Harrogate council allocates £55,000 for advice on horticultural nursery relocation

Harrogate Borough Council is set to spend £55,000 on consultants and other professionals to help develop a new horticultural nursery to the north-west of the town.

In December, the council revealed it had identified an unspecified site in the Hampsthwaite and Killinghall ward to build a new nursery, which will pave the way for its current site in Harlow Hill to be sold for housing.

A report that will go before Conservative councillor Graham Swift, the council’s cabinet member for resources enterprise and economic development, next week, says the council now needs professional consultation and site investigations to complete the next phase of the project.

It asks Cllr Swift to approve £20,000 being spent on a consultant partner and £35,000 to undertake initial site surveys, investigations, planning fees and other works.

The council, which will be abolished at the end of next month, has said the construction of a new nursery will be financed through capital investment funding, money raised from the sale Harlow Hill nursery and income generated from the nursery.

The project will transfer to the new North Yorkshire Council after April 1.

Why does the council want to move from Harlow Hill?

Harlow Hill nursery is where Harrogate Borough Council grows flowers for its award-winning displays across the district. It also sells plants to members of the public to bring in revenue.

The nursery is a significant earner for the council with its 2020/21 annual report saying it brought in income of £153,477.

However, the council says it the facility is “no longer fit for purpose” and is unsuitable for redevelopment.

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The land is accessed off either Otley Road or Harlow Moor Road. The council’s Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which sets out where development can take place, says 40 homes can be built there.

A council report published last year recommended 62 “high-quality, carbon efficient” homes are built.

The authority is currently inviting expressions of interest in the land prior to a sale.

An emotional move for residents

Liberal Democrat member for Harlow & St Georges Division on North Yorkshire County Council, Michael Schofield, previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the move away from Harlow Hill will be keenly felt by residents as many have walked there to buy plants for decades.

He said people enjoyed visiting and walking through the Pinewoods and Valley Gardens afterwards.

He added the nursery also served as part of a horticultural trail as it connects with RHS Garden Harlow Carr and the charity nursery Horticap.

Cllr Schofield said:

“I understand what people may call progress but we have three fantastic horticultural sites all within walking distance of each other. That inspires people. Residents living here will be very sad to see it go.”

‘Kind and caring’ staff draw Ofsted praise for Harrogate nursery

Strong leadership and a nurturing environment have earned praise from Ofsted for a Harrogate day nursery.

Busy Bees on South Drive was rated ‘good’ in all areas in a report published at the end of December.

In her report, inspector Jan Batchelor said:

“Children are greeted warmly by staff when they arrive at the nursery. They are keen to go and find their friends.

“There are plenty of cuddles and reassurance for children who are a little unsettled or new to the nursery. Throughout the day, children are treated with the utmost kindness, care and respect by the nurturing staff team.”

Ms Batchelor praised the many opportunities for learning on offer at the nursery. Both indoor and outdoor spaces were found to be supportive of development, with staff helping children to build on their knowledge and understanding in each age group.

She said there was a “good balance” between staff-led activities and time for independent play.

The inspection, which took place in November, found two areas for improvement, including giving more consistent messaging about healthy eating to ensure children understood it.

It also found children missed out on learning time when they had to wait for meals to be served or for others to take off their coats and wash their hands after being outside.

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Ms Batchelor added:

“Staff’s skilful interactions with children make learning fun and meaningful. They use their knowledge of individual children’s interests to set up effective learning opportunities.

“Staff introduce new vocabulary as children play. They question the children to help develop their thinking skills. Children are always given time to respond.

“Where children are not making as much progress as others, additional support is put in place. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that children’s needs are being met as effectively as possible.”

Busy Bees on South Drive – formerly known as Kindercare and still registered under that name with Ofsted – was previously rated ‘outstanding’ in its last inspection, in late 2018. However, Ofsted has since changed its inspection framework for childcare and education settings, meaning they have to meet much higher criteria in order to achieve the top rating.

Responding to the latest report, South Drive centre director Danni Catton said:

“Overall, we felt the inspection went very well and it was great to read that the report highlighted our commitment to the children’s learning and safety, and our effective partnerships with parents. Our team is committed to giving children the best start in life and we continuously strive to ensure the needs of children are being met at all times.

“We are pleased with our ‘good’ rating – we will take the inspectors’ improvements into consideration, and we will continue to work towards achieving an ‘outstanding’.”

