Full Backing for Kenilworth Nursery School (Kenilworth and Southam Liberal Democrats)

Full Backing for Kenilworth Nursery School

April 5, 2010 8:41 PM

Parents and governors of Kenilworth Nursery School are campaigning to keep their school open as a maintained (i.e. state-run) nursery school with its own head teacher.

nigel rock & john whitehouse at nursery school

Nigel Rock and John Whitehouse are 100% behind the campaign to save Kenilworth Nursery School

As the county councillor in whose electoral division the nursery school is located, John Whitehouse (Liberal Democrat, Kenilworth Abbey) has written to the local press to assure its staff, parents and governors that they have his full support in their campaign. He will be joining them on their protest march planned for Saturday 17th April in Kenilworth town centre.

John and Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Nigel Rock visited the school recently give their support to the staff, parents and governors.

John says: "It is scandalous that such a popular and successful school, with two consecutive 'Outstanding' Ofsted assessments and the clear support of the local community, should be subjected to an extended period of uncertainty and worry about its future. Twice already I have tried to get the Conservative Cabinet member responsible, Cllr Izzi Seccombe, to change course, but twice she has refused to listen.

"The root cause of the current turmoil was new Government legislation that funding for all 'early years providers' across the maintained, private and voluntary sectors should be put on a more consistent basis. Just before Christmas the Government announced a year's delay in making these changes, putting the deadline back to April 2011, but Warwickshire County Council decided to continue with an April 2010 timetable. I argued strongly at the January Cabinet meeting that not putting the changes back a year was a big mistake, because it would have enabled schools and other providers to plan properly for what will be massive changes.

"Then at the last full meeting of the County Council on 30th March, I tried to get Cllr Seccombe to end the uncertainty surrounding the future of Kenilworth Nursery School by making an unequivocal statement that it would remain open as a maintained school with its own head teacher. This she refused to do, saying she could not prejudge a forthcoming consultation with all six nursery schools in Warwickshire.

"Why doesn't Cllr Seccombe get into the real world? On the evidence before me today it is inconceivable that the end result of this consultation will be anything other the retention of this wonderful school, so why must she put its staff, parents and governors through several more months of agony? The Government's own guidelines make it clear that there is a general presumption against closing nursery schools because of the high quality of provision they offer, so how can the outcome for Kenilworth Nursery School be anything other than a clear decision to keep it open in its current form?

"I am gratified that other local councillors, including the town mayor, have stated publicly their support for the school. However, I would say this to my Conservative counterparts, that they cannot separate themselves so readily from the decisions and actions being taken by their Conservative colleague Cllr Seccombe. So far I am the only elected member who has raised questions on this matter at the County Council, or has challenged the approach being taken which is causing so much upset and anxiety. If Kenilworth Conservative councillors really want to demonstrate their support, it's time they started to do so in the only place that matters, namely at the County Council meetings where the decisions are being made."

Kenilworth and Southam Liberal Democrats