500 signatures reached
To: Leader of Barnet Council
Save our outstanding Nursery Schools in the London Borough of Barnet
We believe the funding formula should be revised to recognise that high quality education cannot be delivered at the same cost as basic childcare.
We urge Barnet Council to think again, work with staff, schools governors and the Trade Unions so as not to deprive local children of the chance to thrive at our four community nursery schools in Barnet.
Why is this important?
The London Borough of Barnet is fortunate to have four excellent nursery schools (Brookhill, Hampden Way, Moss Hall and St Margaret’s) all of which have been graded 'outstanding' by OFSTED.
All four are under threat from the latest Barnet Council proposal.
http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s18692/Nursery%20School%20Review.pdf
All four nursery schools put in place the essential building blocks of education in a safe, social and rated ‘outstanding’ environment.
Barnet Council Officers are proposing changes to meet the planned cuts in funding which, we are concerned, could spell the end for the 'outstanding' level of education offered by our community nursery schools.
Currently each school has its own head teacher, deputy head teacher and each class has a teacher to achieve its outstanding status. This level of staffing cannot remain with the proposed changes to funding.
We believe it is wrong that providers delivering basic childcare are funded at the same rate as schools providing ‘outstanding education’. This funding formula will result in drastic cuts in staffing which will directly undermine the schools' ability to provide the same high standard of education and support to parents and the community. We also fear the schools are at risk of ending up being stripped back to providing only basic childcare in 'bare minimum Barnet'.
If these draconian proposals are put in place the damage will be irreversible.
