charles

NEWS RELEASE

5 June 2003

Charles Clarke to hold first early years press briefing

When: 8:45 am, 5 June 2003
Where: Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre, Westminster
What: CHARLES CLARKE TO HOLD FIRST EARLYEARS PRESS BRIEFING AT THE PRE-SCHOOL LEARNING ALLIANCE ANNUAL CONFERENCE

The Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Rt Hon Charles Clarke MP will be holding his first early years press briefing on Thursday 5 June at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre, Westminster. This will be in advance of his keynote speech at 9:30am, which will open the largest conference in the early years sector.

The theme of the Pre-school Learning Alliance Annual Conference 2003 will be the charity's two-year campaign changing lives changing life, which features at its core, a ‘Charter for Parents and the Early Years.'

This year's conference will include:

Research on the difference a pre-school can make to deprived communities which will be presented by Dr Veronica McGivney of the National Institute of Adult and Continuing Education.
Margaret Lochrie, Chief Executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance will address delegates and launch the second phase of changing lives changing life, including an inquiry into children who miss out on childcare because they live in pockets of deprivation across the country.
The launch of Pre-school Playweek 2003 which takes place 7 to 13 June as part of National Sure Start Month. Pre-school Playweek will feature a week of activities across the country including the opening of the charity's first Neighbourhood Nursery.
Also addressing conference will be Tom Bentley, Director of Demos.

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Andrew Fletcher
Pre-school Learning Alliance
T: 020 7833 0991
Out of hours press calls: 07979 531 130
E: Andrew Fletcher

Notes for Editors:

The Pre-school Learning Alliance has 15,000 member pre-schools who look after 500,000 young children and their families in England every year. Registered as an educational charity, the Alliance is the national dimension of the pre-school movement. Its member pre-schools are based in the community and most are managed and run by parents, alongside trained staff.
Pre-school Learning Alliance members receive a regular magazine (Under Five) reflecting issues affecting the early years sector. If you would like to receive a copy of this please call 020 7833 0991.
Further information and all press releases are available on the Pre-school Learning Alliance's website: www.pre-school.org.uk or email pressoffice@pre-school.org.uk