New blow to threatened Pelsall nursery

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New blow to threatened Pelsall nursery
Adam Lumley The YamYam 27 Jan 10
Plans for a parent “buy-out” of the Rainbow Day Nursery in the grounds of Shelfield Academy are unlikely to come to fruition due to the cost involved in funding the pre-school education facility.

Parents of toddlers and staff at the Broad Way nursery were told in November that it would close in January to make way for building development on the school campus. Following a public demonstration, a stay of execution was granted until March. However, campaigners opposed to the closure were told that they would have to raise £200,000 to keep the nursery open. Parent Jody Hepworth wanted to relocate the well-used facility but said that people could not afford the increase in fees that would be required to fund the move.

“It’s sad. For us it has never been an option for Rainbows to close,” she said.

Speaking in November, Principal of Shelfield Academy, Bernard Dickenson said: “In our original proposals for the new Academy we wanted to retain a nursery on site but Partnerships for Schools told us this was classed as a dedicated community facility and the allocated funding for the new build would not include this.”

Partnerships for Schools run the Academies programme on behalf of central government. Academies do not come under the jurisdiction of local authorities. The deadline for objections to the closure of the Rainbow Day Nursery have to be submitted to the school today, Wednesday 27 January.

The YamYam 27 Nov 09 Glimmer of hope for threatened Pelsall nursery
B’ham Mail 26 Nov Nursery schools could close due to funding changes
Express & Star 24 Nov Protest at Pelsall nursery closure
YamYam 20 Nov Pelsall nursery closure ‘devastating’
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Tags: Schools, Nurseries, Children, YamYam news