Harrogate council set to agree to buy land for new horticultural nursery

A new home for Harrogate Borough Council‘s nursery could be bought by the authority if a proposal is accepted next week.

The council’s cabinet is set to approve plans to buy the land to relocate its Harlow Hill nursery — but the location remains under wraps.

Details of the proposed piece of land and its cost have not been revealed as the council argues they are commercially sensitive. However, documents published ahead of the meeting next Wednesday say the ward affected by the proposed purchase is Hampsthwaite and Killinghall.

The ward covers both villages, along with land to the south across Penny Pot Lane and down to the northern edge of Beckwithshaw.

The report by commercial and transformation officer Jennie Atherton said:

“Whilst the agreed value is slightly over the asking price, this is proportionate as the transfer would not be subject to an overage clause. This provides security for the council moving forward with the proposed development or an alternative use.

“Furthermore, the difference in value price secures the preferred site that could facilitate future operational needs of the horticultural nursery and enable the service to develop and maximise commercial opportunity including targets to bring net costs to zero and payback the capital investment in full.”

Harrogate Borough Council’s current nursery was described in the report as “no longer fit for purpose”. It was included in the local plan as a site for residential development and the council has agreed to invite expressions of interest in the site.

It has said any sale would be conditional on a new nursery site being available first.

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Next week’s decision would allow officers to proceed with site searches and stage one of the Royal Institute of British Architects‘ eight-phase plan of work for delivering projects.

While the purchase of the site could complete before Harrogate Borough Council is replaced by the new unitary North Yorkshire Council in April, work to develop the new nursery is likely to take longer.

The report said:

“The business case demonstrates that building a modern facility on a new site is the better value option with the potential for significant growth and opportunity.

“It is anticipated that the development and construction of the new nursery will be financed by a combination of several elements: capital investment funding, capital receipt from the sale of the existing Harlow Hill site, and nursery revenue and commercial opportunity.

“Note that whilst sufficient funding is approved within the Harrogate Borough Council capital investment programme to cover the purchase of the land and initial RIBA stage, further funding would need to be agreed once the authority has transitioned to North Yorkshire Council for subsequent RIBA development stages and the actual build of the new facility.”

Nidderdale school celebrates top rating from inspectors

A school in Nidderdale has been praised by inspectors for its education – including an ‘outstanding’ rating for its nursery.

Belmont Grosvenor School in Birstwith, which caters for children up to 11 years old, was visited by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, which regulates private schools across England.

It was found to meet all eight requirements in its preparatory school, including pupil welfare, quality of education, and its leadership and management. The ISI does not give a rating to schools it inspects in this way.

Meanwhile, its Magic Tree Nursery was given a full inspection and rated ‘outstanding’. In their report, inspectors said:

“Staff demonstrate a deep knowledge of how children of this age learn and develop. All children under the age of three make at least good and often rapid progress from their starting points and are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

“Children’s personal and emotional development is clearly well supported, and the children consistently demonstrate that they feel safe, secure and happy, willing to engage not only with familiar staff but also with visitors.

“Staff have an excellent understanding of safeguarding and welfare requirements, and they fulfil their responsibility for protecting children diligently. Leaders and managers demonstrate strong commitment to continuous improvement through detailed cohesive self-evaluation and a clear vision for future developments.

“This ensures that all children receive the best possible support and care.”

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The report also praised the clear direction given to staff by the leadership, strong links with parents, and the opportunities offered to children at the nursery.

The inspectors added:

“Extremely effective care practices support children’s emotional security and the development of their character.

“The exceptional relationships that children have with the adults around them are built on strong, secure attachments. Each key person’s excellent knowledge of their children’s unique needs ensure they know how to respond effectively.”

The report said there could be more use of natural resources to enhance children’s play, and that the governors could be more involved in providing vision and oversight to the nursery to ensure it continued to perform well.

Headmaster Mr Nathan Sadler, who joined Belmont Grosvenor School at the start of the academic year, said”

“Our school community is very pleased with the outcome of the inspection. Most pleasingly, the inspection team could not sing the praises of our pupils enough, describing them as an absolute delight.

“The inspection process is a great validation tool and will also help us determine what will come next at BGS.”

Rising nursery costs in Harrogate district ‘could put children at risk’

A parent from Harrogate has raised concerns that the growing cost of living, including childcare fees, could see children put at risk.

The mum, who asked us not to use her name, said rising fees were putting pressure on household budgets as they also faced increased costs for mortgages, fuel and more.

As an NHS nurse, whose partner is in the police, she said she had little money left each month after bills were paid – and now she faces a further rise in nursery fees from January.

She said:

“Even we are struggling on fairly decent wages. I have considered taking my son out of nursery, but we don’t have much alternative – my mum has got health needs and I want to know his needs are being met.

“If I’m considering that on the wage that I’m on, what are other people considering?

“We aren’t paid any more – how are we supposed to afford all of these rises without going bankrupt?”

With a take-home monthly pay packet of £1,700 from her full-time role, the mum said she already pays more than £550 a month on childcare, and her mortgage has recently risen by £200 a month. She also pays for business insurance on her car to be able to do her job, and often buys equipment out of her own pocket because NHS budgets are so stretched.

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She also said she worried that families facing growing costs might decide to remove their children from childcare, even after accessing funded hours on government schemes.

Not only could they potentially be left somewhere unsafe or unregistered, such as with an older sibling or family friend, but their contact with professionals would also be delayed and any early warning signs not spotted.

She added:

“From a safeguarding perspective, the reason those [funded] hours have been brought in is because the ages of nought to five are the most vulnerable time in a child’s life, where they are more likely to experience significant harm or death.

“If children are in nursery, parents get that break. If they don’t get that break, we’re putting pressure on people. But if they’re not in childcare, nothing is going to get pocked up until those children start school or end up needing medical care.”

Her son is at Nature’s Little Learners nursery in Starbeck, where he is entitled to 30 hours’ free childcare funded by the government. That provision is given to working parents of children aged three and over and only applies during term-time, so is used by many pro-rata across the full year.

Difference in costs

However, the owner of the nursery said the money paid through North Yorkshire County Council for those funded places was significantly below the cost of offering them.

Sam Williams said parents would pay £62.50 for a full day’s nursery, from 8am to 6pm, from January. By contrast, the money paid to the nursery through the funded hours scheme was just £43.10 per day.

As a result, most nurseries charge a fee to cover extras, such as food and equipment. Nature’s Little Learners had been charging £8 per day for this, but from January will charge £19.40 to cover the difference in costs.

If it did not do so, she said, it would not be able to continue offering childcare.

A nursery room

Other nurseries around the UK have been forced to close their doors as a result of rising costs. Ofsted data for April 2021 to March 2022 showed there was a net decrease of 4,000 childcare providers.

Ms Williams said:

“All businesses have their own operating cost. This will be different for each unique setting. When deciding on the daily rate at Nature’s Little Learners for 2023, we have taken into consideration staffing cost, training, rent, rates, utilities, food costs, resource cost, travel, recruitment cost etc.

“We understand that families need to be able to afford childcare in order for them to go to work, and without working families we wouldn’t have a nursery.”

Ms Williams said the nursery had introduced flexible timings for families who did not need childcare from 8am or until 6pm, allowing them to pay less and use only the hours they needed.

As a result, the nursery’s staffing costs would be lower during those times. She said while staffing was the highest cost for any nursery, there were also growing pressures with rising costs which childcare providers were facing.

She added:

“We have considered that this coming year is set to be challenging for families as well as businesses. We appreciate the financial pressures that families are currently facing, and to minimise the impact of another increase to families’ expenses, we have attempted to amend our sessions, and offer a more flexible approach instead of an increased fixed daily rate.

“We are thankful for all our families who have support the introduction of the new session times and prices and really appreciate everyone’s words of kindness.”

Harrogate nursery urges parents to oppose ‘unsafe’ government plans for childcare

A children’s nursery in Harrogate has urged parents to voice their opposition to government proposals which could see fewer staff caring for young children.

Rachel Wilkinson, proprietor of Green Gables Montessori Nursery on the Great Yorkshire Showground, said the plans to allow one member of staff to care for five two-year-olds were “not safe”.

“My main concern is that it’s OK saying you can have one member of staff to five toddlers, but the reality is you can’t keep them safe. It’s wholly inappropriate.

“We still operate one-to-three for that age range because we don’t think the one-to-four is safe.”

In childcare settings in England, each member of staff can currently care for up to four children aged two. The government today said it will consult with childcare professionals and parents over whether to increase that to five.

