Early Years Education Review - Freedom of information requests
Title or Description
Early Years Education Review
FOI Number
20250437
Date Received
09/04/2025
Type of Request
FOI
Request or Question
Please can you provide information relating to the current early years education review that is recommending to mothball a number of nurseries across the Scottish Borders: Copies of the EQIA and other relevant supporting documents for each of the 12 settings under review
A breakdown of the running costs per nursery under review and a breakdown of the proposed savings per nursery.
The research SBC has that supports the claims made about the benefits of a larger setting and any research that has been reviewed about the benefits of smaller settings
What has been done to review the operational costs of Channelkirk nursery and options to reduce these to make it more sustainable long term e.g. what would be required to reduce staff levels back down to 2?
Response
1) Executive Report attached which includes this information
2)These are published with the council papers from the 15th April which can be found at this link Agenda for Executive Committee on Tuesday, 15th April, 2025, 10.00 am - Scottish Borders Council
3) Please note that the above figures do not include utility or school meal costs as these are not available at nursery level. In addition, proposed savings have not yet been calculated, therefore we give notice under s17 of FOI(S)A 2002 and declare that the information is not held. The research SBC has that supports the claims made about the benefits of a larger setting and any research that has been reviewed about the benefits of smaller settings The research SBC has that supports the claims made about the benefits of a larger setting and any research that has been reviewed about the benefits of smaller settings * Important to distinguish that the given benefits are experienced due to larger peer group not necessarily the physical setting. * Realising the Ambition is the guidance around high quality pedagogy and practice realisingtheambition.pdf * Quality framework for early learning and childcare 2022_PRINT FRIENDLY.pdf * Care Inspectorate website features reports which outline practical difficulties for smaller settings Welcome to the Care Inspectorate * National Week of Play: Social play and its benefits | early years alliance What has been done to review the operational costs of Channelkirk nursery and options to reduce these to make it more sustainable long term e.g. what would be required to reduce staff levels back down to 2? The consultation is the opportunity to review and analyse all these.
