The top ten nurseries in Scotland have been revealed in a league table compiled by The Times and The Sunday Times based on Care Inspectorate gradings.
The regulator awards grades ranging from six points for excellent to one point for unsatisfactory. The grades are applied across the four categories of setting, staff, leadership and quality of care, play and learning.
Using official data published by the care regulator, The Times and Sunday Times has published a full Scottish childcare league table. Under the gradings system, the maximum combined points achievable is 24.
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Wellside Kindergarten, a private nursery set in a detached Victorian house in Falkirk, emerged as the best in Scotland in the latest table.
It was the only nursery inspected in the last year that scored top marks for the quality of staff, facilities and leadership as well as care, play and learning.
Only one childcare provider was marked unsatisfactory right across the board in Scotland last year. Touch Trust in Dunfermline - a charity run out of a church hall - had such a bad inspection from the Care Inspectorate it was given until last month to clean up its act or face closure.
Based on the league table, here are the highest ranked nurseries in Scotland:
5. Green Acres Nursery, Glasgow
Green Acres Nursery, in Glasgow, along with the other nurseries on the top ten list, also received a rating of six in every category. Inspectors found "communication was a strength" at the nursery. It was graded on September 2, 2021. | Google
6. St. Mirins Out of School Club, Glasgow
St Mirins, in Glasgow, were complimented by the inspectorate who said: "The service provided an ethos of integration and inclusiveness. All children were valued and respected. The service empowered children to be responsible and independent and to make good choices." They were graded six across all categories on January 17, 2020. | Google
7. Kildrum Family Learning Centre, North Lanarkshire
Kildrum Family Learning Centre were rated six across all categories with a rating of 24. Children and families told the inspectorate that staff had a "very clear understanding" as to the concepts of risks. Good relationships had also been established between children and parents with staff. They were rated on August 7, 2019. | Google
8. Tynecastle Nursery School, Edinburgh
Tynecastle Nursery School received a 24 score and inspectors said they offered a "welcoming and inclusive environment" for children and families. They were rated on May 7, 2019. | Google