Department for Education early years benchmarking tool - Philippa Lynch

The Department for Education has produced an early years benchmarking tool. This covers all local authorities (LAs) in England and includes information on

• funding
• take-up of the early learning entitlement
• quality of early years provision, and
• children’s outcomes.

Also available are the early years funding benchmarking tool and the early years proforma for each LA. Both these funding tools include the projected spend in 2014 to 2015 to provide early learning places for 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds. LAs can use these tools to compare their local systems and outcomes against other LAs. They can use these comparisons to support improvements in fairness and increase value for money.

Early years providers, parents and others can use these tools to:
•understand the early education system in their area
•understand decisions taken by LAs
•compare these to other LAs.