Steve Brine and a leading member of David Cameron's Shadow team visited Hursley today to show their support for the troubled nursery education sector.
Maria Miller, the Shadow Minister for the Department for Children, Schools and Families, as well as Steve Brine, the prospective Conservative MP for Winchester, visited Hartley House Montessori Hursley yesterday to show their support for quality Early Years Education.
Maria Miller is calling to suspend the Code of Practice for Early Years Provision so that the Early Years Entitlement can be sorted out. In the last eighteen months more than 400 nurseries have closed nationwide due to the constraints of the statutory guidance. Maria Miller said, "We need a decisive result in the General Election in May so that the issues with the funding can be solved, something that Labour have kicked into the long grass. The Liberal Democrats, however, are offering confused signals with policies they cannot afford."
She went on to say that, "We need a sustainable system of funding that offers parents quality and choice rather than the current system which is eroding sufficiency and choice for parents at a local level."
Steve Brine has been working with Susan Hartley-Raven, the nursery owner, at a local level. He said; "I want to see a vibrant and mixed nursery sector, above all offering providers of nursery care, children and parents, some consistency and certainty from this September. As a young parent myself, I would like to know there is good quality nursery provision locally so that my daughter can have the right start to her education.
"This is an issue that I have been working on in the last three years and I will take this to Parliament as a high priority if I am elected."
The Conservative candidates enjoyed a morning of fun with the children and staff at Hartley House Montessori; they joined in sticking activities and cake icing followed by outside play in the garden.
More information ...
See a short-film at Steve Brine TV from Steve's visit to the nursery and 'in conversation' with Maria Miller about Early Years Education and wider 'Family' policies being put forward by the Conservatives. Click here.
Steve Brine and Maria Miller (watched by Nursery owner) Susan Hartley-Raven join in at the cake table!