Written Question · S2W-21167 · Session 2
What percentage of children have had access to quality care and early learning before entering school in the (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of children have had access to quality care and early learning before entering school in the (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) East Dunbartonshire local authority area in each year since 1996.
The answer
We cannot provide figures of the percentage of children in school who have had quality care and early learning before entering school, but we can provide estimates of the percentage of three, four and five-year-olds who are registered for pre-school education at a particular time of the year.
Local authorities are required to offer every child a part-time pre-school place from the term following their third birthday. Pre-school provision is not compulsory.
The percentage three, four and five-year-olds registered for pre-school education in each year since 1996 where available in the (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) East Dunbartonshire local authority areas are given in the table below.
Registrations for Pre-School Education as a Percentage of the Estimated Number of Children in the Local Authority
| West Dunbartonshire
| East Dunbartonshire
Ante Pre-School
| Pre-School
| Deferred Entry
| Ante Pre-School
| Pre-School
| Deferred Entry
January 2005
| 76%
| 94%
| 7%
| 94%
| 96%
| 6%
January 2004
| 82%
| 90%
| 8%
| 94%
| 99%
| 8%
January 2003
| 83%
| 99%
| 6%
| 91%
| 95%
| 4%
January 2002
| 56%
| 77%
| 4%
| 90%
| 97%
| 9%
September 1999
| 19%
| 25%
| 2%
| 8%
| 30%
| 1%
September 1997
| 15%
| 54%
| 1%
| 9%
| 30%
| 0%
September 1996
| 16%
| 33%
| 1%
| 9%
| 23%
| 7%
The following points should be noted:
Ante pre-school registrations are calculated as the percentage of all children aged three in January or September of a given year. Children become eligible for pre-school education in the term following their third birthday and therefore census figures relating to the first or second term of the year will normally be less than 100% as they do not count children who start pre-school in the spring term. Children may be enrolled early at the discretion of the local authority and the ante-pre-school figures are likely to include a number of such children.
Pre-school registrations are presented as a percentage of the
Local authorities are required to offer every child a part-time pre-school place from the term following their third birthday. Pre-school provision is not compulsory.
The percentage three, four and five-year-olds registered for pre-school education in each year since 1996 where available in the (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) East Dunbartonshire local authority areas are given in the table below.
Registrations for Pre-School Education as a Percentage of the Estimated Number of Children in the Local Authority
| West Dunbartonshire
| East Dunbartonshire
Ante Pre-School
| Pre-School
| Deferred Entry
| Ante Pre-School
| Pre-School
| Deferred Entry
January 2005
| 76%
| 94%
| 7%
| 94%
| 96%
| 6%
January 2004
| 82%
| 90%
| 8%
| 94%
| 99%
| 8%
January 2003
| 83%
| 99%
| 6%
| 91%
| 95%
| 4%
January 2002
| 56%
| 77%
| 4%
| 90%
| 97%
| 9%
September 1999
| 19%
| 25%
| 2%
| 8%
| 30%
| 1%
September 1997
| 15%
| 54%
| 1%
| 9%
| 30%
| 0%
September 1996
| 16%
| 33%
| 1%
| 9%
| 23%
| 7%
The following points should be noted:
Ante pre-school registrations are calculated as the percentage of all children aged three in January or September of a given year. Children become eligible for pre-school education in the term following their third birthday and therefore census figures relating to the first or second term of the year will normally be less than 100% as they do not count children who start pre-school in the spring term. Children may be enrolled early at the discretion of the local authority and the ante-pre-school figures are likely to include a number of such children.
Pre-school registrations are presented as a percentage of the
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S2W-21167 by reference.