On Thursday (1 November), parents, carers and their children marched to Westminster to call upon Glenda Jackson, MP for Hampstead and Kilburn,to discuss ways in which to continue to run the setting.
The future of Hopscotch Nursery and Playgroup in Queen’s Park, North-West London is in doubt as a decision has yet to be made by Brent Council whether to renew the building’s lease in which the setting is based. The Council’s lease on the building expires next summer.
Rated as outstanding by Ofsted, Hopscotch Nursery is registered to care for 34 children and has 52 children aged two and over on roll. The nursery employs 16 members of staff.
The nursery, a registered charity, was set-up in 1986 by working mothers living in the area.
According to parents, who have set up a campaign to save the nursery from closure, there is a shortage of nursery places in the Queen’s Park and Kilburn area. They also claim that the council has described Hopscotch Nursery as ‘surplus to requirements’ and suggested that parents should travel long distances to other parts of the borough for childcare.
An online petition started by parents has received around 800 signatures.
A spokesperson for Brent Council said, ‘No decision has been taken, we are still in discussions with Hopscotch. The use of the building is being/will be reviewed, and the lease is up next year, but no decision has been made yet. We aim to make a decision shortly.
Vivien Moxam, Hopscotch Nursery’s manager, said, ‘We are completely baffled as to why the council wishes to pursue this course of action. The service we provide to local families has been consistently recognised as outstanding by Ofsted. If we have to close down local parents and their children will be put in a very difficult position.’
Lou Clarke, whose three-year-old daughter attends the setting, said, ‘I simply can’t bear to think what we will do if nursery closes. The staff have been absolutely fantastic at helping my little girl settle in. I feel so confident that she’s in excellent hands when I drop her off in the morning. There’s such a shortage of nursery places around here, the council needs to understand how important Hopscotch is.’