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States Greffe
Deputy Robert Ward
Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning
BY EMAIL
13 March 2025 Dear Minister
Early Years Plan – Request for Clarification on KPIs and Timescales
The Children, Education, and Home Affairs Panel appreciate the information you have provided to date about the implementation of the Early Years Plan, specifically regarding the expansion of nursery and childcare provision, the pilot programmes, and the approaches to workforce support.
The Panel would like to request further details about the following areas, with particular emphasis on the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), the timescales for each aspect of the Early Years Plan, and the practical steps being taken:
- Could you provide specific KPIs and targets covering both quantitative metrics (e.g., number of childcare places created) and qualitative outcomes (e.g., improvements in child development) that will measure the Early Years Plan's impact?
- How will data collected from pilot programmes, including on child development and family satisfaction, be aggregated, evaluated, and published? Will independent evaluators or sector stakeholders (such as JEYA or Jersey Child Care Trust) be involved, and what is the frequency of reporting?
- Could you outline the planned durations and review points of the pilots at d'Auvergne, Trinity , and Plat Douet, specifying how soon after their completion decisions on extension, adjustment, or scaling up will be made?
- Regarding the proposed accelerated rollout of a universal offer for 2- to 3-year-olds, can you detail key milestones, projected timelines, interim steps, and factors (e.g., workforce readiness, capacity) that will trigger further implementation?
- When will the Department conclude and publish its analysis (including workforce surveys, birth rate projections, and migration data) to inform capacity planning and staffing requirements?
- How will staff to child ratios in school based two-year-old provision be set, ensuring consistency with best practice and addressing private sector concerns about competitive pay, recruitment, retention, and professional development? What immediate initiatives are planned to support workforce retention and upskilling?
- What formal mechanisms are in place to integrate private sector feedback into the design of funding models (e.g., the NEF extension) and operational decisions early in the policy development process?
- Given sector concerns about potential negative impacts of expanding government nursery provision on private providers, what contingency plans or support measures are you considering to maintain sector sustainability if private enrolment declines?
- How will the Department measure and publicly report improvements in children's social, emotional, cognitive outcomes (including those with additional needs), and will structured feedback from parents and providers be routinely incorporated into policy decisions?
Thank you in advance for your assistance. The Panel looks forward to your formal response and would request that this is received by 20 March 2025.
Yours sincerely,
Deputy Catherine Curtis
Chair, Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel