UNISON Southwark is calling on Southwark Council to reverse the damaging cuts that could see a nursery school unable to support some of its most vulnerable students.

Just weeks after being rated Outstanding by Ofsted, staff at Kintore Way Nursery School and Children’s Centre are being threatened with redundancy and worse working conditions. Even though 45 per cent of students have special educational needs (SEN), up from 22 per cent two years ago, staff are being threatened with the deletion of thirty four posts to create nineteen new ones which offer “greater flexibility”. This is a classic example of fire and rehire: forcing staff to take new posts that offer worse conditions and pay.

Due to the way that funding is accessed in the education sector, money for SEN pupils sometimes bypasses the nursery schools and goes straight to their primary school when pupils start there, without any backdated payments for the nursery. The nurturing environment of the nursery before SEN pupils start Reception is crucial to their development.

Staff have raised serious concerns about the wellbeing and safeguarding of these students if there are fewer staff to support, given the varied and complex needs of these pupils. With more than £20m available in Southwark Council’s schools balances reserves and dedicated schools grants reserves, it is unclear why investment cannot be made to protect the wellbeing of some of Southwark’s most vulnerable pupils.