By Kelly Eve Education Reporter

Last updated at 16:42, Friday, 17 February 2012

Devastated parents have launched a campaign to save their children’s nursery at Newton Rigg near Penrith.

Campaigners have called on governors of Newton Rigg College to postpone the closure of the award-winning Early Years Centre (EYC) on the campus to allow parents to work with college chiefs to secure a “sustainable future” for the nursery.

It was revealed last week that the nursery will close on July 17. Newton Rigg College says it has been operating at a loss for some time and it can no longer afford to run it.

Ten workers will lose their jobs over the coming months and the families of 57 children have been told they must find alternative arrangements.

Parents met on Monday evening and a Facebook group has been set up to keep campaigners informed, attracting almost 200 members since it was launched last weekend.

A detailed 12-point letter was also sent to Alan Bowe, the chairman of the governors at Newton Rigg College, and fellow governor Ian Youdan, who is also the chairman of the Askham Bryan College governing body.

The letter was sent after Newton Rigg College principal Wes Johnson and his deputy Philip Grant addressed parents last week.

Campaigners say many parents found out about the closure via local media or received less than 24 hours notice by letter of the closure and subsequent meeting.

College chiefs will now meet parents’ representative on Monday to discuss the points raised in their letter, a meeting they hope will be “positive and constructive”.

York-based Askham Bryan College took over much of Newton Rigg last August, including the nursery, when the University of Cumbria decided it would no longer run further education provision on the site.

The letter to Mr Bowe and Mr Youdan questions the college’s arguments and efforts to retain the nursery. Parents also call for the closure to be postponed so they can help try and secure a future for the nursery.

It is understood Mr Bowe has been in contact with representatives of the parents’ group.

A spokesman for the families said: “This is clearly an upsetting time for the staff, parents and children associated with the EYC.

“The college has failed to consult with parents over the financial difficulties faced by the nursery which has led to the closure decision being made in isolation from the parents.

“Despite the college insisting that it had done everything it possibly could to protect the future of the provision at the EYC they have failed to undertake the most basic of actions, for example parents have not been asked if they would be prepared to pay more for the care their babies and children receive in order to secure the future of the nursery.

“This hardly seems like the action of the corporation undertaking its “best endeavours” to secure the future of the nursery”.

Staff are understood to have offered to take a cut in pay to help save the nursery and their jobs.

The families’ spokesman added: “If the college had involved the parents several months ago we could have worked hard to help the college scope out and research a whole range of options to create a sustainable future for the nursery.

“The parent group is rich in a variety of skills and experience, with several of the parents running very successful businesses themselves – a valuable resource pool the college has completely overlooked. We want the opportunity to do this to ensure the college does not fail in its social responsibility to the staff, parents and children of the EYC.

“Even though the college does not seem to want to invest the time in looking into an appropriate range of options so far the college has only been able to evidence two external bodies who have approached them which we do not feel is enough or acceptable to really secure the future of the nursery.”

Campaigners say that the nursery is a “second home” to their children which boasts outstanding and unrivalled facilities including a forest school and access to the college’s farm and small animal centre.

Parents are invited to attend another meeting with college chiefs on Monday. Campaigners say they are expecting to hear how the college will be prepared to work with parents to forge a sustainable future for the nursery.

Representatives from Cumbria County Council’s children’s services will also attend to discuss alternative arrangements.

A Newton Rigg spokesman said: “We are very open to suggestions as to how the nursery could be made financially viable and have made that clear in our response to them.”

First published at 14:08, Friday, 17 February 2012
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk