Tax-free payments of £4,500
The government has promised to give nursery teachers tax-free payments of £1,450 if they work in a disadvantaged area in England.
The financial incentive is for graduate staff in 20 disadvantaged areas in England as the government believes having a trained early years teacher can lead to better long-term life chances for children.
Currently only one in ten nurseries have an early years teacher, according to the Department for Education.
The government hopes the tax-free payment will attract new early years teachers and help retain the ones currently working in nurseries.
It will help give ‘our youngest children the best start in life’
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “My driving mission is to make sure every child has the chance to succeed no matter their background – and this new strategy will help give our youngest children the very best start in life.”
As well as incentivising early years teachers, the government is also planning a new professional register for the early years so nursery practitioners can have a career framework.
The purpose of the register is to promote continuing professional development and give nursery practitioners the ‘recognition they deserve’.
Dr June O’Sullivan and chief executive of London Early Years Foundation backed the financial incentive for early years teachers saying: “We welcome this funding to attract new Early Years teachers – particularly in disadvantaged communities – where high-quality staff are most needed. Recruiting and retaining skilled educators is vital if we’re serious about giving every child the best start in life.”
The announcement comes after the government revealed that family hubs offering parenting support and youth services were set to be rolled out across every council in England.