Meanwhile, the number of children with additional needs who require extra support has grown significantly since covid. Ms Wilkinson said it was down to children having much less social interaction during lockdowns – and those born since March 2020 were at the greatest risk, she said.

“Children at two are most likely to be diagnosed with additional needs and need as much support as children under the age of two, as well as all the learning opportunities. You can’t do that with one member of staff to five children.”

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The government said its proposal would help childcare providers to reduce costs and they could then pass savings on to parents, to enable them to access more affordable childcare as the cost of living rises.

However, Ms Wilkinson said the approach is completely wrong and there are better ways to address the challenges in the sector, such as increasing funding.

Children aged three and above receive funding for up to 30 hours’ childcare per week in term time in England.

Ms Wilkinson said the amount paid to the nursery for those hours was inadequate – it costs her £1.64 per hour more than she receives to care for each child.

Nurseries are not allowed to charge top-up fees and can only increase their prices so far. If rates rise too far, she said, providers would price themselves out of the market as parents would choose not to work.

Instead, she said she would like to see a range of measures to tackle the problems facing parents and childcare professionals.

“What would help the situation would be to stop business rates, to allow us to claim VAT back on investments – I have just bought £15,000 of equipment and paid 20% on it. That money that’s going to the government would have been reinvested in the nursery and come off the top line.

“I would like to pay my staff more than just above minimum rate. And the funding needs to actually be a viable amount. I think the calculation was done about 2016 and a lot has changed since then.

“Funding went up 6p per hour this time. Minimum wage went up by 60p per hour, plus you’ve got pensions and national insurance to pay. It just doesn’t add up.”

A nursery roomChildren aged two would be affected by the proposed changes to childcare settings

Since covid, she said, nurseries have struggled to recruit, along with other relatively low-paying sectors, such as hospitality and social care.

Ms Wilkinson said she has managed not to need to close any of its rooms when staff are off sick, but other childcare settings have not been as fortunate.

Parents of children at other nurseries have told the Stray Ferret about last-minute cancellation of their childcare when too many staff have called in sick and there have not been enough agency workers to cover for them.

Combined with the increasing costs of fuel, food and other day-to-day expenses, Ms Wilkinson said it is no surprise that many nurseries are closing their doors.

Having established her nursery 27 years ago, she said she is increasingly concerned about the state of the sector.

“I think the profession was in crisis before the pandemic and that has just made it worse. It’s a perfect storm.”

Children ‘valued and respected’ at Knaresborough nursery, says Ofsted

A day nursery in Lingerfield near Knaresborough has been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted in its latest inspection.

Nidderdale Children’s Day Nursery, run by Kids at Heart, was praised for the way it helped children to develop new skills, from beginning to write their names to learning early mathematics.

Inspectors also highlighted the way children were taught about healthy lifestyles, including eating nutritious meals and staying safe in the sun. The report said:

“Children behave very well throughout the nursery. Staff are skilful at helping children to learn what is expected of them.

“They help children understand the difference between right and wrong, and consistently explain the consequences of any negative behaviour. They also encourage children to talk about their feelings. This helps children feel valued and respected.”

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The report said the nursery could further improve by engaging more with parents about ways to support their children’s learning at home.

It also recommended encouraging younger children to do more for themselves at mealtimes, to develop their skills and independence.

“Parents speak very highly of the management and staff. They make written comments, such as ‘staff are incredible’.

“Parents share a consensus that communication from the staff throughout the [covid-19] pandemic has been faultless. They say they are delighted to be able to return inside and see their children’s play areas again.”

The report has been welcomed by the nursery. Proprietor Julie Shaw said:

“We are delighted that we received a ‘good’ grading throughout all areas.

“The inspector commented on the good practice she observed, the caring and positive relationships between the staff and families and our clear understanding of children’s development, progress and safety. She also mentioned the very good behaviour of the children, amongst many other things.

“I would like to say how pleased I am with this report and feel it truly reflects the hard work, dedication and commitment of our staff team.

“It also reflects on our wonderful children who are amazing and to our parents, for your supportive comments, not only on the inspection day, but on an on-going basis.”

Harrogate nursery retains ‘good’ rating in new Ofsted report

A children’s nursery in Harrogate has maintained is ‘good’ rating from Ofsted for the third inspection in a row.

