Page "Harold Wilson" Paragraph 42

Attempts were also made to improve the provision of nursery education.

In 1960, as a means of saving money, the Conservative government issued a circular which forbade the expansion of nursery education.

This restriction was slightly relaxed just before the July 1964 election, when authorities were allowed to provide places “ where this would enable married women to return to teaching .” In 1965, the Labour government provided a further relaxation which allowed authorities to expand “ so long as they provided some extra places for teachers to whom priority was to be given .” Nevertheless, the number of children under five in maintained nursery, primary, and special schools increased only slightly, from 222, 000 in 1965 to 239, 000 in 1969.