Some 457,000 children aged nine months to two years were registered for a childcare place thanks to the expansion of 15 hours free childcare in September last year
Around half a million more children under five were registered for a funded childcare place in the last year compared to the 12 months before.
A record 1.7 million children under five were registered – a 33% increase – following a major expansion of free provision.
Some 457,000 children aged nine months to two years registered for a place thanks to the expansion of 15 hours free childcare in September. Previously only three and four-year-olds were eligible.
Data also shows 18,200 more staff members were delivering free childcare this January, compared to the same time this year. The total rose to 272,500 after a 7.2% increase – the largest annual rise since the data series began.
READ MORE: Parents can get free school meals for kids during summer holidays – but must act now
From September, all eligible families with children aged nine months to three years will be able to access 30 hours a week. These hours can be used over 38 weeks of the year during school term time, or up to 52 weeks if fewer hours are used each week.
Parents who want to get 30 hours from this September must apply by August 31. A couple’s combined annual salary must be less than £100,000 for them to be eligible.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “It is extremely positive that more families now have the choice of accessing funded early education and childcare and are benefitting from this.”
But he added: “We know from a school and provider perspective, funding levels remain incredibly tight, and we urge government to keep this under constant review. When it comes to early education, quality matters.”
The National Education Union (NEU) urged for more support to be given to Maintained Nursery Schools, which it said provide high quality early education especially for disadvantaged families and children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND).
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, said: “Given that high quality early education and care is essential to improving children’s life chances, it is not a surprise that demand for funded hours are now at record levels since entitlements were expanded.
“The government should be building up high quality public provision with Maintained Nursery Schools (MNS) front and centre. MNS provide the highest quality of early education, especially for disadvantaged families and children with SEND. Funding pressures make their future uncertain. The government must act now to protect and expand MNS and consider how they can support the delivery of funded hours.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “It is brilliant to see our reforms to early education delivering for so many families, with tens of thousands more funded places and staff compared with stagnating numbers just last year, and more parents than ever accessing government funded childcare.
“We are setting up even more parents to benefit from September’s expansion to 30 funded hours, saving them up to £7,500 per year, alongside our investment in free breakfast clubs and school based nurseries to give parents more choice and slash costs.”
READ MORE: Join our Mirror politics WhatsApp group to get the latest updates from Westminster
