Weekend opening hours for Essex nursery
Katy Morton
Thursday, March 1, 2012
A Chingford nursery is to open on a Saturday to help parents who work shifts and weekends.
From March, Tiny Tots Nursery in Chingford, which has been rated outstanding by Ofsted, will open from 8am-6pm on a Saturday and provide care for 12 children over the age of two.
Owner Debbie Philips said, ‘We decided to open Saturdays, because more parents are working shifts or weekends, so we wanted to offer the much needed service.
‘We have had a great deal of interest from current and new parents.’
According to the nursery, no other private settings in the area open on a weekend, despite an obvious need.
A shortage of nursery and childminder places for parents who work outside the typical working day was also highlighted in the Daycare Trust childcare costs survey, which revealed that around half of all local authorities in England do not have enough childcare places for all working parents.
Ms Philips said that all of the staff at the nursery are happy to work Saturdays, and the additional day of opening will also mean they are able to offer part-time work for qualified staff in the area.
The nursery, which was close to shutting down last October, also recently extended its weekday opening hours to operate between 7am and 7pm.
