A lack of funding from the Government means that YMCA will be closing its Winchester House nursery in Shanklin next month, it has been announced.
It has been determined that the nursery is financially unsustainable and, as a result, it will be closing its doors for good on Friday 14th April.
Parents of children aged 4 months to 5 years will now have to seek alternative childcare. The nursery has been looking after children from 07:30 in the morning through to 18:00 in the evening.
Phillipa Spicer, CEO of YMCA Fairthorne Group, has said:
“This announcement will come as a shock to families, staff and the local community and we are devastated to be in this position because of the government’s underfunding of childcare.
“We will be engaging with parents to identify early years places for the children in an alternative local setting, and YMCA is working to retain jobs elsewhere in the charity for the staff impacted.”
It has been confirmed that other activities run from Winchester House are not affected, nor is YMCA’s nursery in Newport.
Perhaps the ‘parent’ or rarely now ‘parents’ could use some of their child tax credits or universal credit and child allowance, amounting to thousands per year to fund ‘their’ choice of having a child to pay for ‘the care of it’?
After all, they get free or heavily subsidised rent, council tax, get free school meals, uniforms, transport to schools, trips,etc.
Extra help with heating, and cost of living.
Free dental care and prescriptions for the WHOLE family too.
Only have to work 16 short hours a week to gain all the above whilst others do full time to fund these leeches.
So a few spray tans less, or no false nails and lashes and they could fund their Choice of their child’s education on our money still imo.
Not making any judgements there are you Miss searle?
I think you forgot to mention 60” Tv plus best mobile phone.
So no chip on your shoulder then?
Not really a surprise, just read their terrible ofsted report from January this year.
Manager should be ashamed
As a parent of the nursery and having a childcare background myself I can wholeheartedly say that the Ofsted has absolutely nothing to do with he closure of this nursery or the manager. The nursery has faced tough times with change in managers and the current manager who is new to the role had implemented some fantastic changes within the nursery. Absolutely there were necessary improvements to be made but the good certainly outways the bad. Theyre so inclusive and regularly engage with parents having just done a art week and entering the children into young writers award aswell as regularly taking them on outings so maybe before you judge you should take moment to think how devastating this is for the staff and the families who are impacte
The funding stopped because of the ofsted
I too feel sadness for the children and our community.
Hi there Wight Cards. This information is incorrect and I feel you are referring to another setting which I will not name but as you are quite clearly confused I have kindly provided you the link to the Ofsted report which was carried out in January 2023 to read for YMCA shanklin as none of the statements you have quoted can be seen in this report so I think that makes it slander but feel free to correct me if I am wrong?
http://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report
The quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management
All require improvement by the end of February
Correct me if I’m wrong.
The manager has been with the company several years, including leadership roles in Newport and shanklin before her promotion, so should have known the standards required.
Now her staff are out of work and our community will suffer.
Funded hours are absolute pittance and I can believe that surviving only on isn’t viable. I don’t think they have to accept funding – just set hourly rate and ask for payment – it’s business like any other.
I think you are quite right on all points. This was always going to happen when the Government increased the number funded hours. Settings simply couldn’t balance the books.
It’s would be better if they gave them extended months instead of announcing too early because of the stress for both parents and staffs also the children as well…feels wrong at the same time and the island is rarely hiring nursery jobs in Sandown/Shanklin area!!