Free nursery care for two-year-olds

Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, will announce the new subsidised places for poorer families when he details the 10-year plan to the Commons, the Guardian newspaper reported.

The Government already guarantees 12.5 hours a week of free childcare for all three and four-year-olds.

The newspaper reports that Mr Balls will also announce additional help for disabled children and their families who often face extra costs because of their special needs.

Mr Balls will outline a broad review of primary education after reading and writing standards reached a plateau.

The newspaper said the review will look into whether the curriculum is too crowded and is likely to back the use of synthetic phonics to help children to read.

The Children's Plan will also look at all aspects of childhood, including schooling, the role of parents and outside influences on children.

In October, a study by the Daycare Trust and the National Centre for Social Research found 28% of parents who were trying to take up the Government's offer of free childcare for three and four-year-olds were still being asked to pay even if they were seeking less than 12.5 hours.

The report said some nurseries argued that they had to charge a 'top-up fee' because the Government funding was not enough.

Ministers have now introduced new rules banning nurseries from charging for what should be free.