Table 1 shows the number of part-time equivalent places filled by three and four-year-olds in Northamptonshire local authority in 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2009. Data for 2010 are not yet available and will be published in the summer, so 2009 has been provided instead.
Data on the number of places available are not collected; only data on the number of places filled are available as children can access their free entitlement across different local authorities.
Part-time equivalent places are derived by counting children taking up 12 and a half hours per week as one place, 10 hours per week as 0.8 places, seven and a half hours per week as 0.6 places, five hours per week as 0.4 places and two and a half hours per week as 0.2 places.
Number of places 1997 9,700 2001 11,000 2005 14,000 2009 15,100 1 A place is equal to 12.5 hours (five sessions) and can be filled by more than one child. 2 Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 3 Prior to 2004, information on early education places was derived from returns made by local authorities as part of the nursery education grant (NEG) data collection exercise. From 2004 onwards, information has been derived from Early Years Census and School Census data. 4 Age of all children taken at 31 December in the previous calendar year. Source: Early Years Census and School Census.
The Department publishes information on the part-time equivalent number of free early education places filled by three and four-year-olds in maintained, private, voluntary and independent providers available at:
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000848/index.shtml