Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the benefits to the youngest children in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire of learning through play.

The government recognises the important role of learning through play in supporting young children’s development and is investing £900 million to enable all local authorities, including Newcastle‑under‑Lyme and Staffordshire, to deliver Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies services. These hubs will be warm, welcoming, inclusive and play-friendly spaces that provide high‑quality home learning and parenting support, encouraging families with children aged 0 to 5 to chat, play and read together, alongside more targeted support where needed. Services include accessible stay‑and‑play sessions and play‑based early language activities, guided by statutory expectations published in March

Evidence shows that high‑quality early education improves outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged children. The Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure children learn and develop well and embeds play as central to children’s development.