From August 2023, an additional year of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) will be a universal right for eligible children.
Families which are resident in Angus and who defer their child’s entry to primary one will receive an additional year of funded ELC.
The following information is intended to help you if you are considering whether your child should start primary one or defer entry to school.
Deferred entry into primary one
In Scotland, children usually start primary school in the year before, or the year of their fifth birthday. In primary one classes, children are usually aged between 4½ and 5½ years.
If a child does not start school at the expected August start date this is called ‘deferred entry to primary school’.
If your child’s fifth birthday falls on or between the day after the school commencement date and 28/29 February you have a legal right to defer their entry into primary one.
If you wish to defer your child’s entry to school, this additional year of ELC will be funded.
Every effort will be made for this to be accessed at the setting of your choice. This cannot be guaranteed if you want to change setting for this additional year or request a setting outwith Angus.
Can my child have an additional year of funded ELC?
Yes, if your child was born on or between 16 August 2018 and 28 February 2019.
Children are entitled to an additional year of funded ELC and will start school the following August when they will be nearer 6 years old.
No, if your child was born on or between 1 March 2018 and 15 August 2018.
Children who are five before the start of the school session in August must start school or you can arrange a suitable alternative for your child’s education e.g. home schooling.
I am considering applying for an additional year of funded ELC for my child. What should I do?
You should speak to staff in your child’s ELC setting. They will arrange to meet with you, normally before the end of December. This will help you to decide if you want to apply for an additional year of funded ELC for your child. The application form is available at your child’s ELC setting.
Will my child cope with primary one?
Primary schools are very well equipped to meet a wide range of needs. There is no such thing as being “ready for school”. Instead it is important that the school is “ready for the child”.
Sharing information means additional supports can be put in place at transition from ELC to primary. This will ensure your child’s needs are met in a supportive learning context.
The staff at your child’s ELC setting will be happy to discuss these supports with you. You can also approach the Head Teacher of your primary catchment school.
Could an additional year of funded ELC disadvantage my child?
It is important to consider your child’s school career from ELC to secondary school and beyond.
All young people can legally leave school in Scotland at age 16.
If your child turns 16 between 1 March and 30 September, they can leave school after 31 May of that year.
If they turn 16 between 1 October and the end of February then they can leave at the start of the Christmas holidays in that school year.
Deferring entry to primary one, may mean that your child could decide to leave secondary school before completing SQA National Qualifications.
My child’s birthday falls on or between the day after the school commencement date and 28/29 February. I am unsure whether he/she should start school in August 2023.
Most children in this age group are ready to, and do, start school, although they do not legally have to.
You may think it is in the best interests of your own child to defer their entry to school. If this is the case, you need to make your request known by speaking to staff in your child’s ELC setting.
Note if you choose to defer your child’s entry to primary but later change your mind and apply for primary one your child may not get a place at the school of your choice.
Where should my child be placed for this additional year of funded ELC?
Carefully consider in which setting you want your child to complete their additional year of funded ELC.
If you apply for a primary one place at a school that is not your child’s primary catchment school there is no guarantee that they will be able to attend this school. Attendance at any local authority setting will not give your child priority for a place at that school when starting primary one unless it is the setting of your primary catchment school.
Please remember that the decision-making processes for primary one placing requests will not consider or be influenced by:
- whether a child has completed an additional year of funded ELC
- where it has taken place
- the reason for granting the place
My child lives in Angus but attends an ELC setting outwith Angus. If I am considering applying for an additional year of funded ELC, what should I do?
You should discuss this with staff in your child’s ELC setting.
You must complete the additional year of funded ELC application form for the local authority in which you live – in this case Angus.
We will make every effort, through discussion with the other local authority, for your child to access the additional year of funded ELC at the setting of your choice. However, we cannot guarantee this will be the case.
My child attends an Angus ELC setting and I do not live in Angus. If I am considering applying for an additional year of funded ELC, what should I do?
You should discuss this with staff in your child’s ELC setting.
You must complete the additional year of funded ELC application form for the local authority in which you live.
You should also refer to that local authority’s deferred entry/additional year of funded ELC guidance.