Childcare Pre-school says move bid could help schools retain staff
APRE-SCHOOL is looking to move from its rented accommodation at playing fields to a new site in a school’s sports field. Pip and Jim’s has been renting space at the Brizen Youth Centre in Up Hatherley, Cheltenham, for six years but is seeking permission to move to land volunteered by Bournside School and Six Form Centre in Warden Hill Road.
Pip and Jim’s say financial aspects of the lease and its inability to expand numbers to meet costs, mean it has been ‘forced to consider alternative locations’ ‘from September 2024. An application has now been made to Cheltenham Borough Council for a single-storey pre-school facility at Bournside.
The application says the relocation of Pip and Jim’s from its present home off Up Hatherley Way could have a benefit not only to Bournside, but other schools in the areas. The application says as it could be used for the children of staff and help their return to work after parental leave.
A design and access statement says: “Bournside School and Sixth Form Centre have noticed a shortfall in staff returning from parental leave. This shortfall leads to extra costs from staff turnover.
“Creating a pre-school provision on site for their staff members to have access to, would help to encourage parents back to work and therefore help to retain staff long term.
“This could also have the same benefit for the staff of the neighbouring schools, St James’ Primary School, Belmont and Bettridge. This would produce an efficient single solution for childcare for those with siblings at the surrounding schools and for those who work at the schools.”
With the county’s largest secondary school, Warden Hill Road is extremely busy with cars at school run times, and concerns about child safety have prompted moves to create two new zebra crossings on the road.
Because of this Pip and Jim’s operating times would be staggered with a start time of 8am and a finishing time of 4pm, as Bournside School starts at 8.45am and finishes at 3.15pm. The application also says by having a central location, there are more pedestrian
and bus link access opportunities from surrounding residential areas.
The new building would also allow Pip and Jim’s to take more babies and young children. At present, it can take 16 children from the age of two to five but the new building would allow it to take three babies from the age of nine months, eight two year olds and 24 children aged from three to five.