The Government is planning to pay for places for five-year-olds from low income families at private preparatory schools, writes Geraldine Hackett.
The Education Bill will include an extension of the assisted places scheme to take in free-standing prep schools; the Government has already changed the rules to allow secondary schools with prep departments to take children as young as five.
The legislation will provide more places for five to nine-year-olds on a scheme that is currently costing Pounds 100 million. Labour is committted to abolishing the scheme and reducing infant class sizes.
