To ask the Minister of Education to confirm (i) when the Pathway Fund will open again for future rounds of funding; (ii) whether all preschool settings will be contacted to make them aware of this funding source; and (iii) by what method will they be notified.

The Pathway Fund application process currently operates on a biennial basis. It is anticipated that the next round of applications will take place in the months prior to the start of the 2023/24 financial year, subject to Business Case approval and Budget availability.

Applicant settings are not contacted directly by the Department ahead of the application process launching, however information will be made available on the Department’s website, including guidance on how to apply. The Department will instruct the Pathway Fund administrator to widely advertise the Fund to ensure maximum reach and exposure to all eligible applicants.

The Pathway Fund was allocated £2.94m in both 2020/21 and 2021/22. This was supplemented with further allocations of £450k (2020/21) and £910k (2021/22) from DoF Covid-19 funding, enabling all eligible settings to receive an award.