Council seeks to extend age range to two years at primary schools following nursery closures

The National Day Nurseries Association has raised concerns about the impact on childcare provision in the area, and said it represented a failure of Government policy.

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the NDNA said, ‘These two good nurseries – part of a group of five which closed down in the area in November – were unable to pay their staff wages bill. This has led to two primary schools applying to take children from age two. This represents the failure of government childcare policy.’ 

Since 2007 full daycare provision on the two primary school sites had been provided by a third-party, most recently Reach for the Stars Ltd.

Both The Brooks and Oak Tree nurseries were co-located on school sites. The Brooks Nursery was on the site of Pebble Brook Primary School and Oak Tree Nursery on the site of Underwood West Academy.

However, the council was told on 27 October by Reach for the Stars that they would be closing both nurseries and ceasing to trade on 4 November.

A consultation closed last month on extending the age range at Pebble Brook from four- to 11 years to two-to-11, effective from 27 February.

The council said the nursery closure at Pebble Brook Primary impacted 111 children and that it was supporting individual families to secure alternative early education and childcare provision. ‘Stay and play sessions will be offered in the children’s centres to support families in the interim, particularly the most vulnerable families.’

The council’s children and families committee, which meets on Monday (16 January), has been asked to approve the proposed changes of age range in nursery classes at Pebble Brook Primary.

A report prepared for the meeting of the committee on Monday states, ‘Both schools where the nurseries are on site expressed an interest in creating nursery classes on the sites of the previous nurseries so that they can offer nursery age classes within the school. This new model will no longer require a commissioned provider service as it will be delivered within the school which will secure places in the future, ensure continuity for the children, early engagement with the school and a nursery provision delivered in the heart of the family’s community.’

If approved, this would be a temporary change for up to two years, and would be implemented either next month or in March.

CURRENT MODEL UNSUSTAINABLE
The three options considered by the council were: do nothing, recommission the service, or create nursery classes in schools as recommended.

The report said that doing nothing would mean that 'not all children would secure a place with other providers in the area' and there was a risk that 'children would not be able to access their early education entitlement and parents are not supported to access work / training.'

The council said it had considered recommissioning the service, but 'the current model is not financially sustainable' and there was a risk the provider would also fail.

The option of creating nursery classes in schools would mean that, 'Children would not be displaced and would continue to have access to provision in two of the most disadvantaged areas of the borough. Provision within the school would promote and enhance transition to statutory education,' the report said.

The risk was that,'Provision for babies would be reliant on sufficient vacancies with other providers in the area.'

IMMEDIATE ACTION
The report said, ‘Due to the sudden closure of both nurseries immediate action was required to ensure sufficient nursery provision in the area.

‘Due to the need to quickly move the proposed changes to lower the age range at Pebble Brook Primary School, Crewe, from 4 -11 to 2-11 to accommodate a nursery is purposed as a temporary change. This will be for a period of up to two years with a view that a full consultation of the change of age range will be completed by the school within the first year to consult for a permanent change in age range with a final decision made by committee.’

The report said that as Underwood West primary was part of an academy trust, it would be up to the trustees to make a decision, although they will be required to seek final approval from the Regional Director at the Department for Education (DfE).

Local reports said that the nurseries had closed in November because they were unable to pay staff wages. Nursery World has been unable to independently verify this claim.

Tanuku added, ‘Losing good quality specialist early years provision is bad for children and parents in the area. When more and more nurseries are being forced to close due to financial pressures caused by the Government’s policy of underfunding the childcare hours, high-quality early years specialist provision is being removed from parental choice.

‘Specialist nurseries provide age-appropriate, high quality, flexible year-round early education and care that working parents rely on and this really boosts children’s learning and development in their first five years. Nurseries can offer services which support parents and carers’ working patterns and schools often do not offer this facility.’