Save Corry Drive Nursery
Our children attend Chestnut Nursery on Corry Drive. On Friday evening, we were informed by the Nursery Management that Lambeth Council is not granting the nursery a new lease and that it is required to vacate the premises by 31 March 2021. This is in just 15 Business Days’ / three weeks’ time.
This is very distressing news to receive at any time but is particularly concerning in the middle of a pandemic, when:
• the maintenance of public services is essential; and
• children, and others who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, should be
prioritised and protected by the government.

Corry Drive’s service to the community

The nursery is a thriving and essential part of the local community, accessible to and used by a diverse group of families, representing at least 21 nationalities, including key workers and vulnerable children. It teaches young children the importance of community, respect for each other, and citizenship in a disadvantaged London borough.

Staff turnover is very low (the manager has been with the nursery since it opened eight years ago), and children and staff alike develop strong bonds during children’s formative years. Many parents/carers, and their children, see Corry Drive as an extension of their own family. Breaking these bonds will come at a cost to a child’s sense of stability at a time of economic and social uncertainty.

The nursery also partners with Leap to ensure that there is still some early years support for Lambeth families following the sustained reduction in children’s centres services over the last two decades.

62 children attend the nursery, and it employs 15 staff, as well as local contractors. It offers 22 x 15 hours assisted places and 13 x 30 hours assisted places, supporting 21 key worker families and three vulnerable children. If the nursery shuts, alternative childcare provision will need to be found for these 62 children at just 15 business days’ notice and 15 staff members will lose their jobs.

This is a real blow when the nursery has valiantly remained open since the end of the first lockdown and provided a safe and stable environment and welcome continuity during difficult times. The staff have been incredibly resilient, brave, and selfless in supporting Corry Drive families over this period. To lose their jobs now is a cruel injustice.

Affordability and impact on equality
Corry Drive is one of the few affordable childcare providers in the local area. Its closure will place further strain on families during a pandemic which has affected many people’s livelihoods and, as the government has acknowledged, disproportionately impacted those living in deprived areas and in Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups. These represent a significant percentage of the nursery’s children and staff.

The likelihood of over 60 places being available at other local nurseries or childcare providers at such short notice is slim. As you know, many local nurseries are oversubscribed and have waiting lists. Even where spaces are available, this will not be an option for some families as they are simply not affordable.
The average take-home monthly pay for a London family is £1937. A full-time place at Corry Drive is £1100 per month, already barely affordable for the average family. Compared to the next cheapest option (£1260 per month), Corry Drive saves families 13% per month. Over the course of a year, a family sending their child to Corry Drive full-time will save over £2,000. The difference for other options could be up to £10,500 annually. 

In some cases, this sudden loss of affordable childcare could force people to give up work in order to care for their children in the short-term. This impact will likely fall hardest on women, particularly single mothers. It denies their children access to the benefits of early years education and socialisation when it is most needed.
In the longer term, the closure of Chestnut nursery limits the choice available to less affluent families for equivalent childcare both in terms of the quality of care, price, and the flexibility to match work patterns through longer opening hours. Most nurseries close at 6.00, whereas Corry Drive remains open until 6.30. In some cases, such as single-parent households, that 30 minutes makes it possible to maintain a full-time job.
Lambeth Council’s conduct is completely unreasonable and poorly judged. We need them to reconsider your decision, maintain this essential service and act now to prevent the loss of the home and community that Corry Drive has worked so hard to build.