School in Margate, combines strong community and family links with
excellent practice. Ruth Thomson went to visit.
When the directors of Manor House Nursery School in Margate discovered that two of the children attending their setting were sleeping at home under towels on the floor, they bought bedding for the family and helped to source some beds.
It is a good illustration not just of the levels of deprivation in the area but also of the degree of commitment on the part of the nursery to support children and their families. And it was this dedication, combined with excellent practice, that made Manor House the worthy winner of the 2014 Nursery World Nursery of the Year Award.
Opened in 2008 and owned by directors Jayne and Sean Sheerin, and Clair Stevens, the 120-place nursery is located in a grand Victorian house, but within one of the poorest areas in England. Its district, Thanet, is the most deprived in Kent, while its ward, Margate Central, is ranked 22nd out of 32,482 wards in England, placing it amongst the 1 per cent most-deprived in the country.
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