly a

private matter (unless) child, parent or family are deemed to have some

inadequacy ..... The approach in mainland Europe has been more

influenced by concepts of social solidarity". ("Contemporary Issues in

the Early Years", Moss, 1992).

(C) Social Change

2.8 Much of the increase in UK demand for pre-school provision is due to

changes in social and family structures since the 1960s.

2.9 The following points were made to the Committee:

(a) There has been a significant growth in lone parenthood. In

Northern Ireland 1 in 4 families is headed by a single parent

(Professor Evason, University of Ulster).

(b) There has also been a significant increase in the numbers of

working mothers.

(c) Young families have tended to move from tight-knit communities

to modern, suburban housing estates, leaving some of them

isolated from the traditional support networks of the extended

family.

2.10 In summary, there is a body of research pointing to the likely benefits of

pre-school education and a European trend towards state provision of

pre-school services. At the same time, the direction of social change

since the 1960s has contributed to an increasing demand for pre-school

services.

Conclusions:

The Committee concluded that:

(1) there is a need for a coherent programme of research in

Northern Ireland to establish the facts about early years

education and to inform policy and provision;

(2) there should be effective monitoring and evaluation of early

years provision.

3. QUALITY PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION : THE MAIN

CHARACTERISTICS

3.1 Throughout this report, reference has been made to "quality" pre-school

education. This section of the report will try to define what is meant by

this term.

(A) Curriculum

3.2 The following points emerged about appropriate learning experiences for

pre-school children:

(a) It is the quality of the education experience that produces the

results, the setting is less important.

(b) Playing and talking are the main ways in which children learn

about themselves, their world and other people.

(c) Children do not separate learning into separate "subjects" but learn

from everything that happens to them. They learn from doing and

observing as well as from being told or taught. Being thrust too

early into a formal learning environment is unsuitable and

potentially damaging.

(d) A number of attempts have been made, formal and informal, to

define an appropriate pre-school curriculum (e.g. by the NI

Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment and by

the NI Pre-School Playgroup Association).

3.3 The needs and views of parents should be taken into account in devising

any pre-school curriculum.

(B) Qualifications and Training

3.4 The following points were made to the Committee:

(a) In Northern Ireland qualifications for pre-school staff vary widely.

In nursery schools and classes teaching degree status is required

in conformity with Department of Education criteria. In day care

provision (play groups, day nurseries etc.) the emphasis is on child

health and child care and the focus is mainly on qualifications such

as National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and on Nursery

Nurse Examination Board qualifications (NNEBs). Table 2 sets

out the main pre-school services and the various qualifications

required of staff.

(b) It is increasingly recognised that all staff should have an

understanding of child development and learning theory, and of

the value of play as a means of promoting learning.

(c) Learning through play is effective if it is planned and organised in

such a way as to promote the development of the child's powers

of reasoning and communication.

(d) Since 1994, Stranmillis College has been offering a part-time

course leading to a degree standard qualification in Early Childhood

Studies (validated by Queens University and delivered in

partnership with the NI Pre-School Playgroup Association). The

course is offered to a wide range of in-post workers in the field of

pre-school provision and not solely to nursery teachers.

(C) Other Factors

3.5 Other factors which affect the quality of the early learning experience

were identified as follows:

(a) Staff : child ratios

There are inconsistencies between the "care" and "education"

sectors (see table 2 for details).

(b) Accommodation

There are also inconsistencies between the "care" and "education"

sectors regarding standards of accommodation. High standards in

the latter (e.g. room size, toilets, play areas, storage space etc.)

make provision very costly. The requirements for playgroups,

crèches, and day care centres are much less stringent. However,

lack of capital funding for these "care" services means that they

are often dependent on unsuitable rented premises.

Conclusion:

The Committee concluded that there is a need for the

establishment

of core standards for pre-school provision, irrespective of setting.

4. PRE-SCHOOL POLICY AND PROVISION IN NORTHERN

IRELAND

(A) Policy:

4.1 On 4 May 1977, the then Minister of State for Health and Social Services

and for Education, Lord Melchett, expressed his disappointment at the

low level of pre-school provision for under-5s in Northern Ireland and

announced his intention of setting up an inter-departmental group to

examine the issue.

4.2 The examination resulted in a white paper entitled "Day Care and

Education for the Under-5s in Northern Ireland : Policy and Objectives"

(October 1978) produced jointly by the Department of Health and Social

Services and the Department of Education The main significance of the

1978 policy paper was that it:

* recognised the importance of social interaction and stimulating

play in the development and education of pre-school children;

* concluded that the level of under-5 provision was so low as to

make it vital that provision was increased;

* set out the long-term aim "to provide nursery education for all

those children whose parents wish them to receive it". In the

medium-term, it proposed a 5-year programme of expansion of

nursery education between 1978 and 1983 from 4,425 to 10,625

places, to achieve parity with the rest of the United Kingdom.

