A TEAM of education specialists has been increased at a cost of £350,000 a year to raise standards in nursery schools across North Yorkshire.

Seven new early education consultants will boost the ranks to 11, one of the highest number working in the sector in the region.

The specialists, all ex-teachers, have been employed by the county's education service to offer guidance, help and advice to 600 nursery schools, including 300 in the private and voluntary sectors.

They will have a monitoring role which, coupled with their expertise, is expected to raise further the standards of nursery provision for the county's 13,000 three and four-year-olds.

The Government is trying to increase the number of nursery places for youngsters as demand rises with more mothers returning to work. It has pledged to provide a place for every three-year-old child by next year.

In North Yorkshire, provision is already made for all four-year-olds, while every three-year-old child is offered a place for two terms out of three. In the next year, the council is expecting to be given enough money by the Government so that all three-year-olds can have a place for three terms.

The Government has also asked local authorities to ensure provision is of the highest standard in all nurseries.

"The philosophy is that children need a good, solid, background before they go to school," said the county's head of education policy and development, Bernadette Jones. "It's learning through purposeful play and there are definite benefits when they go to school at the statutory age," she said.

"These consultants will be able to offer support with the early education curriculum and children with special needs in the public, private and voluntary nurseries, thereby helping to raise standards across the board."

The consultants, six women and one man, will be given designated areas across the county and will tailor their workload to the individual needs of the nursery. The more help they need the more they will be given.

Mrs Jones said: "This is a big investment by the county council and we are looking to see how it goes. It is hoped we can provide even more money for even greater support next year."