‘Hard choices’ as school clubs axed
BREAKFAST AND AFTER-SCHOOL SERVICES CLOSE
PARENTS are being forced to make “hard choices” around work and childcare after a primary school closed its breakfast and after school services.
Hawthorne Primary and Nursery School in Bestwood Village has told parents that from the end of March its breakfast club and after-school service will end.
The decision is said to have been made with “a heavy heart” but comes as the county council-run school says the service is not financially sustainable.
It said once the school fully reopens it will “look again” at the services.
Currently, in the lockdown, Hawthorne is only open to children of keyworkers and those considered vulnerable.
One parent, who did not wish to be named, said the decision was going to “cause problems for a lot of people”.
The parent added: “There are only two other childcare options in the village – one is at capacity and the other is near capacity.
“Knowing there are very limited resources, there seems to be no logic to this decision.
“I know the school is under a lot of pressure but with so few groups able to operate under restrictions, I question how this decision has happened.
“Parents are now hinging on changing their job or situation.
“A lot of hard choices will have to be made and the pandemic only makes that harder.”
The parent said there was no consultation over the future over the service, despite an understanding there was support available and that it could potentially have been paid for by other means.
When contacted, the school issued a statement from chair of governors Jenny Kirkwood.
She said: “After much discussion, it was with a heavy heart that the school governors have decided to end the breakfast and after school provision at the school from March 31.
“The school has been supporting this provision financially from its
reserves for the past few years and, unfortunately, the reality is that this is not sustainable in the long term without a negative impact on the school’s staffing and resources.
“This has not been an easy decision.
“We understand that it will cause upset and inconvenience for the parents and children currently accessing the provision at a time when things are already difficult for many.
“We have tried to offer as much notice about this as possible and we will continue to do what we can to help provide information about potential other local providers.
“At the current time, the school is fully focused on providing education for the children of key workers in school and online for pupils who are learning at home and I would like to thank our whole school community for their ongoing support.
“Once we are in a position to plan for the full reopening of the school, whenever that may be, we will look again at how we support our pupils and parents both in school time and the extra-curricular activities programme on offer.”