* advocated greater flexibility and variety of early years services;

* recommended close co-operation between all agencies involved

* proposed a "major initiative" to resource day care for children in

need (at that time there was no system of all-day care or provision

for under-3s); and

* promised a "uniform and generous policy on grant-aiding

voluntary groups" such as pre-school playgroups.

4.3 In September 1994, the 1978 policy paper was reviewed and superseded

by the "Policy on Early Years Provision for Northern Ireland". The

new policy statement was intended, among other things, to take account

of developments in thinking about young children such as the draft

Children (NI) Order, the European Council's Recommendation on

Childcare (March 1992) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights

of the Child, 1990. The EC Recommendation on Childcare and a

summary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child are

reproduced as Annex C.

4.4 The Council of Europe equality provisions and the non-mandatory, but

equally relevant, Recommendation on Childcare, "enabling men and

women to reconcile the occupational, family and upbringing

responsibilities arising from the care of children", underscore the

economic importance of gender-equitable and family-friendly provision

of good quality, affordable childcare which is available to all.

4.5 The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child requires member states to

protect children within their jurisdiction from discrimination, to give

primary consideration to the best interests of the child in all actions

concerning children and to ensure that children of working parents have

the right to benefit from childcare services for which they are eligible

(Articles 1.1, 1.2 , 3.1 and 18.3 refer)

4.6 The 1994 "Policy on Early Years Provision for Northern Ireland"

contains little that is new and shows little evidence of the expansion of

provision promised sixteen years earlier. The guiding principles are

largely a restatement of those of the earlier paper:

* the key role of parents;

* the need to establish quality standards of provision;

* targeting resources on need;

* the need for flexible provision for diverse needs;

* regular review of provision to identify gaps or inequalities;

* deriving maximum benefits from existing resources;

* partnership and liaison between statutory and voluntary bodies;

* co-ordination between planners and providers of early years

services at local and central levels.

4.7 The 1994 policy statement maintained that parents are the first educators

of their children and should be involved at all stages in their education,

development and care. How this partnership would operate has not,

however, been defined.

4.8 Within the overall aim "to contribute to children's physical, intellectual,

social and emotional development through the co-ordinated provision of

suitable care and educational services by the statutory, voluntary and

private sectors", the following key areas were highlighted (these maintain

the distinction between the respective responsibilities of the two main

departments concerned, the Department of Health and Social Services

and the Department of Education):

Nursery Education

4.9 The 1978 long-term aim was modified to "to provide one year of nursery

education for all those under compulsory school age whose parents wish

them to receive it", to take account of the lowering of the compulsory

school age to 4 years of age in Northern Ireland in 1991. In the

medium-term, the commitment was reduced to a focus on educational

need by targeting areas of greatest social and economic disadvantage.

This is in line with government policy on Targeting Social Need (TSN)

but the TSN criteria resulted in a broad-brush approach which did not

always achieve the desired result. Government has still largely failed to

make nursery school provision available in many of the most needy

areas.

Day Care Services

4.10 Regarding day care provision, the emphasis was largely placed on the

duties of Health and Social Services Boards and Trusts, shortly to be set

out in the Children (NI) Order 1995, to provide day care services for

children in need.

Co-ordination

4.11 Greater co-ordination was to be achieved by the setting up of local

Early Years Committees, to review provision and plan future

development, and a central Interdepartmental Group on Early Years to

improve co-ordination within Government.

Conclusions:

The Committee concluded that:

(1) the Department of Education should now implement its aim

" to provide one year of nursery education for all those under

compulsory school age whose parents wish them to receive it ";

(2) there should be definable parental involvement in all aspects

of early years' provision;

(3) there is a need to ensure the effective functioning of the

mechanisms for co-ordinating the planning and delivery of

early years' services.

(B) Provision

Nursery Education:

4.12 The following points were made to the Committee:

(a) There are 3 types of nursery education provision in Northern

Ireland (see Annex D for definitions):

Nursery schools and classes

(The latter are integral parts of primary schools). These are open

during the normal school day and during school terms. They take

children aged 3 and those 4 year olds not yet in primary school.

The majority of children attend full-time (the ratio of full-time to

part-time places is approximately 2:1.)

Reception Classes

Around 8% of Northern Ireland's primary schools have reception

classes for 4 year olds not yet in primary school. The majority

of pupils attend full-time.

