1. Improving the quality of early childhood education and care for all children
Nora Milotay policy officer School education, « Comenius » DG Education and Culture European Commission

2. Policy framework: smart, sustainable and inclusive growth
Headline targets in the EU 2020 strategy
The share of early school leavers should be under 10%
20 million less people should be at risk of poverty
At least 40% of the younger generation should have a tertiary degree
Youth on the move

3. Policy Framework Pre-emptive Preventive Compensatory
Identification & analysis
Monitoring of situation
Coordination of policies
Pre-emptive
Preventive
Compensatory
Early childhood education and care
Measures at school level
Second chance opportunities
Recognition of prior learning
Measures at system level
Student focused measures
Comprehensive support

5. Equitable access
The Barcelona targets (2002)encouraging Member States to supply full-day places by 2010 to formal childcare arrangements to
at least 90% of children aged three to the compulsory school age and
to at least 33% of children under three years of age.
European benchmark
by 2020 at least 95% of children between years of 4 year old and the age of starting compulsory primary education should participate in ECEC

6. Quality on the agenda since 2006
Efficiency and equity in European education and training systems (2006)
Improving competences for the 21st century: An agenda for European cooperation on schools (2008)
An updated strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (2008)

7. Focus on quality improvement
Quantity without quality is of little merit
What does quality mean?
Possible areas for European cooperation might be:
Accessibility/affordability
Quality
Curriculum
Staff
Governance – integration of care and education

8. Forthcoming Presidency Conference
Ensuring early acquisition of literacy: study on parental support
Study on competence requirements of staff in early childhood education and care

9. Tools Reflections Exchanges of good practice Data and studies
eg Communications on University reform, Efficiency/Equity, Adult Education, Schools
Exchanges of good practice
Expert / practitioner networks; Peer Learning Activities; Conferences
Data and studies
eg Eurydice, Cedefop, Benchmarks and Indicators, cooperation with other bodies eg OECD, UNICEF