Scotland's Playgroups Reborn

We’ve reached the time of year where our pre-schoolers are practising songs, donning their caps and gowns, and getting very excited about their nursery leaving events. Finally, after what’s felt like an eternity, parents and carers, grandparents, sisters and brothers, aunties and uncles and a host of other family members are able to share in this joyous occasion in person. It’s an exciting time for everyone. It’s certainly an exciting time for our family, as my youngest prepares to take the leap from the nursery which has nurtured and cared for him since he was 18 months old to primary school. 

We have had, overall, a positive experience with regards to this transition. We know the school, having a current P7 there who is about to go into the next chapter of his own journey as he starts secondary school. As a family we’re familiar with the school environment and the staff and, were it not for our old pal Covid, my trainee P1 would have been fortunate to have been in the building much more frequently, attending shows, concerts and presentations for his big brother, as well as Bookbug sessions within the library which was previously attached to the building.

It would, however, be unfair to expect that this has been the situation for all parents with a transitioning child. Many have faced an anxious wait to find out if their placing request has been granted and, during this time, their child may have missed out on engagement with the school they will attend. This could mean that children have less of an opportunity to interact with their peers, as well as their teacher and the environment overall. 

We also have to be mindful that not every school-aged child will be ready to make that transition, and, in these situations, families will have requested to defer their entry. While the Scottish Government has enacted legislation guaranteeing a right to another year of funded ELC for children who are not ready to start school, this does not come into force until August 2023. Families are, therefore, still at the mercy of the discretion of their local authority, which has the power to decide that the child is either eligible or ineligible for a further year’s funding in preparation for starting school.

So too would it be remiss to suggest that the overall experience is perfect as it is. We expect young children, who have been used to consistent space and care for the majority of their ELC journey, to be able to adjust to spending their days in what begins as a very unfamiliar, bigger environment, with lots of older children, different ways of eating, playing, and sitting, after only having been there once or twice.

We therefore have to recognise and prioritise the experience, care and – let’s face it – love that the early years workforce has when it comes to children leaving their settings and moving into school. Earlier engagement with nurseries, childminders, playgroups etc and schools would be welcomed and, as part of this, there needs to be a stronger valuation of the relationships between these settings and the children they look after. It goes without saying that children would benefit significantly from earlier access to the school environment in order to properly prepare them for what is a big change in their wee lives. 

This should also sit alongside a more uniformed, earlier approach to dealing with placing requests. It’s just not fair that these families miss out on what is already quite limited exposure to their child’s new school because of the way in which their Local Authority makes these decisions. All children should have equity of access to the establishment which will guide them on the next part of their care and learning journey..

In the meantime, I hope that all children and settings have the most wonderful, fun, exciting, and happy transition season, and I wish all parents the very best in trying to hold it together as you watch your pride and joy celebrate their nursery farewells in different ways. I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to do that!

I dedicate this blog to my little graduate, George. Here’s to the ELC class of 2022!