Rejected from Scottish nursery - please help!

Can you not use your hours with a childminder registered under the scheme? That certainly used to be the case.

The private school near us has a nursery and some chose to use them there for longer days (although less hours because they didn't have school holidays in same way).

It's disappointing you didn't get the place for the ante pre school year. I wonder how much increased deferrals are having an impact here? But are you sure there aren't better private options than the one 10 miles away?

Local Authorities administer EY. Not the SG.

There are no catchment nurseries.

That's interesting. There's no catchment for local authority nurseries in my authority so having an older siblings at the attached school doesn't come into the criteria for being awarded a space at the nursery.

I wish it did as I have 3 older children at the primary and would love that to matter but it doesn't here so I will cross my fingers for a place.

No reception in Scotland, straight into P1 (same in NI)

They do.

I live opposite a primary school. Didn’t get a place in the nursery (pre school) because there were on 16 places and they all went to younger siblings of children in the school.

My DD1 stayed in her private nursery until she started reception. Which to be honest worked better for us anyway as the private nursery was 8-6 and the school nursery was only school hours. School nurseries only really seem to work if you have a nanny or childminder to do the wrap around.

There is a legal obligation in Scotland that all lical authorities must provide adequate spaces for all 3 and 4 year old children. This can be in a local authority nursery or funding can be used by a childminder or private nursery. Under 3 they have no obligation. This is written in the Children and young people's act scotland 2014

Are you in catchment? They tend to prioritise kids in catchment but be aware local authorities have a legal obligation to ensure there are enough funded places for all 3 and 4 year olds but that doesn't mean you have the right for your child to attend the nursery you want them to. When did you apply? Is your child just turning 3?

The two have no bearing on each other. There is no obligation of councils to provide any early years provision. Moreover, there is no obligation on parents to use early years provision. Also private provision is often still available to 3-4 year olds fairly cheaply and parents may chose to continue to use this. Predicting how many parents will chose to send their children to school nursery at 3 is therefore very challenging.

For LAs accommodating children in primary school is MUCH easier, because the only children who WON'T be in the primary schools are those who go to private school of which generally there won't be many, children who are home educated of which there also won't be many, and children who go to special school which will also be a small number AND which the LA will have helped place and so will be aware of. So overall predicting school places is easy compared to predicting pre-school places.

If you read the very first line of that legislation, you will see that it applies in England.

Actually there some obligations on Local Authorities as defined in the Childcare Act 2006. Not sure to what extent it applies in Scotland.
Local authorities are not obligated to provide every child with a nursery place but must ensure there are sufficient places to meet the demand for childcare from working parents, as per the Childcare Act 2006. They must also secure funding for free early education hours for all three- and four-year-olds, and for eligible two-year-olds. Local authorities are responsible for securing sufficient childcare but should not provide it directly unless no other providers are available.

That sounds the same as England to be honest

Not true. School is not compulsory.
It is compulsory for parents to provide an education for their children, whether by school or otherwise.

(ie home education is otherwise than at school)

It might be different in Scotland but in England there are no catchment areas for nurseries and going to a local nursery or not has absolutely no impact on whether they get into a local primary school. Even if the child goes to a nursery att attached to the primary school.
Also it is not compulsory for children to go to nursery whereas it is compulsory for children aged over 5 to be in school and LAs have a legal responsibility to make that happen. So you can't compare the two.

For those suggesting a nursery near your/your DH's place of work you need to check if this is possible if you live and work in different LA areas. I'm on the border between a small commuter town with limited pre-school places and a bigger town and the two LAs no longer fund places for kids who don't live in their area. This caused carnage when it changed.

Unfortunately nursery is not compulsory. By you or them .so if they give you a place further out that's a bit rubbish but they have fulfilled what they have to do .but under scottish rules you must be given a school place in your local area so don't worry about that .

Because not every kid goes to nursery goes to school. Isn’t that obvious ?

The LA offer spaces but it isn’t school and they don’t have to guarantee them.

You didn’t get in. Put your name on a waiting list. End of. Otherwise complaining about your kid not getting a non legal required space sounds entitled.

That’s exactly what everyone is saying.

It really isn’t much different from England. You sign your kid up for a private nursery or childminder and they claim the funded hours. You pay the difference if there is any.

The nursery system in Scotland is quite different, so some posters aren't understanding. Sadly there aren't enough places at the council nurseries. My sister was a childminder and was being paid by the council to provide additional spaces. Try and find a local childminder.

Apologies not read all the posts so might be repeating.

Nursery is not statutory, therefore the LA are not obliged to offer a place. Statutory education starts at the term after the child’s 5th birthday.

Unfortunately, if there is no capacity then a space cannot be offered at nursery. Had this been a situation at say Reception, the LA would have to offer a place to meet their statutory obligation to provide education and if they could not meet your preference/s, they would offer a place at the nearest suitable with a vacancy.

So as previous posters have said there is no obligation on the part of the local authority to provide a nursery place for your child. I assume since you applied you are on a waiting list and you may well end up with a space in January as children move out. There is no connection between nursery attended and school places, so you will still be allocated a space at your catchment school. Unfortunately all nurseries are bound by Care Inspectorate guidance not just on staff numbers but also on the space available and will have been registered for a specific number which they will not be allowed to go above. I’d suggest getting on all waiting lists and checking the councils priority lists to see if your child meets any of the criteria for preferential entry.

They can provide the childcare funding but they don't make sure there are enough spaces. I don't know how they could since nursery is completely optional? Apart from that, childcare places are underfunded which has a knock-on effect. All you can really do is look at alternative options - a nursery further away or a childminder. Go on the waiting list for the private nursery, and reapply to the LA nurseries when you can

Edit: also did you apply for specific days? It might be worth asking if they have space for any other days or half days. They might be not being full all the time.

Same, I’m in Scotland and we actually had DC’s name on a waiting list before they were born! We moved about a year later and it was sheer luck we were able to find a nursery, as someone happened to be moving away from the area.

Nope it isn’t. The school classes will be recomposited if this would add extra capacity or the building would be extended, likely with modular classrooms, should they need additional classes. Role projections are known years in advance and plans put in place. We know our school will breech capacity next year and the plan is in place for how this will be managed. If you’re in the catchment you will get a place.