Nursery children in East Renfrewshire unlikely to receive their full 1140 hours in next school session

Councillors on the education committee are also asked to support the decision to continue with plans to deliver 1140 hours for eligible two, three and four year old children from August despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

They are expected to recognise while social distancing remains “children and families will not be able to access this full amount given the impact of Covid-19 on nursery attendance patterns”.

As a result of the pandemic, the Scottish Government removed the statutory duty on education authorities to make 1140 hours – up from 600 – of early learning and childcare available to each eligible child from August this year.

A report to the committee, from Director of Education Mhairi Shaw, sets out how the council plans to progress with this policy.

East Renfrewshire Council had completed its recruitment process and is now working with education establishments to ensure candidates, who were set to complete their qualifications in June, can restart their training “as part of a remote learning model”.

However, the pandemic has halted construction work on a number of new, or extended, nurseries which would have been open by August. 

The council is working with all parties so work can begin once it is “appropriate and safe”.

Applications in early learning and childcare are spread across the school year, with a place provided for children in East Renfrewshire from the day after their third birthday.

The report adds: “The Education Department is aware that families will have been depending on the offer of 1140 hours from August 2020 both in terms of childcare needs and reducing family expenses.

“We are mindful that during this period of unexpected financial stress and concern for many families, it is ever more important that they are able to plan ahead with knowledge of how their early learning and childcare needs will be met and without additional financial concerns.”

It adds: “Any national advice linked to social distancing will impact on operating capacity and attendance patterns for children and families; therefore it is highly unlikely that any family will receive their full allocation of 1140 hours next school session, but they will receive more than the 600 hours to which they are entitled.”

Due to capacity issues, parents and children “will be allocated different models and potentially displaced to other settings and communities to access their early learning and childcare”.

All allocations for returning children, who had been informed of their 1140 hour place, will be honoured but some settings may change.

All new applications for “term time experiences” will be honoured but the delivery model may change and all applications for “all year round experiences” will be honoured but the days requested may be altered.

When a chosen nursery cannot be offered, alternatives taking into account second and third choices and geography will be provided.

After analysing the applications, the council report states 12 per cent of applicants will be displaced to another nursery within their own community.

Allocation letters were sent out in the week beginning May 25, with parents/carers having two weeks to accept or decline.

When new facilities can open, parents will be able to choose a model which offers more flexibility and choice.