Schools in Scotland - summary statistics: 2020

Headline statistics from the annual pupil and school staff censuses and early learning and childcare provision.


Chapter 5: Early Learning and Childcare

Table 5.1 shows that there were 90,126 registrations for funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) in September 2020, a decrease of 6.5% since September 2019 when there were 96,375 registrations. Uptake of funded ELC for eligible three and four year olds remains very high, with an estimated 95% registered (98% in 2019). Children registered to receive funded ELC at more than one centre may be counted more than once, so this will slightly overestimate true uptake. The decrease in the uptake of funded ELC this year may be due to the effects of COVID-19, with some parents choosing not to register their children.

The number of two year olds registered for funded ELC has decreased from 5,990 in 2019 to 4,863 in 2020. 9% of all two year olds were registered in 2020, a decrease from 11% in 2019.

At local authority level, the proportion of two year olds registered varies considerably, with the highest proportions found in Clackmannanshire (21%), West Dunbartonshire (19%) and Inverclyde (18%). Aberdeen City (3%), East Lothian (4%) and Shetland Islands (4%) had the lowest proportions of their two year old populations registered for funded ELC. It should be noted that the proportion of the two year old population registered for funded ELC will be affected by the proportion of the population that is eligible in each local authority area. However, this is currently not known, so the proportion of eligible two year olds that are registered for funded ELC cannot be reported on.

The number of deferred registrations for funded ELC increased by 12% from 5,326 in 2019 to 5,940 in 2020. Of children potentially eligible for deferral, 21% were registered for funded ELC in 2020, compared with 19% in 2019.

Table 5.2 shows that the overall FTE of teachers, graduates and staff working towards the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) benchmark degree level qualifications in ELC was 5,015 in 2020, compared with 4,781 in 2019, an increase of 5%. The FTE of teachers working in ELC was 729 in 2020, compared with 798 in 2019, a 9% decrease of 70 FTE. There were 2,721 FTE graduates working in ELC with degrees relevant to early years, other than teachers, a 7% increase of 185 FTE compared with 2,535 recorded in 2019. The FTE of ELC staff working towards the SSSC benchmark degree level qualifications increased by 117 to 1,565 in 2020, an 8% increase compared with 1,448 in 2019.

Table 5.1: Registrations (1) for funded early learning and childcare at local authority and partnership centres, September 2020
Under 2 2 year olds 3 & 4 year olds(2) Deferred entry(4) Total
Number % of population Number % of those eligible(3) Number % of those eligible(5)
Aberdeen City 0 73 3 3,046 90 256 22 3,375
Aberdeenshire 2 152 5 4,201 95 322 21 4,677
Angus 0 89 8 1,529 91 162 29 1,780
Argyll and Bute 0 61 9 1,093 99 92 25 1,246
City of Edinburgh 90 374 8 6,907 95 527 22 7,898
Clackmannanshire 0 110 21 790 97 28 10 928
Dumfries and Galloway 0 104 8 2,021 105 163 25 2,288
Dundee City 1 207 15 2,062 93 234 32 2,504
East Ayrshire 26 181 15 1,865 98 88 13 2,160
East Dunbartonshire 11 74 7 1,803 97 133 22 2,021
East Lothian 6 42 4 1,690 97 158 26 1,896
East Renfrewshire 7 70 7 1,668 95 110 18 1,855
Falkirk 0 137 9 2,307 95 202 24 2,646
Fife 0 488 14 5,334 95 325 17 6,147
Glasgow City 42 535 9 8,366 86 553 17 9,496
Highland 0 144 7 3,366 102 442 39 3,952
Inverclyde 43 123 18 1,074 104 83 24 1,323
Midlothian 1 137 12 1,700 94 155 25 1,993
Moray 0 59 7 1,414 105 131 28 1,604
Na h-Eileanan Siar 2 20 9 362 95 32 26 416
North Ayrshire 0 178 14 1,858 97 77 12 2,113
North Lanarkshire 2 272 8 5,195 93 281 15 5,750
Orkney Islands 0 10 6 293 95 40 41 343
Perth and Kinross 0 115 9 1,995 97 200 28 2,310
Renfrewshire 78 285 16 2,715 100 222 24 3,300
Scottish Borders 0 55 5 1,484 91 104 18 1,643
Shetland Islands 0 9 4 401 101 55 42 465
South Ayrshire 11 76 8 1,568 100 93 17 1,748
South Lanarkshire 78 291 9 5,190 102 348 21 5,907
Stirling 1 72 8 1,271 97 62 13 1,406
West Dunbartonshire 24 166 19 1,276 92 82 17 1,548
West Lothian 0 154 8 3,054 95 180 17 3,388
Scotland 425 4,863 9 78,898 95 5,940 21 90,126

(1) This is a snapshot of registrations at census week (14-18 September 2020). It does not include children who were registered between census week and the end of December.

