“So sorry to hear another setting is facing closure locally. It’s such a tough time for Early Years ”
Amid a national crisis in early years https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2024-06-11/take-us-seriously-warning-from-early-years-providers-as-thousands-close ITV News report chimes with issues experienced by the local pre-school in north Leatherhead.
“Thousands of childminders, nurseries and pre-schools are shutting their doors, and many more will follow, if the next government does not take early years education seriously, providers have warned.
In an exclusive survey by ITV News, more than 160 providers have revealed the daily struggles they face with funding and recruitment.
One nursery manager said: “The workforce are leaving in droves, especially experienced and qualified managers”, while another said: “I hate having to pay my staff minimum wage for the stressful work that is involved in looking after young children. It can feel like a thankless job.”
Early years and childcare – what are the main parties’ plans?
Others said they simply could not go on and would soon be closing for good.
Staff and parents at the All Saints pre-school within the Leatherhead Community Hub have launched a petition to appeal to the local authorities to step in to keep it going. The running costs exceed the income and the management cannot operate at a deficit ongoing. We understand Surrey County Council may have declined grant funding and have approached SCC for comment. It’s unlikely to be the only setting in financial difficulty who have approached their local authority. However it is not the Council’s decision to close it, but for the management. https://www.allsaintslh.co.uk/
Clearly there are other daycare settings, such as two on Cleeve Road and two in the town centre but on a much more commercial basis geared to working parents, and no others along the Kingston Road.
Below is the petition wording.
Save an Early years provision within the community hub in North Leatherhead – Sign the Petition! https://chng.it/Zx2WgbwKCz
This preschool is important to the community of North Leatherhead as it is the only affordable preschool in the area. All Saints Preschool is an OFSTED OUTSTANDING setting with a dedicated team who work above and beyond to provide the best care and education for our children.
All Saints Preschool has been a cornerstone for early childhood education, providing quality care and learning opportunities for our children.The Preschool has also been a support network for the families of the children who attend. The closure of this institution would leave many families without accessible and affordable options for their young ones’ education.
Here are just a few of the reasons why All Saints Preschool is crucial to our local community and the families connected to it.
The national average of SEND children in receipt of 3& 4 year old funding in 2023 is 8%.
Our average number of SEND children in our setting is 28%, a 250% increase over the national average.
The national average of children in need (including those with child protection plans) is 0.43%
Our average number of children in need in our setting is 15%, a 3388.37% increase over the
national average.
The national average of children who have disorganised attachment (ie – are likely to have
experienced traumatic events and have problematic relationships with primary carers) is 15%.
Our average number of children being supported through trauma and attachment therapy is 19.5%, a 30% increase over the national average.
Without significant ongoing support, we are unable to continue supporting these children as we do not have the funding from the Government to do so. We cannot run at a deficit any longer and yet we are restricted in the changes we can make:
Staffing ratios – set by Department of Education
Wages – minimum wage set by Government
Pension contributions – set by the Government
Income – Funding levels are set by the Department of Education and Surrey County Council.
We urge local authorities and stakeholders to take immediate action to ensure that All Saints Preschool remains open. Please sign this petition to show your support for keeping our community’s vital educational resource alive.
Share this petition in person or use the QR code for your own material.
Leatherhead Living 