2022-2023 Primary One Deferral Data

The request was successful.

Patricia Anderson

Dear Clackmannanshire 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

Eileen McKinsley, Clackmannanshire Council

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To:
Ms. Patricia Anderson Contact: Eileen McKinsley
Tel. No: 01259 450000
Ref: PEO049D499
Date: 24/10/2022

Dear Ms. Anderson

Freedom of Information : PEO049D499

I acknowledge receipt of your request for information which was received
on 24/10/2022 about 2022-2023 Primary One Deferral Data .   It will be
forwarded to the appropriate Council Service for action and you should
receive a response, or a request for clarification by 21/11/2022. If there
is a need to clarify anything relating to your request, colleagues will
contact you.  

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me.  

Yours sincerely

Eileen McKinsley

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Eileen McKinsley, Clackmannanshire Council

1 Attachment

┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┬┐
│ Clackmannanshire Council, Kilncraigs, Alloa, Clackmannanshire FK10 ││
│ 1EB                                       ││
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┴┘

To:
Ms. Patricia Anderson Contact: Eileen McKinsley
  Tel. No: 01259 450000
Ref: PEO049D499
Date: 16/11/2022

Dear Ms. Anderson

Freedom of Information Enquiry: PEO049D499

Thank you for your information request dated 24/10/2022.

I am happy to supply you with the information you requested.

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.

26 requests

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

a) continued funding in private/voluntary settings and

0 requests

b) continued funding in council run settings and

26 requests

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

0 requests

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 are one of the  pilot authorities offering deferred entry to all
children who were not 5 when school started  so all requests were accepted

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

7 children

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?

No appeals as all accepted
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?

No complaints

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?

none

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)?

none

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?

none

*(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?

n/a

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

Yours sincerely

Eileen McKinsley

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Dear Clackmannanshire Council,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Clackmannanshire Council's handling of my FOI request '2022-2023 Primary One Deferral Data'.

Please could you review the numbers provided in your responses to questions 1-3. The total of 26 is almost four times the number of 7 you provided last year in response to the same FoI request and seems incredibly high. I wonder if January and February deferrals have been included in this total by mistake instead of just mid-August - 31st Dec born deferrals? I would be grateful if you could double-check this.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/2...

Yours faithfully,

Patricia Anderson

Democracy, Clackmannanshire Council

Clackmannanshire is part of a Scottish Government pilot project this year
whereby we were asked to automatically accept all requests for deferrals
whereas previously we applied our own Council policy.

Kind regards

Michael Boyle
Education Business Manager
Clackmannanshire Council

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Democracy, Clackmannanshire Council

We  are a year 2 pilot authority for Automatic deferrals for August to
December children hence the higher number as any child not yet turned 5 at
start of school session 22/23 had an automatic right to another funded
year in ELC.  January and February deferrals are not included in figures
provided.
ELC Lead Officer
Clackmannanshire Council

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