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Changes to NEF and unnecessary spending on new nurseries
On Wednesday 23 rd March at 5 pm ( last possible time before private preschools and schools closed for 3 weeks ) we were advised by Justin Donovan that the NEF would be means tested only in the private sector, that the NEF grant would be frozen for a second year, both in accordance with the States aim to control spending, AND
the States were planning to build, equip and staff new nurseries in the remaining state schools and JCGP starting in September 2016 with Springfield.
6 years ago the partnership between state and private nurseries was set up to ensure that there were sufficient nursery places for all pre school children on the island without the need for more states spending and this has worked extremely well, ensuring that we have parity of care and education.
- By flooding the market with more non means tested free nursery places it will kill off the Private Pre Schools , which cost the states nothing, and seriously damage the day nurseries. ( it is almost impossible to' make money' on under threes with good quality staff because of the ratios)
- Create inequality in the private setting with some children claiming NEF and others not. Disclosure at re registration due to the monitoring will discriminate against those 'paying for their place' .
- The saving in the NEF through means testing could easily be off set by NOT building, equipping and staffing new states nurseries.We were not allowed building costs of Springfield ( or the budget) but equipping and staffing for the year would be a minimum of £122,000. New nurseries would be considerably more.
- When Mr Donovan was asked why hefelt this expenditure was necessary he replied that it was better for children at the top end of the primary school, if a nursery was within the school.......... He did mention that he was by profession a secondary school teacher.
- There should be choice for parents who prefer their children to be in a totally nursery environment for these very formative years.
- Jersey has a level of excellence in Pre School practice at present, with choice. The decisions without any consultation with private providers will seriously damage this.
- Decisions will also affect the timing of mothers returning to work which in turn will mean less income from salary taxation for the Treasury.
Finally on purely personal evidence The Acorn Nursery School has already felt the impact of 2 new day nurseries and 2 new preschools opening in this academic year.