DfE Early Years Champion Urges Sector Unity Amid ‘Best Start in Life’ Strategy Concerns

The Department for Education’s Early Years Champion, Sue Robb, has issued a rallying call for unity across the early years sector amid mounting concerns over the Government’s Best Start in Life strategy. Speaking to sector representatives, Robb emphasised the need for private, voluntary and independent (PVI) nurseries to “work as one” with their school-based counterparts, rather than viewing each other as competitors in an increasingly strained funding landscape. Tensions have emerged following the rollout of the strategy, with critics arguing that policy mechanisms risk creating a two-tier system that favours maintained nursery schools over PVI providers. This divergence threatens to fragment the very networks that local authorities rely upon to deliver universal early years provision, particularly in areas where cross-sector collaboration is essential to meet sufficiency duties and ensure every child accesses high-quality early education. For Lead Members, the development underscores the delicate balancing act required in local early years markets. As strategic commissioners, cabinet members must navigate these national policy tensions whilst ensuring that local partnerships remain intact—recognising that divisive funding streams ultimately disadvantage the children and families who depend on a coherent, joined-up early years offer that spans both PVI settings and school-based nurseries.