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Allocations of the additional graduates to local authorities were determined by their share of the nurseries located in the 20% most deprived postcode areas. Using the Care Inspectorate data on Early Learning and Childcare settings, and the latest Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), 432 nurseries were identified as being located in the 20% most deprived postcode areas. Each of the three local authorities (Orkney, Shetland, and Western Isles) without a nursery in the 20% most deprived postcode areas will also receive one additional graduate.

However, to ensure that this commitment benefits as many children as possible local authorities will be given flexibility to draw on their local data to prioritise how they allocate these additional places.

We are currently working closely with local authorities on progressing this commitment, and will ask them provide plans setting out how they propose to allocate the additional places in their area, including how many of the additional training places they wish to access.

Local authorities will be asked to provide plans setting out how they propose to allocate the additional places in their area.

We are working closely with local authorities to progress the delivery of this commitment, and will monitor the impact on child outcomes as part of the wider evaluation of the early learning and childcare expansion to 1140 hours.

Notes

Local consultation is underway on the design of these trial services, including desired patterns of delivery, which will determine the final staffing model. Recruitment will commence following this period of consultation. These trials are currently on track to admit children on time.

These trials focus on redesigning existing services with registered childminders.

These trials are seeking to recruit new registered childminders.

Additional staff include local authority employed staff and registered childminders.

More information on each of the approved trials can be found at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/People/Young-People/early-years/ELCTrials/ELCTrials 

For the 2011 census the information received from certain local authority run centres could not be assigned to a local authority as during the quality assurance process, the identification number provided by the centres involved had been deemed invalid. This resulted in 395 registrations being excluded from the census results.

The census process has changed since 2011 and this problem can no longer occur. We conduct a pre-survey prior to the main census in September, checking which centres should be involved in the census, and returns are now validated by the local authorities.

The Scottish Government has not assessed the cost of collecting nursery registration information at the start of each new term. Currently the data is collected from Early Learning and Childcare centres and although we do not have a cost for them to complete the census, it is estimated that it costs local authorities £27,000 for their involvement to validate the data collected. We are currently reviewing the timing of the Early Learning and Childcare data collection, and are considering the most beneficial time to capture this information.

To support the use of digital technology in schools, the Scottish Government offers to fund a high speed broadband connection via the Scottish Wide Area Network to a central point in every Scottish local authority for use by education establishments. Onward connectivity to education establishments is the responsibility of local authorities. Attainment Advisors are active in every local authority area and are proactively promoting effective practice in reducing the attainment gap. They are available to provide advice and support where necessary.

6,213 people have taken part in an Early Years related apprenticeship since 2011-12.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS), the Scottish Government agency responsible for apprenticeship frameworks, does not hold information on how many of these apprentices were employed as Early Years staff after their apprenticeship.

The following table provides information on Modern Apprenticeship spend drawn down by learning providers for early years related frameworks.

Please note that Skills Development Scotland make funding contributions towards training only. Recruitment costs are covered by employers.

For Foundation Apprenticeships, there was spend of £34,723 to one provider to deliver a 2015-17 pathfinder for the Children and Young People Foundation Apprenticeship Framework.

Education Scotland is currently working with its trade union partners to discuss and agree the best way of addressing the issues raised in the People Survey, including how it manages change.

We are currently reviewing the way in which information is collected for Early Learning and Childcare registrations, and are considering the most beneficial time to capture this data.