Lawns Nursery Funding Threat
Nursery schools, such as the outstanding Lawns Nursery in Imperial Road, are fearful for their futures as the Conservative government plans to cut their funding.
In 2017 the Tories introduced the Early Years Funding Formula for all childcare providers, which sought to make all early years providers receive the same amount of money. Realising their plans would leave council run nursery schools without enough money the tories provided transitional funding - but only until the end of the 2020 school year.
Council run nursery schools have higher costs because they employ experienced, qualified nursery teachers and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinators (SENDCos). 65% of state nursery schools have Ofsted Outstanding gradings.
"The benefits of these nurseries are huge - they usually accept more children from deprived backgrounds and with special educational needs," says teacher, Amy Tisi, who has chosen to send two of her children to The Lawns.
Head teachers recently lobbied parliament and 75 MPs from all parties (but not Windsor's Adam Afriyie) wrote to the Early Years Minister, calling for long term funding beyond 2020.
Unless the Conservative government properly funds Nursery Schools many will close within the next year.
You can sign the petition for sustainable funding at