Islington Tribune - News: Parents in fight to save popular nursery from move to new site

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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 7 March 2008

Parents gather outside Andover Early Learning Centre to voice their disapproval at plans for a move

Parents in fight to save popular nursery from move to new site

‘I’ll be extremely upset if they close – I don’t know where we’ll go,’ says protester

A HUGE protest was launched this week against plans to close a popular children’s nursery in Finsbury Park which has been running for almost 30 years.
Since the late 1970s the Andover estate’s Early Learning Centre has been a pivotal part of the community, providing care and education for generations of local children.
Now the centre is being moved more than a mile away to a new development at the former Hornsey Road baths in Holloway, which residents say is unnecessary.
More than 50 children aged from six months to five years old – including many with special needs – are cared for at the current centre, which is due to be closed by Islington Council in September.
Tina Baillie, who lives on the estate, said she couldn’t believe that such an important part of the community was being closed.
She added: “My four-year-old daughter Abbey has got on leaps and bounds here. She’s had speech therapy here and they have excellent special needs provision. I’ve seen children with special needs come on so well.
“You get one-to-one help and they encourage reading. My daughter is writing and using colours.”
Another parent, Miranda Read, whose son Tai has been attending for over a year, said it was a “wonderful” place.
She pays £70 a week for her son to go to the centre – much less than fees charged by new privatised children’s centres in the borough.
“It’s very happy and friendly,” she added. “All the parents are happy.
“Every day there are different activities. I’ll be extremely upset if they close – I don’t know where we’ll go.”
Tonya Mavri, who travels from Tottenham with with 16-month-old daughter Reishai, said: “The staff are fantastic and the children are well looked after. They’ve got outside play areas and separate baby and toddler rooms.
“The children have always got loads of stuff to do and are always very happy.”
Andrew Berry, deputy branch secretary for Islington’s Unison trade union, said that children would be moved to other centres throughout the borough – and parents may have to pay more for child care.
He added: “As for staff, we’re still waiting for the results of a so-called consultation to find out what will happen to them.
“It is very unsettling and we will be fighting this closure.”
Executive Member for Children, Lib Dem Cllr Ursula Woolley, said that the new centre at Hornsey Road will have the same facilities.
She added: “Residents will not lose out. We are going to turn the old Andover Early Years Centre into an adventure playing ground and a job training centre.”

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