Furness college nursery to close
Last updated 14:57, Tuesday, 14 October 2008
PARENTS say they are outraged by a college’s plans to close its nursery.
Mums and dads were shocked to find out that Furness College’s new £50m campus blueprint does not include its high-performing nursery.
An announcement last week revealed that Furness College Day Nursery is earmarked to shut in three years and will be knocked down to develop the site.
The plans show sports teaching and learning facilities in the area where the nursery stands. College chiefs say there are no plans to relocate the facility on the Barrow college site.
But they said they are committed to nursery provision and they will work hard to make sure people are not inconvenienced.
Jane Croshaw, a parent representative and mum of pupil Jacob, three, said: “This has come as a total shock for parents and especially staff who had no idea this was to happen.”
The nursery is used by students, staff and Furness families. There are 12 staff and 75 children on the register.
The Channelside institution is currently holding a consultation to gauge views on plans for the whole site before it goes to Barrow Borough Council planners at the end of the month.
Parents, staff, and children are calling on the college to reconsider the plans and say they want to work with the college. One pupil has penned a poem to urge college bosses to save the nursery, which says: “Please don’t ignore our plea, save our nursery by the sea.”
Mark Nicholson assistant principal for curriculum at the college, said: “The new college will be completely rotated – buildings where there is open space and open space where there currently buildings – and one of those buildings happens to be the nursery.
“The college remains totally committed to providing nursery provision for its learners’ children and the current nursery will continue exactly as it is for three years.
“The nature of future nursery provision is yet to be debated fully by college governors but the existing nursery building will need to be demolished in August 2011 in order to complete development of the site.
“The space the college can use in its new buildings is strictly rationed – every classroom, every workshop and every learning resource is worked out to the last square metre.
“If we set aside room for a new nursery, it would have to be taken out of valuable learning space for our students.
“The new build will include more teaching and learning space for construction and engineering and increased space for hospitality and catering and hair and beauty courses.”
The proposals include replacing metal-clad buildings with one large complex.
A new Facebook page to save the nursery has more than 250 members.
Parent Mrs Croshaw added: “This is a particularly upsetting time for all concerned but especially the staff team who have worked incredibly hard to gain recognition it deserves in providing excellent nursery facilities reflected in a recent Ofsted report.
“It is important for some parents that their children are close by both in respect to transport but also if they were unwell.”
Rachael Hurton, a student representative of the nursery and mum of Poppy, 20 months, said: “It’s a ridiculous idea.
“The reaction from parents shows people are concerned about this nursery being taken away.
“It encourages people to study. It’s fantastic nursery.”
The consultation ends on Friday. The rebuild is expected to be complete in 2012.
I think it is disgusting that they have decided not to add a new nursery to the rebuild plans, as at the moment the college nursery allows mums who want to return to college to better themselves and gain qualifactions are able to do so, as they are able to drop their chid off in the nursery on their way into college without having to travel out of their way and also know that if there is anything wrong with their child i.e. they become ill, they are only across the road.
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As a parent and a member of the local community I find it very difficult to understand why Furness College would want to demolish a high quality resourceful Childcare Facility.
The furness College Nursery is not only an excellent provider of childcare within the community, it also provides support for College students throughout their education.The Government are encouraging parents to further their education at Colleges such as Furness College, to enable them to go into employment. Talking from a parents point of view it is a very difficult choice to allow someone else to care and have responsibility for your child, which is needed for a majority of us to go back to work or onto further education. The College should be proud of the fact they have a nursery on the grounds, and use it to thier advantage that they are able to promote and offer this excellent care facility for the community thier students. This would make parents feel more comfortable and reasured about leaving thier child while they study or work.Furness College Nursery is a fantastic childcare setting, this was proven by the Outstanding OFSTED Inspection they received earlier this year. the staff are all very dedicated and have worked extremely hard to get the nursery to this high standard, especially over the past few months while implementing the new Early Years Foundation Stage, which all Early Years settings have to follow by law from Septmeber 2008.Has all this hard work gone to waste? what is the logic behind this decision to close this setting? Surely there is someway of saving what would be a great loss to the Community? 'The children it will affect are the Colleges future'!!!Posted by Mrs Ruth Rhodes on 14 October 2008 kl. 23:00