Help, we're foreign!

[Babalela79]

Hi,
We moved to Scotland from South Africa a few years ago, and have been blessed with a lovely little girl who recently turned 2. We are now starting to look at the future with her going to primary school, and having a really difficult time with terminology and finding information that everyone appears to "just know", without it being written down anywhere.

I have a whole series of questions, and hope that someone on here will take pity on us and explain some (or all) of these things ;-)

1. When does a child go to P1? There appears to be some local complication about being born before or after March. Our daughter was born in March 2013, so if I understand the internet correctly, she will go to P1 in August 2018 when she is 5 and a half years old. Is this correct?

2. While we understand the concept of catchment areas, the City of Edinburgh council website says a child can apply to a school in Edinburgh only if the child was in a nursery run by (or associated with) Edinburgh Council. This seems absurd, but we would really like to just make sure of that. (See the second bullet point at the top of this website )

3. If the above is true, then what about children who did not go to nursery at all? Or is it compulsory? And if so, from what age?

4. What is a "state nursery" or a "council nursery"?

5. We find nursery fees to be obscene (to say the least) and would really appreciate any advice on reducing these. Work, careers and budget requires that we both work full time and so our daughter is in nursery full time. However, we kept hearing the terms "free childcare" being thrown around by politicians in the run-up to the elections (sometimes followed by "for 3 and 4 year olds", but not always). What is this? From what age does it become available? Are they means-tested or available to everyone? Can we get it at any nursery? It also appeared from the talk that this is already in place, and they were all promising to increase it.

6. If free child care is only available to 3 and 4 year olds, what about kids who fall in that weird bracket I mentioned in point 3 above where they were born after March and can only go to primary school in their 5th year? Will we have to start paying full nursery fees again for those last few months?

7. What are "sponsored nursery places" and how do they differ (if at all) from the "free childcare hours" being promised by all the political parties? And if it's different, then from what age is this available?

We found a lovely nursery for her near one of our employers, which happens to be outside of Edinburgh, even though we live in Edinburgh and in the Sciennes Primary catchment area. From point 2 above it would seem that means our daughter won't be eligible to go to school in Edinburgh, and we'd very much like to avoid that, so will be looking to move her to Edinburgh when she turns 3, which is also where all this talk of "free childcare" seems to kick in. Any clarification of the processes, terminology and options available to us would be greatly appreciated.

The webpage is badly worded (I think it's just trying to emphasise that getting a school place is not automatic, even if your child is in a council-run nursery) but the full booklet downloadable from the same page seems to answer most of your questions. I think your DD will start at 4.5 by default, not 5.5. Nursery is never compulsory but yes there's an allocation of free hours later that reduces the cost considerably, and if you don't need it as childcare you may be able to use only the free hours; but I think providers may not have to offer places like that. The thing to do is ask the provider about it, if/when you decide it's in your DD's interests to go to nursery.

sorry, my multiple reading failures, wish we could edit! You're right about the starting date, I was wrong. And now I see she's in nursery already. You won't need to move her unless you choose to. Ask her current nursery about the free hours, i.e. whether you can get them there once she's eligible.

Check if your employers do childcare vouchers. These also reduce childcare costs as are deducted from you pay before tax and national insurance. You also will get a grant towards your childcare commencing the term after your child turns 3 (might be Easter for you). That is on the assumption you are using a private nursery and it is classified as a 'partnership' one. It is extremely unlikely to cover private nursery fees in full but does help a bit.

Re school -
You just miss the cut off which would allow you the choice to start your child at 4.5 or wait until 5.5 as I believe this is end of February. Children born after December and before end den get this choice but most schools seem to try and persuade you to wait to 5.5.

She will start when she is 5.5, you won't get the option for her to start at 4.5, she misses the cut off date.

Not all nurseries offer the 15 hours free and when they do it term time only.

If they do they will run on until she starts school.

Wether she goes to a nursery in Edinburgh, outside or none at all she will still be eligible for a place at school and will go through the normal enrolment procedure.

Hi Babalela,

Another foreigner here, agree it's super complicated, but I think I'm starting to get a general idea of how it all works. Hopefully I can help a bit...

1, Yes you have understood correctly. Your DD will start school in August 2018.

2, 3, Every child living in Edinburgh has a place at their catchment school, whether they are at a council/school nursery or not. You must register your DD with Sciennes in November 2017. Nursery is not compulsory.

4, A council nursery is run by the council, as opposed to a private nursery that is run by a person or a foundation. They are much the same, and all inspected/regulated by the same body. Many private nurseries are partnership nurseries with the council, which means you still get your free childcare at those nurseries.

5, Your child will become eligible for childcare funding the first term after their 3rd birthday. For you I think this will mean spring term next year, but you should check this with your nursery.

6, You will be eligible for nursery funding until you start school.

7, Not sure about this.

There is no need to move your DD from her current nursery if you like it. You live in the Sciennes catchment area, so your DD will have the right to a place there for when she goes to school.

State nursery just means a council run nursery. They usually run for 3 hours 10 minutes each day in the school term time. You wouldn't get a place until August 2016 there.

A lot of Edinburgh privately run nurseries are in partnership with the council and you get reduced fees from the August after she turns 3.

What the 2nd bullet point means if you have started at an Edinburgh nursery, then you move say to West Lothian but wanted to continue at a school, you would apply for an out of region place which they would consider.