A GOVERNMENT funding boost will mean over 2,600 disadvantaged three and four year olds in the Bradford district will be allocated money to help them close the gap on better performing children.

Early years pupil premium funding of £760,000 has been awarded to the district - one of the highest allocations in the country, to prevent children from low income families falling behind before they have even started school.

It amounts to £300 per child from a disadvantaged family and the money will go to schools, childminders and nurseries.

Currently schools are given a "pupil premium" for each child from a low income background to provide the extra resources needed to bring them up to standards. Yesterday, the Government announced that starting in April, £50 million would be spent to extend this policy to pre school children.

Calderdale Council will get £245,696 while Kirklees gets £476,962 and £894,254 goes to Leeds.

The biggest allocation in the country goes to Birmingham, which gets over £2 million.

Bradford Council recently announced its latest education strategy, with one of the top priorities being making sure all children are "school ready." Earlier this week a report revealed that just 31 per cent of four year olds were "school ready" by the time they turned five.

Announcing the funding, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: "It is vital that we intervene at the earliest possible stage and do all we can to help young children develop and learn. I’m so proud that we’ve been able to deliver this Early Years Pupil Premium so that toddlers from the poorest families get the support they need, which will pay dividends later in life. In my view, this will be one of the great legacies of this Government, helping create a fairer society which benefits families up and down the country.”

David Ward, MP for Bradford East, said: “All the evidence shows that helping children as early as possible is key to making sure they do not fall behind. That is why this announcement is fantastic news for children.

"This is all part of creating a fairer society and opportunity for everyone."

Councillor Ralph Berry, executive for children's services on Bradford Council, said it was "potentially" a good proposal, adding: "We need to see what the outcomes are, there will have to be a framework of accountability for childminders and nurseries and help for the smaller schemes, but I can't disagree with the principal of this, and we will work with all those involved."

Councillor Debbie Davies, Conservative education spokesman on Bradford Council, said: "If you get help to children when they are young then it will give them a much better start in life. I support the general idea, but I do wonder if it will be quite difficult for nurseries and childminders to administer."