(2) Refers to academic year - three and four year olds were previously referred to as ‘ante pre-school’ and ‘pre-school’ respectively.

(3) Eligible children are estimated from National Records of Scotland population projections. For three year olds, only around half of children are eligible at the time of the census (14-18 September 2020). Children are counted once for each centre they are registered with, so the same child may be counted multiple times if they attend more than one centre. Children may also attend centres outside of the local authority they live in, which would also affect these figures.

(4) Refers to children who are eligible to attend primary school but have deferred entry and remain in ELC.

(5) Eligibility figures for deferral are calculated on the assumption that all children born from September to February inclusive are potentially eligible for funded ELC if they defer entry to primary school; January and February born children are entitled to the additional year of funded ELC, while for September to December born children, the local authority decides whether to provide it. Children born after school commencement date in mid-August can also defer entry to primary school, but they are not included in the calculation for the percentage of those eligible for deferred entry to avoid double counting with the four year old category.

Table 5.2: Teachers, graduate staff, and staff working towards graduate qualifications at centres providing funded early learning and childcare, by local authority, September 2020
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) and percentage
Teachers (1) Graduates (2) Working towards graduate qualifications (3) Total
FTE % change since 2019
Aberdeen City 28 65 70 164 7
Aberdeenshire 19 88 84 191 -12
Angus 12 44 41 96 8
Argyll and Bute 11 37 26 74 -1
City of Edinburgh 91 310 150 551 3
Clackmannanshire 3 29 19 51 11
Dumfries and Galloway 8 99 19 126 8
Dundee City 36 53 35 125 -6
East Ayrshire 13 94 49 156 -3
East Dunbartonshire 31 55 39 126 8
East Lothian 5 46 12 64 15
East Renfrewshire 33 53 29 115 -10
Falkirk 4 53 50 107 2
Fife 66 79 86 231 10
Glasgow City 51 467 255 773 3
Highland 33 33 27 93 0
Inverclyde 9 46 38 94 14
Midlothian 14 73 16 103 -5
Moray 14 41 25 79 50
Na h-Eileanan Siar 3 6 5 14 41
North Ayrshire 10 101 46 157 8
North Lanarkshire 3 194 76 272 2
Orkney Islands 5 8 14 27 39
Perth and Kinross 44 80 61 184 15
Renfrewshire 5 126 41 171 5
Scottish Borders 21 27 18 66 57
Shetland Islands 6 6 14 26 23
South Ayrshire 31 56 51 138 18
South Lanarkshire 80 154 65 299 7
Stirling 7 74 43 124 -4
West Dunbartonshire 16 62 23 101 6
West Lothian 18 63 38 119 11
Scotland 729 2,721 1,565 5,015 5

(1) GTCS registered teachers. Includes teachers in ELC centres, centrally employed teachers, and home visiting teachers.

(2) Includes staff that hold: a degree level benchmark qualification required by the SSSC for registration as a manager/lead practitioner (see background notes for list of benchmark qualifications); a degree level (SCQF level 9) qualification relevant to early years and are working towards a degree level benchmark qualification required by the SSSC for registration as a manager/lead practitioner; or a degree level qualification sufficient to meet the registration standards of another regulatory body (e.g. Nursing and Midwifery Council, General Medical Council).

(3) Staff that do not hold degrees (SCQF level 9) relevant to early years, but are working towards a SSSC benchmark degree level qualification for registration as a manager/lead practitioner.

Table 5.3 shows the characteristics of teachers in ELC. The vast majority of teachers (93%) were female. Since 2015, the proportion of male teachers has more than doubled from 3% to 7%.

Table 5.3: ELC Teacher characteristics percentages, 2020
Percentage of headcount
Sex Age
Female Male Under 25 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 or over Average Age
93 7 1 15 32 34 19 45

Since 2012, the average age of teachers has remained around age 45. Data on age and sex is only available for teachers, although they only form part of the graduate workforce in ELC.

Chart 2 shows the age profile of GTCS registered ELC teachers, as at September 2020. The number of teachers generally increases to age 39, then peaks at age 39 and 50, before decreasing sharply after age 57.

Chart 2: Age profile of GTCS registered early learning and childcare teachers
Line chart showing age profile of GTCS registered Early Learning and Childcare teachers

Contact

Email: school.stats@gov.scot

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