Why have they cut this key part of children’s education?

Published: 4th November, 2010

• IN cutting nursery provision for Holly Lodge estate, both national and local politicians are seriously damaging the preparatory work that is now widely recognised as the essential bedrock of a good education.

There is no point in building or setting up new schools, if the children attending them cannot fully benefit from the learning they offer. This is at a time when Britain badly needs to improve its skill and literacy levels – as acknowledged by the present government, and more pertinently, by the CBI.

Holly Lodge does not only offer an ideal size of nursery provision, but it also helps local parents enormously, by providing holiday cover at an affordable price, for those who are not working.

How does this government (which is  so keen to get everybody working), expect working parents to cope without this trustworthy back-up?

The children who attend the centre in the school holidays (of which there are many), are happy and relaxed when they are at Holly Lodge. Many other play centres are simply too big or not so well run; so they do not provide the social skills which enhance academic learning.

Why are grant- cutting politicians so predictable? They always “pick-off” smaller community services rather than properly examining the larger, more costly budgets. I suppose it’s just easier.

But our elected representatives are not doing their job properly. 

In which case, Camden’s voters elected Labour to protect their services – not axe them!
Sheila Patton
Spencer Rise, NW5