Legislative loopholes are being used to limit the number of teachers in nursery classes, it was claimed. Celia McDougall, Highland, said her authority declined to deploy a teacher in classes of fewer than 20 children and 30 of 78 classes fell below that number. Regulations stipulate a maximum class size but not a minimum.
Gillian Kulwicki, Glasgow, said the city’s council was putting one teacher with 50 children in the morning and another 50 in the afternoon. Councils were “flouting the law”. Ms Kulwicki said: “Auxiliaries are a support to teachers and nursery nurses, not in any instance in place of.”
Ian McCrone, Renfrewshire, said all new nursery provision in his authority excluded teachers and when teachers left they were not replaced.