(b) In Northern Ireland the compulsory school commencement age

is 4 years of age (the September after the 4th birthday). In the rest

of the United Kingdom the compulsory school commencement age

is 5 years of age.

(c) Nursery education in Northern Ireland is concerned with 3 year

olds and those 4 year olds not yet of school age. State-funded

nursery education for under-4s was not envisaged by the Nursery

Voucher Scheme in Great Britain. However, many of those

giving evidence to the committee were in favour of provision

for 3 - 4 year olds in Northern Ireland, in line with the

Department's own long-expressed, long-term aim (see

paragraph 4.9), as well as the evidence of research and the

practice in other European countries.

(d) The "Making a Good Start" initiative provided an additional £7

million for classroom assistants and materials for the youngest

pupils in Northern Ireland's primary schools. According to the

Department of Education, there has also been a general skewing of

resources from the secondary sector to improve primary sector

provision. Between 1991/92 and 1993/94 an estimated £6.5

million moved between the sectors. However, there is no statutory

grant provision for nursery education.

(e) As there is no statutory requirement on government to provide

nursery education, expansion has been largely ad-hoc and has

been funded by skewing resources from statutory services or by

availing of short-term grants such as inner city initiatives and

European Union programmes. A number of witnesses felt that the

lack of any statutory requirement for pre-school education

provision is directly responsible for its current "Cinderella" status.

(f) The proposed increase in nursery education provision to 10,625

enrolments between 1978 and 1983 (envisaged in the 1978 white

paper) did not materialise. There are currently only 8,326

places catering for only 15% of under-5s. Many of these were

created by the conversion of existing full-time places to part-time

sessions and much of the expansion in Belfast and Londonderry

since 1988 was funded by inner city initiatives in these two areas

which provided 675 new places .

(g) The Department of Education maintained that making even

part-time provision of "one year of nursery education for all

those under compulsory school age whose parents wish it"

would mean the creation 7,000 new places at a cost of

approximately:

* £40 million in capital costs, and

* £14 million in recurring, annual running costs.

(h) To date, available grant-aid is largely confined to the following

time-bounded grant schemes:

* £4.4 million capital grant budget from the Making Belfast

Work initiative, administered by the Department of

Education, and

* £14 million grant-aid from the Childhood Fund

of the EU Peace and Reconciliation Programme, available

over a 3 year period.

(i) The Education (NI) Order 1986, as amended in 1989, provides

for the establishment of nursery schools. However, under

that legislation, controlled nursery schools and Catholic

maintained nursery schools are, in practice, the only recognised

pre-school education facilities. The Committee welcomes

the introduction of the new Education (NI) Order 1997

which enables the Department of Education to

provide grant-aid for all sectors of pre-school education

(Article 3) but details of the proposed scope and

operation of this provision should be specified.

4.13 Table 3 compares education provision for 3 and 4 year olds in Northern

Ireland with the other United Kingdom countries. Table 4 shows the

development of nursery education in Northern Ireland since 1980.

Day Care Services

4.14 The main forms of early years services regulated by the Department of

Health and Social Services in Northern Ireland are as follows (see Annex

D for definitions):

Day nurseries

Day nurseries look after under-4s for the length of the adult

working day. Children attend part-time or full-time. The majority

are run by voluntary organisations, community groups, employers

or by private companies or individuals as businesses.

Northern Ireland has few state-funded nursery places. Instead,

Government has developed a network of family centres,

both voluntary and statutory, targeted on children "in need"

and providing support for their parents as well. The void

has been partially filled by private and voluntary

provision which have increased from a very low base.

With the exception of a small number of workplace

crèches, full-day care is generally only available in the

private nursery sector and so depends upon parents'

ability to pay. Voluntary provision is limited to a small number

of community-based nurseries, such as those run by Foyle

Day Care Association in Londonderry, which generally suffer

from insecure or short-term funding and over-reliance on ACE

workers.

Pre-school playgroups

Playgroups provide for children between 2½ and 4 years. Most

are run on a self-help basis by parents or community

groups, with a few paid staff. They are normally only open

part-time and children usually attend 2 - 3 sessions a

week. There is an growing trend among playgroups to offer

extended hours for working parents

The number of pre-school playgroups in Northern Ireland is

broadly similar to the rest of the United Kingdom. Funding comes

mainly from parental contributions. Financial uncertainty, shortage

of trained staff and dependence on ACE workers are serious

constraints for most playgroups.

Childminders

Childminders look after under-4s, and also older children

outside school hours, in domestic premises, usually the

childminder's own home. They offer this service all year round

for the full working day. In the majority of cases the

arrangement is private, with parents and childminders

negotiating terms.

