The Scottish Government

This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

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Pre-school and daycare census

29/07/2003

Statistics on children in pre-school education and daycare centres in Scotland in January 2003 are published today. ]

The main points are:

• The number of children attending pre-school education is up six per cent since January 2002 to 105,000.

• In January 2003, 83 per cent of three year olds and 99 per cent of four year olds in Scotland attended pre-school education. This compares to 73 per cent of three year olds and 94 per cent of four year olds in January 2002.

• The largest increase in pre-school education was in private sector provision: a 22 per cent increase in children attending private centres since 2002, compared to four per cent rise in council run centres and seven per cent in voluntary sector centres.

• The number of staff working in pre-school centres has fallen by 300 since 2002 (two per cent). This was a combination of a 1,300 fall in staff in local authority run centres, a fall of 200 in staff working in voluntary centres, and a rise of 1,100 workers in privately run centres.

• The type of pre-school education provision varies considerably across Scotland. Rural authorities tend to have a large number of centres relative to their popualationpopulation, but most had a small number of children attending.

• Over 200,000 children received pre-school education or daycare in January 2003. The total number of children receiving childcare or pre-school education is up eight per cent since last year.

• The sectors of daycare which have expanded in the last year are family centres (63 per cent increase in centres), out of school clubs (34 per cent increase) and holiday playschemes (26 per cent increase).

• Virtually all four year olds and 89 per cent of three year olds are receiving some form of childcare or pre-school education. The number of four and three year olds getting childcare fell during the last year in line with a fall in the population for these ages. Trends in falling population are forecast to continue.

• Around one in ten centres is open for all 52 weeks of the year.

• Around a quarter of centres are open before school; three quarters are open on school mornings, half on school afternoons, and a third after school. The number of centres opening in the evening/night increased significantly, from 600 places last year to 1,700 in 2003. Evening/weekend services account for a small amount of overall provision.

• Between 70,000 and 75,000 children get daycare during weekday mornings, and between 50,000 and 55,000 receive daycare on weekday afternoon. The vast majority of this is nursery care.

• Before school there are 16,000-18,000 children receiving care, with 30,000-35,000 attending in the after school period. After school care is split relatively evenly between out of school care clubs and nursery care, whereas before school care is mainly provided by nurseries.

• There is little provision of care during the evenings, nights or at the weekend - around 2,000 children attending at these times.

• Most centres offered more than one type of service with, on average, each centre offering three types. Family centres offered the most diverse range of services with an average of nine different types of service offered. Playgroups offered the smallest range of services with each centre offering an average of three different services.

• There was a large increase over the last year in centres with their own dedicated premises (16 per cent rise). This was due to a combination of many new private nurseries and of new out of school care clubs.

The following tables are available:

For notes on the background to this survey or for figures for 2002, please see last year's publication: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00192-00.asp. Figures for 2001 census are also available on-line via the link http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00107-00.asp

There was a response rate of 87 per cent to the survey. In order to give the most complete picture possible of pre-school and daycare centres in Scotland, figures for missing centres were estimated.

This is a National Statistics publication. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.

For public enquiries please contact Esther Roughsedge, Scottish Executive Education Department, Area 1-A, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ. Telephone 0131 244 3745 or e-mail children.statistics@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.