As at December 2015, the early learning and childcare provision was 91 per cent occupied. It should be noted that 3 year old children are accepted to early learning and childcare facilities from the term after their third birthday, and so the number of children increases throughout the school year from August. A very small percentage of children living outwith the area attend the Council’s early learning and childcare provision. Variations in demand for early learning and childcare places exist across the Council area. Provision is extremely tight in Newton Mearns and additional places will be required as a consequence of ongoing and further planned new residential development; and relying on places from partner providers. In addition from August 2014, all local authorities had a duty to increase provision to 600 hours to all 3 and 4 year old children; and of the national expectation to introduce some flexibility on how entitlement is provided.


From August 2014 councils have offered two year old children in workless/ job seeking households 600 hours of early learning and childcare. From August 2015 this has extended further to cover families with two year old children who are eligible for free school meals. These statutory changes have placed further demands on the capacity (available places) and resulting occupancy levels of East Renfrewshire early learning and childcare facilities. The new Cart Mill Family Centre has provided additional early learning and childcare places and helped meet the increased demand. To ensure sufficient places for 2 year olds whilst new build is taking place there was a small change in the number of places available for 3 and 4 year olds in Madras and Arthurlie family centres, temporarily reducing places.


The table below summarises the current number of places (registered capacity based on 600 hour provision), and 3 and 4 year old children attending council early learning and childcare facilities by community area.


The future direction of travel is an increase in entitlement for early learning and childcare. This will require careful planning of future provision to ensure sufficient places are available in this context. The Council is increasing early learning and childcare provision with an increase in places at Crookfur nursery class from August 2016, a 100 place facility at the Faith Schools' Joint Campus for August 2017 (increasing Calderwood Lodge nursery from 60 to 100 places), a new build replacement and extended Arthurlie Family Centre at Auchenback Community Hub (late 2017), and proposals to establish an early learning and childcare facility at remodelled accommodation at St Cadoc’s Primary School and at


the new non-denominational primary


school planned at Maidenhill both for August 2019. Places for 3 and 4 will also increase and places will be available for 2 year olds once the new build Cart Mill Family Centre is complete. In addition to this, the Council commissions early learning and childcare places from partner providers; this mainly affects Busby/ Clarkston and Newton Mearns areas.


Table 6 Total


Total no of half day sessions


Barrhead/Neilston Busby/Clarkston


Giffnock/Thornliebank Newton Mearns


490 672 480 500


2142 Children


(ERC and Non-ERC)


444 620 386 494


1944 ERC


Children 439 619 365 491


1914


Non-ERC Children % Occupancy


5 1


21 3


30


91 92 80 99 91


Source: Education Management Information Service December 2015 - please note figures do change throughout the year as 3 year olds can start up to February of any year.


30


Planning for the Future of East Renfrewshire


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