Ahead of a meeting of the Scottish Parliament’s education committee today five of Scotland’s main teaching unions - the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), the Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland, the Scottish Primary Teachers Association, the Scottish Secondary Teachers Association and the NASUWT - have issued a joint statement calling for the decline in nursery teachers to be reversed.
According to the unions, despite a commitment by the Scottish government to provide every nursery age child with access to a fully-qualified nursery teacher, and evidence demonstrating the long-term impact of teachers in early years settings, many local authorities are ‘diluting or dismantling’ their nursery provision.
They claim that there has been a significant reduction in nursery teachers, falling from 1,702 in 2005 to 1,496 in 2011.
To reverse this trend, they are calling on the government to support the role of full-time nursery teachers by reinstating the requirement for nursery teachers in nursery schools and classes.
Keith Robson, the ATL’s national official for Scotland, said, ‘We are concerned about the reduction in the number of nursery teachers despite commitments from the Scottish government to give children in Scotland the best start in life. Evidence shows that children get long-lasting benefits to their understanding, learning and behaviour from high quality nurseries and child care.
‘ATL believes that from the age of three the education element of early-years provision should be teacher-led. Qualified early years teachers should be involved in all aspects of children’s education; from planning what they learn, working day-to-day with children, to reviewing children’s progress.’
A spokesperson for the Scottish local government organisation Cosla, said, ‘Local government is committed to its entire children’s services workforce. The evidence shows that a highly qualified workforce help deliver better outcomes for children. This is why we continue to support development of all staff who work in pre-school. We believe that a mixed workforce provides the flexibility and appropriate range of skills and experience to provide Scotland’s children with the best start in life.'
In contrast, Unison Scotland has backed the Scottish government in recognising the importance of all early years staff.
Carol Ball, a child development officer and chair of Unison’s education issues group, said, ‘The earliest years of a child’s life are crucial and, while we recognise that nursery teachers have a place in nurseries, the vital role that early years staff play in children’s education cannot be downplayed.
‘The Scottish parliament’s education committee must realise that early years education is delivered by a wide range of highly-trained professionals, not just nursery teachers, and must work with all staff involved to provide children with the best start in life.’
