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PRE SCHOOL EDUCATION: What does it mean for your child and you? |
 Pre-school
education is a crucial stage in a child's development and helps children
to learn as they play. A good quality pre-school experience builds on the
valuable learning that takes place in and around the home, prepares children
to start primary school and develops the learning and other essential skills
which they will rely on in later life. Access to education combined with
childcare is crucial to many parents and carers to enable them to balance
work and family life.
The Government is committed to a major expansion of both pre-school education and childcare. Already a part-time education place has been made available for nearly every child in their pre-school year whose parents seek it, and the Government is keen to extend this so that by 2002 all children will have access to a place from the term after their third birthday. It also wants to help ensure that good quality, affordable childcare is available in every locality for parents that need it. Local authorities are being funded to plan, co-ordinate and deliver both childcare and education in their areas.
National guidelines for the education of children aged 3-5 have been published. Centres providing Government funded education are required to observe these. The guidelines encourage children to learn through play and staff will plan activities that will help each child's learning and development. Each centre will have its own distinctive approach to the implementation of the curriculum guidelines.
Young children are learning all the time; but Government funded pre-school education has a special focus on a broad range of learning through the national guidelines. It's this emphasis which distinguishes pre-school education from daycare. |
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| No, it is not compulsory. It is for parents to decide whether they want their child to participate. Evidence suggests that a quality pre-school experience can bring a range of benefits, including a smoother transition into primary school and increased educational attainment. Many children thrive in a pre-school playgroup or nursery. However, other children may continue to benefit most by spending the time at home or in other forms of informal play activity and some from attending mother and toddler groups. If you are unsure whether your child should attend, you should discuss the options with your local authority. |
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| A fully loaded part-time place will offer your child 5 sessions of education (each of around 21/2 hours) a week over the school year. However, your local authority may offer you a place with a slightly different pattern, within certain limits set by the Government. Some authorities may only be able to offer your 3 year old child a place with 2, 3 or 4 sessions a week. This may also be the case on rare occasions for pre-school year children. If you want fewer than 5 sessions a week, or need a special pattern of sessions (perhaps to fit in with your job) you should discuss your needs with your local authority. |
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| Children in their pre-school year will be eligible for a place for the whole school year, while younger children will become eligible for a place in the term after their third birthday. A table showing the qualifying dates of birth is on the back cover of this leaflet. |
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| You should contact your local authority now to register them for a place. |
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| All children in their pre-school year (those born between 1st March 1995 and 29 February 1996) are entitled to receive a full year of pre-school education. |
| If your child's date of birth falls between March 1996 and February 1997 they will only become eligible for a place, in the year before their pre-school year, from the start of the term after their third birthday. Before the age of three children may not be mature enough to attend pre-school education. From about the age of 3 most children become ready for pre-school education, but you should not feel any pressure to take up your child's place until you feel they are ready to take part. |
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| All children in their pre-school year (those born between 1st March 1995 and 29th February 1996) will have access to a place in August 1999. A guaranteed place for every 3 year old will take a little longer. Authorities are working hard to expand the number of places available for three year olds. However, in many parts of the country it will take time to expand provision in order that there is a place available for every child whose parents want one. In the meantime each authority is in charge of co-ordinating the expansion of places in their own area. You should speak to your authority now to find out their plans for provision in the coming year. Each authority will have its own admissions policy. |
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| Children normally enter school in the August when they are aged between 41/2 and 51/2. If you want to defer your child's entry to school, Government funding will not be available for their pre-school education in the deferred year. If you are thinking about deferring your child's entry to school, you should contact your authority to discuss your reasons. Depending on the individual needs of your child your authority may be able to extend their pre-school education, but a free place cannot be guaranteed. |
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| You should discuss the possibility of sending your child to pre-school education early with your authority. If there are places available some authorities may permit you to do this, but you may be required to meet the costs of their education before they become three. |
