The Nursery World website is reporting that two settings have had to make the decision to close due to staff shortages and financial impacts of the pandemic.
In the case of the first, Storal Learning took the decision to shut its Honeytree Day Nursery & Pre-school in Weston-Super-Mare to the majority of parents for good last weekend after repeated short-term closures due to staff shortages. The setting is staying open to parents who work at the nearby Weston General Hospital until 31 March to give them time to find alternative provision.
The second setting, in Bradford, Feversham First Steps Day Nursery, has also been forced to close due to ‘ongoing financial challenges coupled with the impact of the pandemic’. The setting, which is due to close at the end of the month, is operated by Feversham Education Trust, which also runs academy schools.
This follows concerns raised by The Early Years Alliance about the inadequacy of the increase in early years funding, and a report by Teach First calling for the pupil premium for early years to be matched to the primary school rate.