Question to the Department for Education:

What discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on replacing the temporary arrangements for supplementary funding with a new strand of the Early Years National Funding Formula for grant-maintained nursery schools.

We announced on 24 August 2020 that local authorities will continue to receive supplementary funding for their maintained nursery schools for the whole of the 2020-21 academic year. The department has regular discussions at official and ministerial level about all aspects of the education system for the forthcoming spending review.

We are committed to funding for maintained nursery schools in the longer term. Any reform to the way they are funded in the future will be accompanied by appropriate funding protections. The Government plans to spend more than £3.6 billion on early education entitlements in 2020-21.