Staff delivering funded ELC

The ELC census collects limited data on staff delivering funded ELC. The staff covered by the census are General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) registered teachers, early years graduates, and those working towards graduate level qualifications in early years.

Teachers and graduates delivering funded ELC

The total full time equivalent (FTE) of teachers and graduates working to deliver funded ELC in 2025 was 4,808 (as shown in Chart 2 and Table 4). This is an increase of 3% from 4,672 FTE in 2024, and a 49% increase from 3,236 FTE in 2017.

The FTE of teachers working in funded ELC in 2025 was 696, an increase of 17 FTE (2%) from 2024. This is the first increase in teacher FTE since 2022, and only the second increase since 2017.

In 2025 there were 4,112 FTE graduates, other than teachers, with degrees relevant to early years. This is a 3% increase compared with 3,993 FTE recorded in 2024.

Since 2017, the FTE of teachers has decreased by 24% from 921, despite the increase in 2025. However, the FTE of graduates has increased by 78% over the same period, from 2,316 in 2017. Chart 2 shows the annual change in the FTE of teachers and graduates working to deliver funded ELC from 2017 to 2025. The changes reflect the policy aim to increase the number of graduates with degrees relevant to early years working in funded ELC.

Chart 2:  FTE of staff working in funded early learning and childcare, 2017 to 2025

Time series of full time equivalent (FTE) of teachers and graduates working in funded ELC from 2017 to 2025. This data is also available in Table 16 of the additional tables.

There were also 1,090 FTE funded ELC staff working towards the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) benchmark degree level qualifications for registration as a manager of a day care of children service. This is a decrease of 8% from 1,189 in 2024, and the lowest since 2017. In the years leading up to the implementation of the increase in funded ELC from 600 hours to 1,140 hours, there was an increase in the number of staff undergoing this training in order to support the expansion. It is therefore to be expected that the FTE of staff in this category would reduce following the implementation of 1,140 hours in 2021.

This gives a total of 5,898 FTE for teachers, graduates, and those working towards relevant degree level qualifications in 2025, similar to 5,860 FTE in 2024 and an increase of 39% from 4,230 in 2017.

Table 4: Staff working in funded ELC, 2017 to 2025

Full time equivalent (FTE) of teachers, graduate staff, and staff working towards graduate qualifications at centres providing funded early learning and childcare, 2017 to 2025. This data is also available in Table 15 of the additional tables.

[note 1] GTCS registered teachers and head teachers. Includes teachers in ELC centres, centrally employed teachers, and home visiting teachers.

[note 2] Includes staff that hold either: (i) a degree level benchmark qualification required by the SSSC for registration as a manager (see background notes for list of benchmark qualifications); (ii) a degree level (SCQF level 9 or above) qualification relevant to early years and are working towards a degree level (SCQF level 9 or above) benchmark qualification required by the SSSC for registration as a manager; or (iii) a degree level (SCQF level 9 or above) qualification sufficient to meet the registration standards of another regulatory body (e.g. Nursing and Midwifery Council, General Medical Council).

[note 3] Staff that do not hold degrees (SCQF level 9 or above) relevant to early years, but are working towards a SSSC benchmark degree level (SCQF level 9 or above) qualification required for registration as a manager.

Table 5 shows the same staff figures for 2025 but by local authority.

Table 5: Staff working in funded early learning and childcare by local authority, September 2025

Full time equivalent (FTE) of teachers, graduate staff, and staff working towards graduate qualifications at centres providing funded early learning and childcare, by local authority, in September 2025, and percentage change from 2024. This data is also available in Table 16 of the additional tables.

For [note 1], [note 2] and [note 3] see footnotes for Table 4.

Additional Graduate Commitment

The Scottish Government provides funding to local authorities to support nurseries in the most disadvantaged areas that would benefit most from an additional teacher or degree-qualified professional. These posts are described nationally as Equity and Excellence Leads. More information on this can be found on the Scottish Government website.

In 2025 there were 318 EEL posts filled, with a total FTE of 273. This is a decrease of 38 posts and 43 FTE from 2024. Of these posts, the majority (300 posts, 267 FTE) were staff with degree level qualifications relevant to early years. A further 29 posts (24 FTE) were filled by teachers, and 27 (25 FTE) were filled by staff members working towards a graduate qualification.

Setting manager qualifications

The most common qualification for setting managers was holding SSSC benchmark qualifications for registration as a manager (45%). 40% of settings were managed by a teacher or head teacher, and a further 12% were managed by an individual working towards a SSSC benchmark qualification. The remaining 3% were recorded as having another qualification.