20 EDUCATION
The value of Pre-School Education
BY NIKKI MILLER
richest peers in how ready they are for school. The report made the case that all children, regardless of financial status, should have access to good quality pre-school settings with qualified staff.
A The Scottish Government has asked all councils to
increase funded early learning and childcare hours by August 2020. In light of the research from Oxford University, this seems to be a positive step, but will it actually mean the gap between the richest and poorest is further divided by the quality of early learning and childcare? The City of Edinburgh Council has said it will increase free early learning and childcare hours for every 3 and 4 year old and eligible 2 year old from 600 hours to 1,140 hours per year.
This means that children will benefit from some Council Nurseries offering longer opening hours and some moving from term-time to year round opening. The council says parents will be able to use the hours with a mix of Council Nursery, a childminder and a partner provider private nursery if they wish. However, parents will no longer get these hours as a financial grant to use as ‘money off’ fees at a private nursery. Currently, a child at a private nursery (that works in partnership with the Council), receives a grant of £3.80 an hour (up to 600 hours per year) to off set against that nursery’s fees regardless of the hourly rate charged by the private nursery which could be, for example, £7.20 per hour.
recent report by Oxford University, highlighted that by the age of five children from the poorest backgrounds are already 19 months behind their
Under the new system, the private nursery has to provide up to 1,140 hours free. After August 2020, the Council pays the private nursery £5.40 per hour while the nursery provides that place free. Seemingly private nurseries will burden any deficit?
This leaves privately run nurseries with difficult decisions. They may need to consider, laying off staff, reducing the capabilities of their facilities, potentially moving location, closing down or ending their partnership with the Council completely. As a result parents of 3 and 4 year olds will be left with the choice of: a full cost private nursery (not in partnership with the Council); a private nursery (in partnership with the Council) restrained within the Council’s budget; or a free Council run nursery.
Many nurseries within Independent Schools have
regretfully withdrawn their partnership with the Council. I asked the Head of Early Years at Clifton Hall School why they took this decision and how important pre-school education is in preparing children to be ready to start school?
Early childhood experiences are the makings of a child, and arguably our society. In partnership with parents, high quality pre-school education is paramount in providing the very best quality early childhood experiences, in a warm and inclusive environment, with well trained, enthusiastic and experienced adult support and resources which stimulate curiosity, imagination and creativity. Will the increase in funded hours to 1,140 at an
approximate rate of £5.40 per hour sustain quality in pre-
www.nurseryandschoolguide.co.uk
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