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The then Scottish Executive repealed the Schools Code in 2002, which had previously required all local authorities to employ a full-time teacher in every nursery. Local authorities were therefore given the flexibility to decide how best to involve teachers in the delivery of early learning and childcare, and this remains their responsibility.

The table sets out the number of Full-Time Equivalent teachers working in Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) centres situated in the 20% most deprived areas of Scotland. In each year over the period 2011 to 2015 FTE teachers working in ELC centres in the 20% most deprived areas have accounted for around 20% of all FTE teachers employed in ELC centres.

FTE of teachers working in ELC centres situated in the 20% most deprived areas

With regards to the numbers of graduates; the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) hold some information on the qualifications of staff working in early learning and childcare settings. However, the qualifications of a significant number of staff is unknown.

As part of the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) data transformation project, the Scottish Government is working with the Care Inspectorate and the Scottish Social Services Council to improve the data available on those working within the ELC sector, ensuring each of the statistical collections have a specific and clear purpose, and gather appropriate information to meet user needs. The project aims to reduce duplication and minimise burden on data providers, whilst ensuring the quality of the data available is of an appropriate standard.

In October 2015, the First Minister committed to ensuring that nurseries in the most disadvantaged areas will benefit from an additional teacher or graduate from 2018, which will bolster the level of support from highly qualified learning professionals for those children who we know will benefit most.

Information on student loan debt is held and published by the Student Loans Company (SLC).

http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/student-loans-debt-and-repayment/scotland.aspx

The latest publication, covering financial year 2015-16, showed that the average student loan debt for the 2016 cohort, which just entered repayment, was £10,500. The publication does not contain the other information requested.

Scottish Government does not collect data on annual costs of childcare on a regular basis and has not calculated the average annual cost to parents of childcare.

A total of 37,820 students received the additional £125 bursary in 2015-16. The bursary was payable to eligible students who were already in receipt of a bursary and were from a household with an income below £24,000. 30,930 students who received the bursary were from households with an annual income below £16,999.

The £125 additional bursary was embedded in the student support rates for 2016-17 which means all eligible students will receive this additional payment going forward.

The following table shows the students who received the additional bursary in 2015-16 by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 2012.

Source: Student Awards Agency Scotland

Note: SIMD 2012 identifies small area concentrations of multiple deprivation across all of Scotland in a consistent way. The SIMD ranks small areas (called datazones) from most deprived (ranked 1) to least deprived (ranked 6,505). Analysis here is based on quintiles which split the ranks in to five equal sized groups, such as the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland.

The number of a) entrants and b) qualifiers to first-degree primary education courses at Scottish Higher Education Institutions is included in the following tables:

Information on student loan debt is held and published by the Student Loans Company (SLC).

http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/student-loans-debt-and-repayment/scotland.aspx

The latest publication, covering financial year 2015-16, showed that the total balance outstanding (including loans not yet due for repayment) was £4.0 billion.

Source: Student Loans Company

The following table shows the number of students, who received the maximum amount of bursary in the last five academic years, and the number who received less than the maximum.

The following table shows the number of students that were assessed by Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for the maximum loan available and those that were assessed for an amount less than the maximum.

This information is only available for the last three academic years. Analysis for 2011-12 and 2012-13 is not available because there were a large number of fluctuations on the maximum loan available, with amounts being based on the actual term dates for each course.

Source: SAAS

Note: Analysis is based on those receiving the exact maximum amounts – there may be some who initially would have been entitled to the maximum, though what they actually received may have been adjusted to account for issues such as overpayments from previous sessions being recovered. Loans are based on what SAAS authorised, what the student actually took out through the Student Loans Company (SLC) may be different. The analysis does not cover those who “claimed”, only those who received support. We do not hold information on those who “claimed” a loan but did not receive one.

Information on the number of eligible students who did not apply for a loan or bursary is not available.

It is estimated that by almost doubling the number of free hours of Early Learning and Childcare entitlement from current levels (600 hours) to 1140 hours by 2020 will result in an average saving of £2,000 per child.

This has been calculated as the additional number of funded hours multiplied by the hourly price of early learning and childcare using the latest figures estimated by the Family and Childcare Trust for privately purchasing early learning and childcare for children over age 2 (estimated to be £4.16 per hour).

The Scottish Government will provide updates on progress toward delivery of 1,140 hours.

On 15 November I set out details for three delivery trials to be progressed from January 2017, located in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders. A news release which provides further details on the individual trials can be found at: http://news.gov.scot/news/making-free-childcare-more-flexible

We will make a further announcement on the Programme of trials in December.

The publication does not identify a reason for the reduction in the number of students accessing bursaries. However, the Scottish Government will investigate this further, in consultation with stakeholders, as part of the recently announced review of student support.

The Scottish Government is committed to doing more to ensure support is equitable and fair for all students, particularly the most vulnerable, which is why we have announced a comprehensive review of student support with an independent chair. The review will examine a range of issues including the current split between bursaries and loans.