Record numbers of two year olds in Tower Hamlets are accessing outstanding free early learning places

Free education and childcare for two year olds for eligible parents and families.

Education and training opportunities for parents.

Additional £1 million of investment in childcare and early years.

Over 1,000 two year old children in the borough are accessing ‘good’ Ofsted rated free early learning, double the numbers from just five years ago. Nearly 300 of them are doing so in Ofsted ‘outstanding’ pre-schools, schools or with childminders.

Eligible parents of two year olds can have up to 570 hours of free early learning a year (from the term after their child’s second birthday). This can be offered as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks a year (called a term time offer) or the total number of funded hours can be spread over term time and school holidays by offering fewer hours each week.

John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets said: “We have invested an additional £1m into childcare and early years initiatives in the budget this year.  Centres like the Lincoln Hall Playgroup offer supportive education and childcare for families with younger children and I would encourage parents to check if they are eligible to receive support.”

Councillor Danny Hassell, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Young People said: “I’m pleased that over the last five years we have doubled the amount of children taking up their entitlement for free early years education in the borough. However we are not complacent and will be continuing our focus on this, as well as other initiatives, to ensure our children get the best start in life.”

Mayor Biggs and Councillor Danny Hassell, Cabinet Member for Children Schools and Young People visited the Lincoln Hall Playgroup on Fern St in Bow to celebrate an example of excellent childcare and early education provision in the borough.

The pre-school, rated as outstanding by Ofsted in 2014, provides free early years education for children aged two, three and four to qualifying parents and ensures children have a flying start when they enter school.

Lincoln Hall also supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who learn English as an additional language. It provides two sessions each weekday from 8.45am to 11.45pm and 12.30pm to 3.30pm, 38 weeks of the year.

The mayor and Cllr Hassell led a reading session with children and saw the great work that the pre-school does.