Ex-teachers make plea for rethink over nursery closure plans

Published on Thursday 3 March 2011 18:09

EDUCATION experts have urged council bosses to rethink their decision to close two city nurseries.

&#149 The generations united on the Royal Mile on Saturday to protest closures

University lecturers, former headteachers and a specialist in child development have all written to the council to oppose plans to close High School Yards and Princess Elizabeth.

Parents protested against the plans over the weekend, ahead of a meeting this week when councillors will decide whether to close the nurseries, in line with recommendations from the education department.

Parents are also set to gather outside the City Chambers before the council meeting on Thursday.

Closure will save the council just under 200,000 per year, as well as bringing in 250,000 through the sale of the buildings.

However, as part of the consultation process into the proposals, a number of experts have written to raise serious concerns about the impact on educational standards and have argued there is "no justification" for the closures.

One retired nursery headteacher and lecturer in primary education wrote: "The proposed closure of High School Yards can be seen as yet another step in the running down of Edinburgh's excellent tradition of provision for the under-fives; nursery schools absorbed by primary schools, reduction of full-time places, acting headteachers in post for long periods of time and little or no specialist training provided for years.

"It is a sad state of affairs when money cannot be found to keep what is best for our young children when the evidence is clear that appropriate early years education and care has long-term benefits, not least for public expenditure."

Another former headteacher wrote: "Evidence shows that a standalone establishment for children under five with substantial access to a teacher for most of each session produces the most effective pre-school education."

Education bosses say that the average cost per pupil at High School Yards is 6468, compared with the city average of 5754, while the cost per pupil is 6301 at Princess Elizabeth. A specialist in research into the development of natural abilities in young children told education bosses the figures were based on "bad calculations".

The expert continued: "I strongly oppose the planned closures, and other actions of the council in recent years to reduce support for the remarkable quality of service that has been provided by these schools over several generations.

"I believe the financial argument is based on bad calculations of the demand for places; on disregard of the proven long-term benefits to the prosperity of the community of the care of young children and their families, with the guidance of trained teachers, particularly in parts of the city where poorer families live; and on ignorance of the moral and educational benefits of the work the threatened nursery schools have done for many years."

Labour leader Councillor Andrew Burns said: "The council should be listening to these professionals and ensuring that no further nursery schools are unnecessarily closed."

A spokesman for the council said: "We are committed to top-quality nursery provision.

"We have a good spread of nurseries across the city but in some areas there are more than we need.

"These empty places cost a lot of money and it's important we get best value from every penny we spend."