A new league table of nurseries in Scotland has revealed where in Edinburgh offers the best pre-school education.
The Times and Sunday Times recently published statistics based on latest Care Inspectorate inspections.
The regulator awards grades ranging from six points for ‘excellent’ to one point for ‘unsatisfactory’, across the four categories of ‘setting’, ‘staff’, ‘leadership’ and ‘quality of ‘care, play and learning’ - leading to a maximum combined points total of 24.
More than 1,000 nurseries have been graded since last September, when the 2023 league table was published.
But of those gradings not a single nursery in Scotland got a perfect score, with Seaton School Nursery, in Aberdeen, and Toronto Primary School Nursery Class, in West Lothian, performing best with a total of 22 points.
Meanwhile in Edinburgh, no inspection in the last year has been awarded more than 21 points - given to Calderglen Early Learning and Childcare, making it the joint 21st highest rated nursery in the city.
Here are the 11 nurseries in Scotland with the highest Care Inspectorate ratings - and when they were last inspected.
5. The Early Years Centre @ Craigroyston
Based at Craigroyston Community High School, The Early Years Centre @ Craigroyston is the second of three nurseries run by the City of Edinburgh Council to be rated 'excellent' across the board and secure the full 24 points. It was last inspected on November 6, 2018. | Google Maps
6. Balgreen Nursery School
Tucked away next to Balgreen Primary School, Balgreen Nursery School is the last nursery run by the City of Edinburgh Council to receive the perfect score of 24. It was inspected on October 26, 2017. | Google Maps
7. Forthview Out of School Provision
The final Edinburgh nursery to score the full 24 marks is Forthview Out of School Provision, based at Forthview Primary School. Run by North Edinburgh Childcare, it was inspected on May 4, 2017. | Google Maps
8. Greengables Nursery School
One of four Edinburgh nurseries to fall a single mark short of a perfect score, Greengables Nursery School got three 'excellents' out of a possible four. Run by the City of Edinburgh Council, it was inspected on February 8, 2019. | Google Maps