A new survey carried out by Early Education, NAHT, NEU and UNISON
has revealed that over a third (34%) of Maintained Nursery
Schools are cutting staffing and services to balance their books
as a result of lost income and additional Covid costs, coupled
with a lack of certainty over the funding they will receive for
the next school year.
Maintained Nursery School leaders reported losing an average of
over £70,000 of income, as well as having to spend an extra
£8,000 for additional Covid-related costs.
Unlike some other schools, Maintained Nurseries were not eligible
for exceptional cost funding for Covid from government and so
have had to bear the brunt of these costs themselves. They were
also not eligible for some government schemes which benefited
private providers in the sector such as the business rates
holiday or business loans.
The survey has demonstrated that the long-term future of many
nursery schools is now seriously at risk. Almost half (46%) of
respondents said that at the end of March 2021, they would be in
deficit for the year. The average deficit reported was £76,000.
Worryingly, only 23% of respondents confirmed that they could
continue to operate within their current funding levels and over
one in five (21%) reported that they have financial recovery
plans in place or under discussion.
As a result of ongoing pressure from parents and the sector, the
government has now finally confirmed funding for the next two
terms. However, despite ongoing promises from government to find
a long-term funding solution, these schools still have no clear
picture of what their funding will look like beyond next spring.
As things currently stand, they will be asked to allocate places
without knowing what their budgets will be.
These latest findings suggest that the ongoing lack of certainty,
coupled with the financial pressures of Covid, continues to put
the long-term sustainability of this vital sector at severe risk.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union
NAHT, said: “Many Maintained Nursery Schools were in a
perilous financial position even before the pandemic, but the
last year has only deepened that crisis and they have now been
pushed to the very brink. If we are to avoid widespread nursery
closures, the government must urgently come forward with a
long-term solution – this can cannot be kicked down the road any
longer.”
Beatrice Merrick, Chief Executive of Early
Education, commented: “Maintained nursery schools during
the pandemic were a lifeline for local families: they stayed open
for the most vulnerable children and children of critical
workers, often taking in children from other settings which
closed. They supported their families with remote learning – and
often with food parcels and practical support. They were in touch
with vulnerable families when health and social services were
unable to maintain contact. Instead of this lifeline being
supported, it is being put at risk by government failure to
address their routine funding needs. Having been operating on a
financial knife-edge for years, the pandemic has tipped the
balance for too many schools, Government needs to act now to
resolve the long-term funding issue and provide targeted
financial help to those whose survival has been jeopardised by
the pandemic.”
Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National
Education Union: “If the government was sincere in its
assertion that maintained nursery schools provide a valuable
service, then it would not leave them in such dire straits. A
lack of long-term funding solutions and minimal support to help
them through the pandemic, has left too many maintained nursery
schools teetering on the edge of closure. It is essential that
these settings are not lost and it is deeply damaging to these
schools that year after year they have to live hand to mouth. The
government must act now to guarantee viable long-term funding
from September 2021."
UNISON head of education Jon Richards said:
"Getting secure, long-term funding in place to support maintained
nursery schools for years, not months, must be a priority for the
government. By dragging their feet on making a proper commitment,
ministers are putting staff – many of whom who worked throughout
the lockdowns – in fear of losing their livelihoods. And the
families of children who've benefited from the specialist support
of nursery staff may have to look elsewhere for the help they
need. For those preparing to attend in September, the picture
will look bleak if nurseries are forced to close.”
Cath Earley, head teacher of Greenacre Community School
in Sefton: “During the last 12 months the sector’s
priority as always was to support our children and families. This
was done with little thought to the cost and the impact on our
budgets. We opened for essential workers, often admitting new
children at short notice due to closure of other early years
providers who were able to take advantage of financial incentives
which excluded Maintained Nursery Schools. It’s disappointing but
not surprising that the Government and ministers have failed to
acknowledge yet again the important place we have in our local
communities and the lives of our children and their families,
especially the most vulnerable. This comes at a significant
financial cost.”
Notes: 200 of England’s remaining 389 maintained nursery schools
responded to the online survey in March/April 2021. They were
spread across 75 local authority areas.
