FOI Request - Discretionary Deferral Funding Stats for 2020-2021

Request 101002580650

Please could the Council provide:

1) The total number of requests received to date for the Council to provide discretionary funding for a further year of early learning and childcare (nursery) for children whose fifth birthdays will fall between the day after the school start date in August 2020 and 31st Dec 2020.

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 2019 and the date of your response to this FoI request?

7a. How many applications did the Council receive for children to be permitted early entry to primary school to start in Aug 2020 instead of Aug 2021 (for children who will turn five on or after 1st March 2021)?

7b. How many of these early entry applications were approved?

8. Is the Council’s discretionary deferral funding policy currently under review or are there any plans to update it in the near future?

9. 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?

10. How many older children* has the Council permitted to defer their primary one start till 2021?  
*(by "older children" I mean those who had already reached the age of five by the school commencement date in August 2020).

Response 22-09-2020

To answer your request in full would cost the Council in excess of £600 as the information is not held centrally. In accordance with section 12 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 we are therefore unable to comply with all of your request. Please find information that can be provided within the cost limit below.

5. a) Nil
b) N/A

6. Nil

8. No

9.  In accordance with section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 we can confirm that this information is not held.