Question reference: S5W-24856
- Asked by: Alison Harris, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 22 August 2019
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Current status: Answered by Maree Todd on 20 September 2019
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reports that several independent schools have pulled out of partnerships with local authorities in delivering childcare, and what impact it believes this will have on overall provision.
Answer
Independent schools can continue to offer the funded early learning and childcare entitlement from August 2020, if they meet the National Standard, are willing to enter into a contract with the local authority, and they have a place available.
We understand that some independent schools have indicated that from August 2020 they may withdraw from offering the funded early learning and childcare entitlement if they are unable to charge top-up fees for the funded hours. It is important to highlight that the longstanding legal position, as clearly laid out in the early learning and childcare statutory guidance published in 2014, is that the entitlement to mandatory early learning and childcare should be provided without the payment of fees, including where this is delivered through partner providers under a section 35 arrangement . It is therefore unlawful to charge parents and carers top-up fees for a child’s statutory early learning and childcare hours.
We remain confident that all local authorities and their partners will be ready to deliver when the 1140 hours' entitlement comes into force next August, and are aware that some local authorities have made changes to their implementation plans to respond to changing circumstances, as well as learning from early phasing of the expanded entitlement.
Scottish Government officials have met with the Scottish Council for Independent Schools and representatives from independent schools across Scotland on a number of occasions to discuss their views on the expansion in funded early learning and childcare.