Growing number of expelled kids could see nursery moved

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Growing number of expelled kids could see nursery moved

Friday, 06 August 2010

Parents and pupils at Kennington Park Children's Centre (Hannah Jones)

Clare Casey

A NURSERY could be moved so a primary school for expelled pupils can be expanded.
The plans have angered mums who have launched a petition against the plan.
The Kennington Park Bridge To School pupil referral unit in Kennington Park Gardens, Kennington, could see its intake doubled to 60.
But if Lambeth council's plans go ahead, the Kennington Park Children's Centre and day nursery on the referral unit site will have to move.
The council has suggested the nursery could reopen on the site of Henry Fawcett Primary School in Bowling Green Street, Kennington.
Trudy Lister, 41, who sends her daughter Ameille to the nursery, said hundreds of people had signed a petition against the council's proposal.
Ms Lister, of Conyers Road, Streatham, said: 'We haven't been told anything about these plans.
'Apparently the staff were told their jobs would be deleted, but they were warned by the council not to tell us anything.
'Parents are very unhappy indeed.'
Ms Lister said parents of kids who use the nursery had volunteered to transform its gardens, creating new flowers beds and an allotment.
They got grants for the work, and Ms Lister said she goes to the nursery twice a week to help toddlers and parents grow vegetables.
The council wants to add 30 places to Kennington Park Bridge To School as 'younger and younger' pupils in the borough are being expelled.
The proposal to expand the referral unit would cost £695,000, according to a report adopted at the council's cabinet meeting on Monday last week.
Cabinet member for children and young people Councillor Pete Robbins said: 'This plan is a long way from being implemented.
'We are at the start of the consultation period and have still to secure the money to expand.
'But if we do [expand] then we would need the space created by the Kennington Park Children's Centre to do so.'
Email: clare.casey@slp.co.uk

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