2022-2023 Primary One Deferral Data

The request was partially successful.

Patricia Anderson

Dear Highland Council,

This is a Freedom of Information request which I am sending to all 32 Scottish local authorities.

Please could the Council provide:

1. The total number of requests received to date for a further year of early learning and childcare (nursery/ childminder etc) for children whose fifth birthdays fell/ will fall between the day after the school start date in August 2022 and 31st Dec 2022.

2. A breakdown of the total number in 1. above by requests for

a) continued funding in private/voluntary settings and

b) continued funding in council run settings and

c) continued funding for split placements where a child attends both a private/voluntary and a council run setting.

3. In relation to question 2, please provide the number of places the Council has agreed to provide continued funding for in
a) private/voluntary settings and
b) council run settings and
c) split placements where a child attends both a private/voluntary and a council run setting.

4. How many of the children applying have a December birthday?

5a. How many appeals (challenges if there is no official appeals process) did the Council receive against the Council’s decision not to grant funding?

5b. How many of these appeals/challenges resulted in the initial decision being overturned?

6. How many official complaints has the Council received regarding discretionary deferral funding decisions between Nov 2021 and the date of your response to this FoI request?

7. How many parents/carers are currently financing a further year of nursery for their child's deferral year themselves in a council-run nursery after the Council refused to fund their request for this?

8a. How many applications did the Council receive for children to be permitted early entry to primary school to start in Aug 2022 instead of Aug 2023 (for children who will turn five on or after 1st March 2023)?

8b. How many of these early entry applications were approved?

9a. How many requests did the Council receive for older children* to defer their primary one start till Aug 2023?

*(by "older children" I mean those who had already reached the age of five by the school commencement date in August 2022).

9b. How many older children* has the Council permitted to defer their primary one start till Aug 2023?

*(by "older children" I mean those who had already reached the age of five by the school commencement date in August 2022).

Yours faithfully,

Patricia Anderson

Customer Resolution & Improvement Team, Highland Council

Thank you for your email to the Highland Council's Customer Resolution &
Improvement Team.  The team are currently experiencing a very high level
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Unless related to the business of The Highland Council, the views or
opinions expressed within this e-mail are those of the sender and do not
necessarily reflect those of The Highland Council, or associated bodies,
nor does this e-mail form part of any contract unless so stated.
Mura h-eil na beachdan a tha air an cur an cèill sa phost-d seo a'
buntainn ri gnothachas Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd, 's ann leis an neach
fhèin a chuir air falbh e a tha iad, is chan eil iad an-còmhnaidh a'
riochdachadh beachdan na Comhairle, no buidhnean buntainneach, agus chan
eil am post-d seo na phàirt de chunnradh sam bith mura h-eil sin air
innse.

The Highland Council, Highland Council

Your Freedom of Information request has been submitted.

Request summary

Subject of request: Primary One Deferral Data
Details of your request: This is a Freedom of Information request which I
am sending to all 32 Scottish local authorities.

Please could the Council provide:

1. The total number of requests received to date for a further year of
early learning and childcare (nursery/ childminder etc) for children whose
fifth birthdays fell/ will fall between the day after the school start
date in August 2022 and 31st Dec 2022.

2. A breakdown of the total number in 1. above by requests for

a) continued funding in private/voluntary settings and

b) continued funding in council run settings and

c) continued funding for split placements where a child attends both a
private/voluntary and a council run setting.

3. In relation to question 2, please provide the number of places the
Council has agreed to provide continued funding for in

a) private/voluntary settings and

b) council run settings and

c) split placements where a child attends both a private/voluntary and a
council run setting.

4. How many of the children applying have a December birthday?

5a. How many appeals (challenges if there is no official appeals process)
did the Council receive against the Council’s decision not to grant
funding?

5b. How many of these appeals/challenges resulted in the initial decision
being overturned?

6. How many official complaints has the Council received regarding
discretionary deferral funding decisions between Nov 2021 and the date of
your response to this FoI request?

7. How many parents/carers are currently financing a further year of
nursery for their child's deferral year themselves in a council-run
nursery after the Council refused to fund their request for this?

8a. How many applications did the Council receive for children to be
permitted early entry to primary school to start in Aug 2022 instead of
Aug 2023 (for children who will turn five on or after 1st March 2023)?

8b. How many of these early entry applications were approved?

9a. How many requests did the Council receive for older children* to defer
their primary one start till Aug 2023?

*(by "older children" I mean those who had already reached the age of five
by the school commencement date in August 2022).

9b. How many older children* has the Council permitted to defer their
primary one start till Aug 2023?

*(by "older children" I mean those who had already reached the age of five
by the school commencement date in August 2022).

Your reference is FS-Case-460965389. Please quote this if you need to
[1]contact us.

We aim to handle your case within 20 working days of the date we received
your correspondence, which was 2022-10-25.

Yours sincerely,
Customer Resolution & Improvement Team

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Get in touch - [2]Our contact details

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Unless related to the business of The Highland Council, the views or
opinions expressed within this e-mail are those of the sender and do not
necessarily reflect those of The Highland Council, or associated bodies,
nor does this e-mail form part of any contract unless so stated.
Mura h-eil na beachdan a tha air an cur an cèill sa phost-d seo a'
buntainn ri gnothachas Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd, 's ann leis an neach
fhèin a chuir air falbh e a tha iad, is chan eil iad an-còmhnaidh a'
riochdachadh beachdan na Comhairle, no buidhnean buntainneach, agus chan
eil am post-d seo na phàirt de chunnradh sam bith mura h-eil sin air
innse.

References

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1. https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/591/cou...
2. https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/591/cou...

The Highland Council, Highland Council

Dear Ms Anderson,

Original FOI request: Primary One Deferral Data

Unfortunately some of the information you have requested is not held by
the Council. This response represents a notice under Section 17 of Freedom
of Information (Scotland) Act that the Council is unable to provide the
information for that reason.

1. The total number of requests received to date for a further year of
early learning and childcare (nursery/ childminder etc) for children whose
fifth birthdays fell/ will fall between the day after the school start
date in August 2022 and 31st Dec 2022.

187.

2. A breakdown of the total number in 1. above by requests for

a) continued funding in private/voluntary settings and

39.

b) continued funding in council run settings and

131.

c) continued funding for split placements where a child attends both a
private/voluntary and a council run setting.

17.

3. In relation to question 2, please provide the number of places the
Council has agreed to provide continued funding for in

a) private/voluntary settings and

b) council run settings and

c) split placements where a child attends both a private/voluntary and a
council run setting.

We don’t stipulate how many deferrals are agreed, its on a need and
request basis.

4. How many of the children applying have a December birthday?

15 in PC
56 in LA.

5a. How many appeals (challenges if there is no official appeals process)
did the Council receive against the Council’s decision not to grant
funding?

None as we permit deferrals on requests ahead of the change in
legislation.

5b. How many of these appeals/challenges resulted in the initial decision
being overturned?

N/A.

6. How many official complaints has the Council received regarding
discretionary deferral funding decisions between Nov 2021 and the date of
your response to this FoI request?

None as we permit deferrals on request.

7. How many parents/carers are currently financing a further year of
nursery for their child's deferral year themselves in a council-run
nursery after the Council refused to fund their request for this?

0.

8a. How many applications did the Council receive for children to be
permitted early entry to primary school to start in Aug 2022 instead of
Aug 2023 (for children who will turn five on or after 1st March 2023)?

With reference to Section 17 of the Act we are unable to provide you with
this information as it is not held centrally by the Highland Council.

8b. How many of these early entry applications were approved?

N/A.

9a. How many requests did the Council receive for older children* to defer
their primary one start till Aug 2023?

*(by "older children" I mean those who had already reached the age of five
by the school commencement date in August 2022).

With reference to Section 17 of the Act we are unable to provide you with
this information as it is not held centrally by the Highland Council.

9b. How many older children* has the Council permitted to defer their
primary one start till Aug 2023?

*(by "older children" I mean those who had already reached the age of five
by the school commencement date in August 2022).

Zero.

Under Section 20 of Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act, you have the
right to request that the Highland Council reviews any aspect of how it
has dealt with your request. This requirement for review should be
requested to the Freedom of Information Officer, Chief Executive’s Office,
Glenurquhart Road, Inverness IV3 5NX, or [email address], within 40
working days of receipt of this response. The request should include
details of the information requested and the aspects of the Highland
Council’s response which you are not satisfied with.

If you are subsequently dissatisfied with the outcome of the Council's
review, you have the right to appeal to the Scottish Information
Commissioner under Section 47 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland)
Act, within six months of receiving the Council's review response.

Yours sincerely
Customer Resolution and Improvement Team

Unless related to the business of The Highland Council, the views or
opinions expressed within this e-mail are those of the sender and do not
necessarily reflect those of The Highland Council, or associated bodies,
nor does this e-mail form part of any contract unless so stated.
Mura h-eil na beachdan a tha air an cur an cèill sa phost-d seo a'
buntainn ri gnothachas Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd, 's ann leis an neach
fhèin a chuir air falbh e a tha iad, is chan eil iad an-còmhnaidh a'
riochdachadh beachdan na Comhairle, no buidhnean buntainneach, agus chan
eil am post-d seo na phàirt de chunnradh sam bith mura h-eil sin air
innse.