PARENTS have slammed the proposed closure of a tutoring service used by hundreds of children across Barrhead and East Renfrewshire.

Explore Learning – which provides maths and English tuition to children aged from five to 14 – faces an uncertain future following a decision by the Care Inspectorate to de-register the scheme.

The group’s bosses have warned de-registration means parents will no longer be able to use working tax credit or childcare vouchers to access its services.

One parent, who did not want to be named, said: “With the Care Inspectorate involved in the centre, it gives peace of mind.

“That makes a huge difference and makes it, for us as parents, easier.

“I know a lot of parents that use the centre, it’s childcare vouchers and child tax credit they use and they wouldn’t send their children here without them.

“For me personally, I would like to see more centres like this because of what they do – they can help all kids, regardless of ability.”

Another parent, Fiona Fraser, added: “It seems common sense has gone out the window. I think this is a case of it not ticking a box, it’s rules gone mad.”

The Care Inspectorate is the independent scrutiny and improvement body that regulates and inspects care services in Scotland to ensure they meet the right standards.

It claims Explore Learning’s primary purpose is not childcare, even though the 2010 Public Services Act defines childcare as including educational activities.

After visiting Explore Learning and its staff, West of Scotland MSP Maurice Golden has now called on the Scottish Government to save the service, which has a base in Darnley.

Explore Learning provides maths and English tuition to children aged from five to 14.

But it warns that registration is important to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children.

He said: “Explore Learning provides a great service to families all across the country but, without Care Inspectorate registration, there is a real possibility that the service will no longer be available in Scotland.

“Ofsted is happy to register them in England but the Care Inspectorate won’t in Scotland. I would urge the Scottish Government to intervene and review this decision.

“It would be a sad day if families were no longer able to use this service because of what basically comes down to administrative box ticking.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We understand that the Care Inspectorate has been in contact with Explore Learning Ltd for a number of years about its registration status.

“After careful consideration, the Care Inspectorate has advised Explore Learning Ltd that it is of the view that the primary purpose of its services to be the provision of education services, rather than the provision of daycare. They were therefore advised of the decision to propose to cancel their registration.

“The Scottish Government is committed to almost doubling the entitlement to free early learning and childcare to 1,140 hours per year by 2020. We have provided over £60 million of additional funding in 2017/18 to support the delivery of this ambitious pledge.”