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“The forthcoming Spending Review should properly resource all early years settings so that councils and providers can support the Government’s ambition to reduce the attainment gap and ensure that every child has the best start in life.”

"The Government needs to invest in early intervention and public health services, to enable councils to work more closely with the NHS, implement best practice and most importantly help give children the best start in life.”

“We have particular concerns around provision for disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and disabilities if funding rates continue to fall below the cost of delivering services."

“Councils want to ensure that every child gets the very best education and schooling in life; and are best placed to understand the needs of their community and be able to provide for them."

“We urgently need to reform our children’s social care and SEND systems, including transformational investment in the services that give all children the best start in life.”

“Good attendance at school plays a vital role in children’s development, however councils lack the powers to ensure children who are missing school don’t slip through the net, such as directing academies to accept pupils."

“Good quality early education can make an enormous difference to children’s lives, with around 40 per cent of the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers emerging by age 5."

Chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Boards, Cllr Judith Blake, responds to a report by the Education Policy Institute on unexplained exits of pupils.

Councils face an £8 billion funding gap by 2025, while an additional £1.6 billion is required in high needs funding by 2021. It is essential that Government uses the forthcoming Spending Review to address these shortfalls, and to ensure schools are adequately funded to support all children to achieve their ambitions.”

“Converting to an academy is not always the best solution for a struggling school.