In July, Scotland’s largest teaching union took legal action to try to prevent Glasgow City Council from appointing non-teachers to run nurseries, but lost the case.
The Court of Session in Edinburgh dismissed the EIS’ argument that the employment of staff with no teaching qualifications within nursery schools was unlawful. The decision meant that Glasgow City Council could continue with its plans to hire managers, rather than qualified teachers, to head nurseries.
It is the Scottish government’s policy that whether children aged five and under have access to a teacher is a matter for the discretion of each of Scotland’s 32 councils.
Gary Flanagan, EIS general secretary, said, ‘The EIS can confirm it will proceed with its legal challenge next year, as we remain extremely concerned about the implications of the ruling for the quality of nursery education.
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