What defines a statutory/maintained setting?

A statutory or maintained setting is defined as a service that is government-funded and is available by law to meet the educational needs of children within certain age ranges. This means that these settings, such as state schools and nurseries, are established to provide early education and care as mandated by government legislation, ensuring they fulfill specific requirements and standards set by the government.

In these environments, funding is typically sourced from local or national government budgets, making them accessible to families without direct charges for education, ensuring equitable access to education for all children. This alignment with legislative requirements distinguishes statutory settings from other types of educational facilities, making option B the correct choice.

The other options represent different types of care settings. For instance, settings that are independently funded and parent-paid are not designed under the same statutory obligations and can operate with greater flexibility. Registration with the Early Years Register is a requirement for certain early years providers but doesn’t necessarily define statutory settings specifically. Finally, unregulated settings that operate without government oversight do not meet the criteria for statutory provision, as they are typically not obliged to adhere to governmental standards or regulations.