Childminding is by far the most widely used alternative source of

full-day care. The evidence from a Northern Ireland study

(O'Hanlon, 1989) suggests that it may be less effective for the

social and educational development of young children than group

care. This provision, too, is limited by the parents' ability to pay

the fees. Many families rely on unpaid relatives or friends.

4.15 Table 5 compares provision in Northern Ireland with the rest of the

United Kingdom. Table 6 shows the development of these services

between 1985 and 1995.

Conclusions:

The Committee concluded that:

(1) there is a need for greater flexibility and diversity of early

years' provision to meet the care and education needs

of children and the needs of parents.

(2) there is a need for the Department of Education to provide

details of the proposed scope and operation of grant-aid

for pre-school education as set out in Article 3 of the

Education (NI) Order 1997.

(C) "Educare"

4.16 Underlying early years policy and provision in Northern Ireland is the

distinction between the care of children and their education. This

distinction has largely arisen as a result of the differing remits of the two

main departments concerned , the Department of Health and Social

Services and the Department of Education, with regard to children.

4.17 In practice this compartmentalisation has led to:

(a) conflicting policy objectives between Departments;

(b) inequities in funding;

(c) differing standards, particularly with regard to staff qualifications,

staff : child ratios and accommodation

4.18 There has also been a comparative neglect of the needs of working

parents.

Conclusion:

The Committee concluded that there should be greater

harmonisation of child care and education in pre-school policy

and provision.

5. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

5.1 During the period 4 December 1996 - 27 February 1997, Committee B of

the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue considered oral and

written submissions on pre-school education in Northern Ireland. Some

22 letters and written submissions were received and 11 key

organisations gave oral evidence to the Committee. Full details are

contained in Annex B.

(Section 1)

5.2 From the evidence, the Committee concluded that there is mounting

pressure for the provision of pre-school education for at least 3-4

year old children in Northern Ireland. This growing demand is chiefly

attributable to the following factors:

(1) the considerable body of research pointing to the likely benefits to

young children of quality pre-school education,

(2) the wide difference between the United Kingdom and the rest of

Europe in the extent of publicly-funded pre-school provision,

(3) the changes in social and family structures since the 1960s.

(Section 2)

5.3 The quality of pre-school education was found to depend mainly on:

(1) a suitable curriculum of learning experiences for pre-school

children

(2) staff with appropriate training in child development and learning

theory, and the value of play as a means of promoting learning,

(3) effective ratios of staff to children,

(4) suitable accommodation and equipment.

If core standards can be established in these areas, then young children

could receive quality pre-school education in a variety of settings.

(Section 3)

5.4 Since 1978, in successive joint policy statements, the Department of

Health and Social Services and the Department of Education have

emphasised the need for:

(1) social interaction and stimulating play in the development of

pre-school children,

(2) the involvement of parents in the education of their children,

(3) a considerable increase in pre-school provision in Northern

Ireland,

(4) close co-operation between all the agencies concerned to ensure

greater flexibility and variety of early years' services.

Despite these laudable policy aims, the examination of pre-school

education provision showed that little has been done to implement them.

While the main building blocks of flexible, varied provision exist e.g.

nursery schools and classes, day nurseries and pre-school playgroups,

the extent of provision is limited:

(1) The achievement of the Department of Education's aim to provide

even one year of part-time nursery education for all 3-4 year olds

whose parents wish it, would require a doubling of current

provision.

(2) Day nurseries have largely been provided by the private and

voluntary sectors which have increased from a very low base.

Access to the former depends on parents' ability to pay, while the

latter suffers from insufficient funding and a shortage of trained

staff.

(3) Pre-school playgroups are mainly run on a self-help basis and

suffer from the same funding and staffing problems as voluntary

day nurseries.

There has also been little progress towards the harmonisation of child

care and education in pre-school policy and provision.

(Section 4)

5.5 The conclusions and recommendations of the Committee are based on

these findings and are set out in the following section of this report.

6. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:

6.1 As a result of its examination of pre-school education in Northern

Ireland, the Committee reached a number of conclusions which are listed

below in the order in which they appear in this report. The Committee's

recommendations flow from these conclusions.

(1) Conclusion:

There is a need for a coherent programme of research in Northern

Ireland to establish the facts about early years’ education and to inform

future policy and provision.

Recommendation:

That the Department of Education should proceed as soon as

possible with its proposed programme of research into the

effectiveness of early years provision (as outlined at paragraph 2.4)

(2) Conclusion:

There should be effective monitoring and evaluation of early years'

provision.

