PRIVATE nurseries which work in partnership with Glasgow City Council are to be inspected to ensure the education and care they provide is up to standard.

The review was introduced following concerns some private nurseries were not operating to the standards of those run by the council.

Senior officials yesterday insisted the move was not about reducing the overall number of partnership nurseries - there are currently more than 100 in Glasgow - but was focused on improving quality.

However, where nurseries are perceived as not coming up to scratch, partnership status could be withdrawn.

That would mean families with children at those nurseries miss out on free care given by the Scottish Gov-ernment, worth up to £1000 a year to a parent sending a child to a private nursery.

Margaret Doran, the council's executive director for education, said: "We want to identify the quality of education and care provided by our partnership nurseries and work with them to improve it where necessary."

Last month, the council said parents across Glasgow would have access to year-round nursery provision "within buggy walking distance from their homes".

Within the next two years, the council is also attempting to offer children, young people and their families access to sports, music, play and other activities by keeping schools open from 8am until at least 6pm.

The scheme, when fully operational, will cost £10m a year.

However, opposition leaders in the city have said that unless the council addresses the cull of nursery teachers, the overhaul "is in danger of being little more than window dressing".

As part of the strategy, five pilot schemes in eight centres across Glasgow will be launched in November, costing £3.25m.

Nursery admissions and the charging system will be reformed in these areas to include a priority system for places favouring parents who want to access education, training or work.