Nurseries are struggling amid huge inflationary pressures on budgets
HEADTEACHERS say they are battling to keep their nurseries going amid “unprecedented pressure” in the early years sector.
Surging energy costs and unfunded pay rises have led to difficult decisions at Bristol’s statefunded sites, with many forced to cut staff despite the demand for their vital service.
Nursery schools across the country have complained of chronic underfunding leading to closures and financial deficits.
In Bristol there are only 12 remaining local authority run (maintained) nursery schools, and 11 are struggling with budget deficits.
The latest report from the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) warns that the recent increase in the early years budget of £3.75 billion a year will be wiped out by inflation resulting
in funding falling in real terms by eight per cent in 2024. Maintained nurseries are now working with the council on developing a way to operate under a more ‘financially sustainable’ model.
Some nurseries are pooling resources under a ‘federation’ model, which allows one headteacher to manage two or more nursery schools. Nurseries have also tried to reduce costs by cutting back on staff.
Simon Holmes, headteacher at St Philip’s Marsh and Cashmore Nursery School in Barton Hill, said: “We’ve made savings – we’re not a luxury service, people aren’t getting rich here, we’ve cut back on everything we can cut back on. The children’s needs haven’t gone away but the support from other agencies to get help for these kids is getting harder and harder to get.
“It puts more pressure on the staff that we have in the nursery so it’s not a good time to reduce them, we need more staff not less. How much is the workforce in early years valued for the really important work that they do?”
Nursery workers can get paid as little as £14,000 a year, and with the
cost of living crisis and the stripping back of staff, workers are feeling increasingly overworked and undervalued.
The Limes Nursery and Rosemary Nursery have recently federated and now have one headteacher between them.
The Limes, which is the only maintained nursery in Bristol which doesn’t have a budget deficit, reduced costs by not replacing admin staff when they resign and retire – but other nurseries have resorted to redundancies.
Ms Jet Davis, headteacher at Little Hayes and Speedwell Nursery Schools Federation, said: “The
early years sector is currently facing an unprecedented amount of pressure due to staffing concerns and increasing costs, including our schools. Our schools were federated three years ago and this model has proven to have advantages for us.”
In July this year Bristol Schools Forum produced a report outlining a proposal to use the underspend in the Early Years Block to fund training and support towards nurseries operating under a more financially sustainable model.Mr Holmes added: “The national funding formula for maintained nursery schools just doesn’t cover the costs. If you just take this year for example, there’s been an unfunded pay rise to teachers, that’s a big additional cost.”
Last week the Government defended its support for the sector, in response to the research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies warning that funding is likely to fall in real terms by eight per cent. A spokesperson said: “We understand global inflationary pressures are squeezing household finances and people are worried about covering the basics.
“We are committed to improving parents’ access to affordable, flexible childcare.”