Recommendation:

That the Early Years Interdepartmental Group should ensure that

there is continuous:

(a) assessment of the need for early years' services to ensure

equity of access, and

(b) evaluation of provision to measure its effectiveness

(3) Conclusion:

There is a need for the establishment of core standards for pre-school

provision, irrespective of setting.

Recommendations:

That the Department of Education and the Department of Health

and Social Services should co-operate to:

(a) produce a core pre-school curriculum of suitable early

learning experiences,

(b) address anomalies between the care and education sectors,

particularly with regard to staff qualifications and training,

staff : child ratios and standards of accommodation.

(See also recommendation at (4) below regarding consultation with

parents)

(4) Conclusion

The Department of Education should now implement its aim "to provide

one year of nursery education for all those under compulsory school age

whose parents wish them to receive it"

Recommendation:

That the Department of Education should produce a programme,

including timescale and targets, for the implementation of its aim

"to provide one year of nursery education for all those under

compulsory school age whose parents wish them to receive it"

(5) Conclusion:

There should be definable parental involvement in all aspects of

early years' provision.

Recommendation:

That the Government's early years' policy should be amended to

give a definable role to parents in the planning and management of

publicly-funded pre-school provision, particularly in

* formulating the curriculum

* approving staff appointments

* determining hours of operation

Similar practices are recommended for the private sector.

(6) Conclusion

There is a need to ensure the effective functioning of the mechanisms

for co-ordinating the planning and delivery of early years' services.

Recommendation:

That the Interdepartmental Group on Early Years and the local

Early Years Committees should have clear terms of reference and

regular monitoring arrangements to ensure that they are

functioning as envisaged in the 1994 Policy Statement and, in

particular, to

ensure that the strategic planning and delivery of early years'

services is not subordinated to the administration of the EU

Childhood Fund.

(7) Conclusion:

There is a need for greater flexibility and diversity of early years

provision, to meet the care and education needs of children and the

needs of parents.

Recommendation:

That priority should be given to the support, through a planned

grant-aid strategy, of voluntary pre-school services which provide

for both care and education in the same setting. Funding should be

linked to the attainment of agreed quality standards.

(8) Conclusion:

There is a need for the Department of Education to provide details of

the proposed scope and operation of grant-aid for pre-school education

as set out in Article 3 of the Education (NI) Order 1997.

Recommendation:

That the Department of Education should provide details of the

proposed scope and operation of grant-aid for pre-school education

as set out in Article 3 of the Education (NI) Order 1997.

(9) Conclusion:

There should be greater harmonisation of child care and education

in pre-school policy and provision.

Recommendation:

That Government policy and practice with regard to early years'

provision should ensure the effective harmonisation of child care

and education rather than perpetuate artificial distinctions between

them.

7. POST-SCRIPT : THE PRE-SCHOOL VOUCHER SCHEME

7.1 Most of the organisations questioned by the Committee welcomed the

proposal to invest an additional £8.3 million in pre-school provision in

Northern Ireland but many had reservations about the proposal to expend

the additional money on a Pre-school Voucher Scheme similar to the

Nursery Voucher Scheme in the rest of the United Kingdom.

7.2 The vouchers were to be exchanged for pre-school services up to a

maximum value of £1,100 for 3 terms of part-time provision. Providers

of pre-school services under the scheme would be validated and

inspected by the Department of Education.

7.3 The scheme was designed to provide a pre-school experience for

children aged 4 to 5 (the pre-school year in Great Britain). Since the

compulsory school commencement age in Northern Ireland is age 4,

very few children would benefit from the full voucher allocation (i.e.,

those born in July and August who would be 5 on starting primary

school). The youngest children starting primary school in Northern

Ireland (immediately after their 4th birthday) would receive no

pre-school voucher provision.

7.4 The proposed introduction of the pre-school voucher to Northern Ireland

in September 1996 was deferred at the last minute due to public

expenditure constraints. However, most witnesses considered that the

deferral of "voucher" money for Northern Ireland discriminates against

Northern Ireland children and that the additional £8.3 million should not

have been withdrawn from Northern Ireland but should have been used

to fund additional early years provision.

7.5 Finally, the Committee notes the change of Government in May 1997,

during the period of this investigation, which may bring a change of

emphasis with regard to pre-school education.

• An Examination of Pre-School Education in Northern Ireland (introduced on 1997-06-27 00:00:00 - CREATE - e809178) [This document] [view current proposal at this moment]
  • None (introduced on 1997-06-27 00:00:00 - REPORT_PROPOSAL - e809179) [view current proposal at this moment]