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| Most local authorities will provide places using different types of providers. The majority of places are likely to be provided through nursery schools and classes run by your local authority. But most authorities are working in partnership with private day nurseries, voluntary playgroups and childminders to ensure that they have a sufficient number of places and a range of provision available to meet the needs and preferences of parents and their children. Some Independent Schools also have nursery classes attached. If you have firm preferences for one type of provision you should discuss these with your authority. They will be able to let you have details of all registered centres in their area. |
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| Local authorities are working hard to ensure that places are well matched to the needs of children and parents. Decisions on where places are made available rest with them but if you feel that your authority is unaware of your particular needs (for example if you require a place in a particular location or need daycare alongside education) do speak to them and let them know. |
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| If you would like to send your child to a centre managed by another local authority you should contact the local authority which manages the centre. It may be able to offer you a place if one is available. |
| If you want to send your child to a private or voluntary sector centre in another local authority area, your own authority may be willing to commission a place at the centre concerned. However, this is entirely at the discretion of your own authority and you should discuss this with them now. |
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| All centres must meet registration standards laid down by Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools (HMI) before they can provide Government funded pre-school education. All registered centres will be inspected by HMI and in addition authorities have their own systems for supporting quality in their own and partner centres. |
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| In some parts of the country local authorities have established or partnered Gaelic medium centres and the Government are providing extra resources to encourage further provision to meet demand. Speak to your local authority about what is available in your area. |
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| You should contact your local authority to discuss the way your child's needs can best be met. |
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| If you live in a rural area, or have difficulty with transporting your child to their centre, you should contact your local authority who may be able to help. However, they are under no obligation to do so. |
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| Staff will be observing your child and building up a picture of how they learn and progress. Informally you can keep in contact with their progress through day to day contact with staff and you should also be offered the opportunity for more detailed discussions at intervals throughout the year. If you have any particular concerns about any aspect of their progress you should make an appointment with the centre to discuss them. |
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| Your child's primary school will consult with their pre-school centre, and you, to ensure that they take full account of the different needs and achievements of each child. The primary school curriculum is planned so as to build on the full range of children's pre-school experiences. |
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| You should speak to staff at your child's centre to see how they like to involve parents in their children's education. They may suggest helping your child at home on particular topics they find interesting; or you could help with outings. |
| In addition, all local authorities will be establishing, or will already have established, an 'early years forum' and/or 'childcare partnership'. Here interested individuals and organisations will discuss the development of services. If you would like to be kept informed of developments you should contact your local authority. |
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| When you contact your local authority to register your child you should explain that you also require childcare. Your local authority may be able to offer you a place in a centre that can provide education and day care, although a charge may be made for the additional care element. Assistance towards costs of childcare is available for those receiving family credit or, from October 1999, the Working Families Tax Credit. |
| Where can I get further information ? |
| It is important that parents have access to reliable and up-to-date information on childcare and pre-school education. Local Childcare Information Services are being established in each childcare partnership area. These will help parents make informed choices. In addition, a national childcare helpline will direct parents to their local Childcare Information Service and also provide information relevant across Scotland. Your local authority will be able to provide you with further details. |
| For more information about the Government's policy you should contact: |
| The Scottish Office
Pre-school Education Division Area 2B Victoria Quay Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ |
| Tel: 0131 244 0966 or 0131 244 7657 email: kelly.gray@scotland.gov.uk |
| For more information on the guidelines for early education contact: |
| The Scottish Consultative Coucil on the
Curriculum Gardyne Road Broughty Ferry Dundee, DD5 1NY |
| Tel: 01382 455 053 |
| Eligibility | |
| The pre-school year | |
| If your child's date of birth is on or between: | They will be eligible for a funded pre-school education place from: |
| 1st March 1995 - 29th February 1996 | August 1999 (the autumn term) |
| The year before the pre-school year | |
| If your child's date of birth is on | They will be eligible for a funded pre- or between:school education place from: |
| 1st March 1996 - 31st August 1996 | August 1999 (the autumn term) |
| 1st September 1996 - 31st December 1996 | January 2000 (the spring term) |
| 1st January 1997 - 28th February 1997 | April 2000 (the summer term) |
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on this WWW site is Crown Copyright but may be reproduced without formal permission or
charge for personal or in-house use. © 1999 |