Parents left disappointed by Fife Council’s handling of nursery placements

Parents of young children across Fife have been left angry and disappointed with the council’s handling of the allocation of nursery placements for the next school year.

The Press has been contacted by several parents of three-year-olds blasting Fife Council after they received letters including details of their child’s nursery place – or lack of one – for after the summer.

Like all local authorities, Fife had been working towards providing 1140 hours of early learning and childcare to all three and four year olds from this August in line with Scottish Government 
requirements.

As a result, all families had to reapply for a place at a council-run nursery as things were remodelled to incorporate the new provision.

Last week, families started to receive letters confirming the situation for their child, but many have been left disappointed by the decisions.

Fife Council has admitted it faced “unprecedented challenges” allocating nursery places this year as the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted plans to phase in the 1140 hours.

Among those families who contacted us were some whose children have been allocated a space at a nursery attached to a different school from where an elder sibling attends, as well as some who live some distance away from the nursery they have been allocated.

And in some cases, three-year-olds who currently have a place at a school nursery will no longer have that place next year and indeed have not been allocated any place for their pre-school year.

Joanne Coles, whose son Liam has a place at Kirkcaldy West Nursery this term, has not been given a place at any council-run nursery for the next school year.

She said: “We live in the catchment area and my eldest son is currently in the nursery and will be going into primary one at the school in August.

“I wasn’t expecting what was said in the letter. I was expecting not to get the 1140 hours, which is fine, but he hasn’t got a place anywhere - either at the West or the other choices we put on the form.

“He was given a place for this term, as it was the first one after he turned three, but we’ve had no explanation as to why he’s not been given that place next year.

“We’ve been told he’s 14th on the waiting list at Kirkcaldy West.

“I’ve been trying to get answers from the council, but I’m just not getting any.”

And Gillian Bowie, from Glenrothes, has found herself in a similar situation.

Her son Luke has been 
attending nursery at Pitcoudie Primary since last summer, but he no longer has a place there and has not been granted a place at any of the other four preferences the family put on their application form.

She said: “He has already been at nursery for a year and is settled there, so to be given no placement at all is quite disappointing to me.

“It seems some children are getting 600 hours, some are getting the 1140 hours, but my son is getting none.

“He’s on the waiting list for all five of our choices. The council has included a list of other possible options, but they are just not suitable.

“I had a copy and pasted reply from the head of early years team but it hasn’t answered any of my questions as to why some kids are now receiving the full 1140 hours whilst others are going to be receiving none.”

Shelagh McLean, head of education and children’s services, said the pandemic had disrupted plans to phase in 1140 hours.

She said: “It’s important to stress that, despite these challenges, 5500 children have nursery places to start in August and almost 95 per cent of those children have been given either their first or second choices.

“We have done our best to make sure there are at least three different options in each nursery area.

“However we understand that some parents will not be happy with the allocation they have received.

“Unfortunately it’s just not possible to give everyone exactly what was asked for, and there is no ideal solution which will be suitable for every family and their needs.

“We will work through any appeals as quickly as possible. Our staff are doing the best they can under difficult circumstances and we ask that parents bear with us while we deal with this work.”

She added: “We will also continue to engage with partners in the private and voluntary sectors, as well as childminders, to deliver funded early learning and childcare on behalf of Fife Council.

“Families are asked to make direct contact with private nurseries and playgroups if they wish to apply to use ELC funding with them.”

Parents with any questions regarding nursery placements are asked to contact the Early Years Team by emailing [email protected]