Education Act 2002

150 Early years development and childcare partnerships and plans

(1) In section 119(5) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (c. 31) (functions of early years development partnerships), after paragraph (a) there is inserted—

“(ab) in reviewing the sufficiency of childcare provision for the authority’s area for the purposes of section 118A, and”.

(2) In section 120 of that Act (early years development plans), in subsection (2) (content of plan), for paragraph (b) there is substituted—

“(b) a statement which sets out the authority’s proposals for providing or promoting the provision of childcare for their area, and

(c) background and supporting statements.”

(3) For subsections (3) and (4) of that section there is substituted—

“(3) The statement mentioned in subsection (2)(a) must deal with such matters, and relate to such period, as may be determined by or in accordance with regulations.

(4) In relation to the form and content of the statements mentioned in subsection (2)(b) and (c) the authority shall have regard to any guidance given from time to time by the Secretary of State.”

(4) In section 121 of that Act (approval, modification and review of statement of proposals)—

(a) in subsection (1), the words “the authority’s statement of proposals” shall cease to have effect;

(b) in subsection (2), for “statement” (in each place it occurs) there is substituted “plan”;

(c) in subsection (3), for “statement” (where it first occurs) and for “proposals set out in the statement” there is substituted “plan”;

(d) in subsection (4), for “statement” (in both places it occurs) there is substituted “plan”;

(e) in subsection (5)—

(i) for “statement of proposals” and for “proposals” (in the second place it occurs) there is substituted “plan”;

(ii) for “their” there is substituted “its”; and

(iii) in paragraphs (a) and (b), for “statement” (in each place it occurs) there is substituted “plan”;

(f) in subsection (6)—

(i) for “statement of proposals”, and

(ii) in paragraph (b), for “statement”,

there is substituted “plan”;

(g) in subsection (7), for “statement” there is substituted “plan”;

(h) in subsection (8)—

(i) for “statement of proposals” there is substituted “plan”;

(ii) in paragraph (a), for “statement” there is substituted “plan”; and

(iii) in paragraph (c), for “statement” and for “proposals” there is substituted “plan”; and

(i) in subsection (9), for “statement of proposals” (in both places it occurs) there is substituted “plan”.

(5) Early years development partnerships are renamed “early years development and childcare partnerships” and early years development plans are renamed “early years development and childcare plans”; accordingly in Part 5 of that Act after “early years development” (in each place it occurs) there is inserted “and childcare”.