This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Pre-school places rise six per cent
29/07/2003
More of Scotland's children are getting the best start
in life, Deputy Education and Young People Minister Euan
Robson said today.
Commenting on statistics published today which show that
the number of children attending pre-school education has
risen by six per cent to 105,000, the Minister said:
"The Executive set itself a challenge to give all
children a free pre-school education place and we have met
that ambitious commitment. This golden opportunity for
children to go to a nursery means that they will begin
school with a head start.
"What's more the latest figures show that the parents of
99 per cent of four year olds and 83 per cent of three year
olds have taken up this opportunity of a free place."
A good practice guide aimed at local authorities,
voluntary sector and the private sector who unite to
provide pre-school education was also published today. The
guide provides advice on developing partnerships which
offer parents and their children a first-class service.
The Programme for Government, published in January 2001,
set a target to provide a funded pre-school education place
for all three and four year olds whose parents wanted one
by the end of 2002.
The duty placed on local authorities allows them to
secure pre-school education from voluntary or private
sector partners.
A part-time place provides a service to eligible
children for a minimum of 412 ½ hours over the three terms
of the school year. This means that children will receive
12½ hours a week of pre-school education over 33 weeks.
The guidance builds on the recommendations from "A Good
Start" an Audit Scotland report of 2001, which examined
local authorities' original commissioning practices with
pre-school education partners. The new guidance seeks to
encourage greater consistency in contracting and funding
arrangements with pre-school education partner
providers.