Petition to Save Fairlawn Nursery

[LondonMix]

You are making a lot of false assertions Yas as you know absolutely nothing about me.

In fact, I've already said state nursery is great for socialization up thread so why don't you engage on the ideas and facts rather than trying to personally attack me with lies?

I don't know where you live which is why I asked why that wasn't a good solution. You already said Heber didn't work for you so I figured you must be further south rather than north of Fairlawn, which is where the nursery I / Fairlawn mentioned is.

[LondonMix]

Clearly trying to discuss this with you is a total waste of time.

Yas you can't even acknowledge basic facts about what's going on and have been rude and passive aggressive to anyone who asked you to explain your case. You've misled the press and basically are demanding people support you by providing false information.

Never mind-- as DaveR mentioned, LAs have statutory duties so no matter how many people you manage to persuade with you half truths, its extremely unlikely you'll force the LA to allocate funds inappropriately.

[yas]

Sorry I am not personally attacking you but neither do you know anything about me or the people on the list to start Fairlawn Nursery this coming September. Haseltine is in further down in Sydenham. No way our kids could make it there. So our options are private nurseries (which don't necessarily have a teacher and would be expensive for most parents) or school nurseries which are out of reach for us or give priorities to children who are from either catholic background (St Francesca for instance) or children who are at the school already. So Lewisham Council is wrong! What most parents who have 3 year olds kids want, are for their children to be prepared for the life in primary school as well as being looked after really well which is what Fairlawn Nursery is providing!

[LondonMix]

I really do empathize if none of the other nearby places work for you or your childminder for pick up and drop offs. I hope you can find a solution that works.

I still don't agree that the LA should provide additional funding to a school where one of the main reasons its losing money is because of falling enrollment but I do genuinely feel bad for what I know is going to be very disruptive even if you find another solution.

I hope most people can find another LA place either at Heber, the school Fairlawn mentioned or elsewhere.

[Growlybear]

If Haseltine is too far away, why not apply to Eliot Bank which is also an outstanding school? It's a relatively short walk from Fairlawn and is currently advertising nursery places for September.

[Loz]

Councils don't have any excess money at the moment to fund things just because they are handy. If there are Early Years places available locally, then needlessly funding another nursery just isn't going to happen as the council simply can't afford it. saving Fairlawn would mean other services being cut.

[Fjgb]

Fairlawn had nursery places available mid year this year. A friend of mine was told her son could 'start next week' when she enquired in January.

[yas]

Growlybear Eliot Bank is too far for me. My only option is really a private nursery!

Which is an expensive option for many parents. The deficit into running this nursery is pitifully small (too big for the school). The council seems to have money for digging up streets so why can't they fund a nursery which provides a vital service for many families around the area? Furthermore, what is the council going to do with that site now? Block of flats?

Furthermore in a wider context, why are the rich given tax breaks (who does this exactly benefit except for the rich and the conservative party? Not the Nation!)? Why should our children pay for the ill conceived decisions that the central government is making?

[dbboy]

Agreed, unless you drive, both Eliot Bank and Haseltine are a good trek from Failrlawn behind Sainsbury's. Are there any other primaries just on the other side of Forest Hill BUT nearer than those in Sydenham?

This has nothing to do with tax breaks for the "rich" whatever you define as rich, or The Conservative Party. This is to do with a Primary recognising that it can no longer subsidise the nursery and a Labour run local Authority not having funds available for the nursery either, as they are using the funds on other services THEY deem need it more.

If you don't repair the roads, it causes further damage and ultimately will lead to accidents.

[ryeme]

It seems very short sighted to be closing a preschool nursery just months before the provision of free childcare for 3 and four year old is to be increased to 30 hours a week. And this will potentially bring an increase in funding for nurseries too. How will Lewisham be able to ensure adequate local provision if Fairlawn nursery is closed?

[LondonMix]

Well, Lewisham aren't closing Fairlawn nursery, the board of governors of the school are. Clearly those who run the nursery don't believe the impending changes will turn around their enrolment problem significantly so the nursery can cover its costs. If you disagree that is something you should probably direct to the board of governors of Fairlawn

ryeme Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It seems very short sighted to be closing a

> preschool nursery just months before the provision

> of free childcare for 3 and four year old is to be

> increased to 30 hours a week. And this will

> potentially bring an increase in funding for

> nurseries too. How will Lewisham be able to

> ensure adequate local provision if Fairlawn

> nursery is closed?

[yas]

LondonMix is not you again, is it? Honestly it is exhausting arguing with you! All the schools in the area had a budget cut by 35% at the beginning of the year which meant that the school could no longer keep the nursery! They are absolutely devastated to make that decision! They can't offer 30 hours of childcare! They are not a childcare provider but an education provider! Simple enough for you?

