The number of hours provided for early learning and childcare is set to almost double!

Parents currently receive 600 hours free each year but this will increase to 1140 hours by 2020.

Members at yesterday’s Education Executive were given details of the Scottish Government’s commitment to increase early year’s learning and childcare and agreed expenditure plans to increase capacity in the Council area.

Councillor Adanna McCue, spokesperson for Education said: “I welcome the expansion of our early years service which will help parents to have a greater degree of flexibility when it comes to employment whilst ensuring our young children have the best start in life.

“The introduction of planned pilot projects will give us a greater understanding of the needs of parents across the Falkirk Council area over the next year.”

The Council has received funding totalling £1,252m to spend this year on a number of key projects to expand capacity and increase flexibility of choice for parents. They include:

• A new early years campus at Langlees primary school
• A new early year’s campus within Slamannan primary school offering increased capacity
• An extension to the current nursery class at Easter Carmuirs primary school
• Work to improve access toilets and kitchen areas at Avonbridge primary school.

Four pilot projects will also get underway in August 2017 at Wallacestone, Bantaskin, Victoria and Nethermains primary schools. These schools will offer parents greater flexibility should they wish to have full day places instead of the current delivery model of morning or afternoon sessions.”

The Council will now prepare an expansion plan which will include details of infrastructure, estimated costs and additional staff needed to meet the increase in early year and childcare hours by 2020.