Purnima Tanuku OBE, Chief Executive of National Day Nurseries Association, said: “From the term after his third birthday, Prince George will be eligible for 15 free hours’ nursery education at his nursery.
“This entitlement is universal, so it is given to everyone – including future kings. Some children take five mornings per week, with three hours per session and others prefer to attend for two whole days. These 15 hours are provided to make sure every boy and girl in the UK has the best start in life.
“During their free 15 hours, nursery children may enjoy learning about superheroes or astronauts. They might be starting to count how many rockets are lined up on a table or putting on a superhero cape and drawing huge letters on the ground with a stick. For energetic children with boundless energy, early years teacher will be introducing ways to learn on the move, using children’s whole bodies, not just sitting at a table.
“Prince George might want to climb trees and look at how the buds form in the springtime. Or build the tallest tower he can with wooden blocks – then knock it down again. He could try some weighing and measuring or even moving water from one large container to another. How much water does it take to make sand wet enough to build a castle?
“With his friends, George might be learning how to build a den to shelter from the rain, or look at some pictures of favourite sports stars in books – maybe trying out some Olympic-inspired sports such as throwing, running and jumping.
“These activities are the sort of thing that three-year-olds love to explore naturally but did you know that through this early discovery, children are learning vital skills and knowledge to equip them for the future? And more importantly, growing a love of learning that will stay with them for life?
“In summary, Prince George will be one of many thousands of children in nurseries up and down the country, enjoying the fun and play of learning – a magical time and an amazing process.”