Busy Bees on Cornwall Road – registered as Kindercare, a name under which it previously traded – was inspected at the beginning of April.

The report published this week praised the nursery’s positive relationships between staff and children, as well as the support given to children’s language development.

Inspectors said:

“Children learn through an effective balance of adult-led activities and child-initiated play. Staff introduce topics that capture children’s curiosity and support their learning.

“For example, older children are engrossed when they learn about the sinking of the Titanic. Older children then eagerly predict which objects will sink or float in the water tray. Children beam with pride when they succeed.”

The report also highlighted the physical skills developed by children, from crawling, walking and running to using cutlery with confidence.

It praised the work done with different age groups to teach children about other cultures and beliefs. It said children are encouraged to share photographs of their family members to aid discussions about the ways in which people are similar and different.

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The inspection report added:

“Staff establish strong partnerships with parents. There is successful two-way communication between parents and staff.

“Parents say that their children love coming to nursery and make excellent progress, especially in their language and social skills. Parents are full of praise for the friendly and dedicated staff team.”

To further improve the rating, which was ‘good’ across all areas, the report said staff should be given more support to extend their good practice. It said, while there were systems in place to monitor staff performance, supervision sessions had recently become less frequent and less focused on staff development.

 

Bilton playgroup rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted

Ofsted has rated Acorns Playgroup in Bilton ‘outstanding’ following a recent inspection.

The education inspectors visited the setting, which operates at Bilton Grange Community Primary School on Bilton Lane, in February.

It has 30 children registered between the ages of 2 and 4.

Ofsted found that children “excitedly enter the safe and vibrant pre-school” and are “deeply engrossed in a limitless range of first-class activities and experiences”.

The report said:

“Children’s interests and ideas are at the heart of staff’s thinking when they implement the curriculum.”

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The inspector praised the playgroup for its safeguarding procedures and said staff give the “utmost priority” to keeping children safe.

It said staff have “very high aspirations” for all children and swiftly identify any possible developmental delays to help any child catch up. It said staff at Acorns have an “admiral passion and dedication” to their jobs.

The report added:

“Children demonstrate exemplary behaviour and play extremely well together. They solve problems while building impressive constructions, excitedly dig for ‘treasure’ in the large sand pit and make ‘Chinese noodles’ in the exploratory kitchen. Older children play a mathematical card game skilfully and ensure everyone plays fairly and follows the rules.”

Catherine Kaiser, director of Acorns, thanked staff following the report

She said:

“The staff here are fantastic, we’ve all worked really hard and the report reflects that. It’s our fourth ‘outstanding’ rating in a row. It really has been a team effort.”

Woodlands Kids Club

Earlier this month Woodlands Kids Club, at Willow Tree Primary School on Wetherby Road, received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted.

Inspectors visited the setting on February 1 and praised staff for offering a welcoming and encouraging environment for young learners.

The report said:

“Staff know the children well and respond to their interests. They extend their learning as they play together. Children greet staff with huge smiles as they arrive at the end of the school day. They show a good sense of belonging as they excitedly talk about their day.

“They form meaningful relationships with the staff and follow instructions well. Staff use their knowledge and experience effectively to support those children who need additional help and encouragement. The strategies they use are highly effective.”

Tractor run inspires children’s learning in Pateley Bridge

Children were so excited by seeing hundreds of tractors parading through their town a week ago that they have been using the experience to learn.

Many youngsters from Sunflowers Day Nursery in Pateley Bridge watched Knaresborough Young Farmers Club’s tractor run on March 13. Some even rode alongside adults in tractors.

The event, which attracted a record 383 tractors, started at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate, stopped in Pateley Bridge for lunch and ended in Knaresborough.

Knaresborough Young Farmers tractor run

Children were overwhelmed by the site of so many tractors.

It made such a big impression on young minds that the nursery adopted tractor-themed learning last week.

Nursery manager Heather Clark Kelly said:

“Many of our little Sunflowers were totally overwhelmed by the amount of tractors they saw and their experiences have totally impacted on our learning this week.

“We have been talking about tractors, counting tractors, classifying tractors be colour, lining up tractors, sharing pictures of our own tractors and finally concentrating on our different skills to colour and cut out tractors to make a huge picture.

“Everything which happens in the children’s lives presents a learning opportunity, and this was no exception.”

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