The University of Portsmouth has had an onsite nursery for students since 1979, which has allowed many parents to study at the University. With subsidised places, reserved for students before staff, this has been of great benefit to students for many years. The University is now considering closing the nursery, in order to save money, saying that it cannot afford to subsidise the nursery any more. 

We, the undersigned, are really concerned that the University is making this decision, which will leave 37 children from the University community without a nursery place from December 2022, and will mean the loss of 17 jobs.

This is an awful time to close, as parents will be desperately trying to find a nursery place part way through the academic year, and the staff, many of whom are UNISON members, will lose their jobs right before Christmas, during the worst cost of living crisis in a generation. 

The proposal to close will have a negative effect, particularly on women and children from the University community, and may mean that some parents are unable to complete their studies.

During the pandemic, the nursery staff returned to work on site when many staff were still working from home, as nursery provision was considered an essential service. If it was essential then, surely it's essential now? The nursery has been rated 'Good' by OFSTED, and is an important part of the University's offer for students. 

We urge the University Executive Board to consider alternatives to closure, such as expanding on the premises, which may enable the nursery to accommodate more children, either from the University community or the wider community of Portsmouth. Nursery places are hard to come by in the area and the nursery often has a waiting list.