Sorry to be rude but you are coming across as being antagonistic to our petition!

[LondonMix]

Yas, if I disagree with a point another poster is making, I'll say as much as part of the debate. If you are asking for public support for a position you need to be prepared for people to voice opposing points of view without losing your temper.

If Fairlawn can't provide 30 hours, then obviously the change of 30 hours makes no impact on their viability which was the point I was making and which you've confirmed.

[Loz]

yas Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sorry to be rude but you are coming across as being antagonistic to our petition!

You do realise that, if you post to a forum people might - just might - disagree with you?

[yas]

I don't mind you disagreeing with me, but LondonMix ia actually coming across as being deliberately antagonistic to our petition!

I have given so much background information about this! We had been to meetings and had long chats with the ppl involved making this decision as we have kids on the list to start the nursery this September! I am only entitled to 15 hours of free hours not 30! We can only send my daughter to a private nursery, if Fairlawn Nursery was to close down because all the other school nurseries (except for St Francesca- a catholic school) is really not doable for us because of where we live! A few minutes to the north of the school!

In addition, nursery staff will now face redundancies. They really love that nursery as they had been working there for many years! Furthermore that nursery is a community nursery feeding to many schools, horniman, st barts, dalmain, holy trinity...

[yas]

So a little bit of positivity to our direction please :)

[DaveR]

"So a little bit of positivity to our direction please"

Sorry, it's not that kind of forum. The kind where if you only want people who agree with you to post, you can get irritated and expect everybody to respect your wishes.

As I understand it from your last post, you're basically saying that for you the choice is between Fairlawn and a private nursery, and you'd rather have Fairlawn. That doesn't sound like the strongest argument.

[yas]

I put my petition to get signatures! This has turned into a rather silly opinion and counter-opinion discussions! I don't mind people having opinions about the petition but not to the point of pettiness!

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Yas....The Only Way is Up..

[yas]

Thank you Help-Ma-Boab :)

[Growlybear]

yas Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> LondonMix is not you again, is it? Honestly it is

> exhausting arguing with you! All the schools in

> the area had a budget cut by 35% at the beginning

> of the year which meant that the school could no

> longer keep the nursery! They are absolutely

> devastated to make that decision! They can't offer

> 30 hours of childcare! They are not a childcare

> provider but an education provider! Simple enough

> for you?

>

> Sorry to be rude but you are coming across as

> being antagonistic to our petiti

Sorry, but it is simply not true to say that ANY schools in Lewisham have had a 35% budget cut this year.

[minder]

But according to Lewisham's website the government announcement to them in Dec 15 meant they have to make cutbacks of ?80 Million this year in services so I can see where yas is coming from!

[LondonMix]

Yes minder, but the cuts in Lewisham are not for the nursery budget. In fact, funding per pupil for funded nursery places is increasing and specifically circumscribed as a transfer from central government. The reason why this nursery is closing is because it runs at a loss. It runs at a loss because its enrolment is falling and it has unusually high running costs (Fairlawn's assessment).

No one wants to see anyone lose their jobs or anything close ever but the fact is that an undersubscribed service cannot be kept open indefinitely if it can't cover its cost with the same funding all other state nurseries get. Given the governing board also clearly see no way to turn this around after trying different strategies, it makes the decision all the more understandable if no less regretable.

The cut figure of 80m+ is cumulative and over 4 years. This years cut is 13m. This of course is a lot but represents a 5.3% change compared to the previous year's total funding. Let's not over state what the situation is. It's going to get worse over time though. However, the idea the school budgets this year have been cut by 35% is preposterous.

Yas, as you've seen other posters (not just me) will challenge statements that appear false and it doesn't really bolster your cause when you do this.

[LondonMix]

And if anyone is actually interested in what's happening to school budgets, you can read this guardian article. The overall budget isn't being cut but a new formula is being introduced to equalise spending across the country. Currently inner London get almost twice the per pupil funding as the worst funded areas. I'm not taking a position on this, people can make up their own minds if they think this is a fair change for the country or not.

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/nov/24/school-funding-system-fair-local-authorities

Labour councillors in Lewisham have estimated the new formula will reduce school (not nursery) budgets by approximately 10% over time.

So with those facts about what's happening in Lewisham clarified, hopefully the thread can refocus on the merits (or lack their of) for Fairlawn nursery receiving additional funding outside of what its legally entitled to per pupil.

[minder]

Well the governing body of Fairlawn should all be sacked really if they knew this was coming! And after offering places for this summer!

Edited to say this was a crosspost and I was referring to an earlier post.