Early Years
Councils are addressing significant funding pressures for early years and special educational needs, while also launching new child development strategies.
Kingston upon Thames' Schools Forum noted the projected Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) position in September 2026, following a projected £12.7 million deficit for Kingston schools in 2025/26, primarily due to rising High Needs Block costs. Wandsworth's Schools Forum was scheduled to discuss the DSG outturn for 2025-26 and government Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) reforms in May 2026.
Hammersmith and Fulham Council launched its 'Best Start in Life' plan in March 2026, a strategy to boost child development and support families from birth to age 19, focusing on high-quality early education and childcare. Separately, Haringey Council finalised its schools funding formula for the 2026-27 academic year in January 2026, aligning it with the Department for Education's National Funding Formula.
Early Years refers to the period of a child's life from birth to the age of five, focusing on their development and education. Councils are working to ensure services for this age group are integrated and that children achieve a good level of development before starting primary school.
Key facts
- Hammersmith and Fulham Council launched its 'Best Start in Life' plan in March 2026. Source
- Kingston schools face a projected £12.7 million deficit for the 2025/26 academic year. Source
- Haringey Council finalised its schools funding formula for 2026-27 in January 2026. Source
- Haringey's 2026-27 funding formula includes a Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) of 0% for all schools. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.