City reduces free nursery places

More than 350 free full-time nursery places will be cut in Edinburgh

Free full-time nursery places are to be scaled back in Edinburgh as part of cost-cutting measures.

Edinburgh City Council, which said it is one of the few Scottish authorities to offer free full-time spaces, plans to cut its current 1,054 list to 700.

The places are aimed at vulnerable children but left-over slots had been given out to families at the discretion of individual nursery teachers.

The decision follows a £9m deficit in the council's budget.

Marilyn Maclaren, the council's education convener, said: "Our priority is to improve the whole educational experience from early years onwards.

Statutory obligation

"Free full-time nursery places have always been provided on the condition that they may be reviewed and a review is currently under way.

"The council only has a statutory obligation to provide free part-time nursery places to children from the age of three and it will continue to do so.

"We will also continue to offer full-time places to those who need it most."

The places are to be cut between December and next April.