Inverness parents are outraged after Cradlehall nursery declines dozens of new children
Cradlehall Early Learning Centre has declined many new children a position to join the nursery due to ‘major refurbishment works’.
Parents in Inverness are outraged by the situation and are facing the risk of additional childcare costs for the foreseeable future.
Gary Dent (41) is a parent from Inverness who claims to lives near the school, and is ‘very angry’ with the current situation.
He said: “Our six children have all been to Cradlehall nursery, from pre-school right through to the end, and our youngest child, Emily (2) is now ready to enter the pre-school, but was rejected.
“There was no indication that there was going to be any issues with her getting a place.
“We were only informed that Emily wasn’t accepted in May, giving us a matter of months to sort this out.”
He continued: “They can’t just take a year of kids out of school. It is a public service that we all expect to be there, they can’t just shut it down for six months.”
Gary went to the school himself and had his heart set on his daughter being able to experience the same childhood he, and all of her siblings, did.
He said: “It has inconvenienced us as we will now have to arrange other childcare which was different from what was planned and now we can’t put her into the school we promised her with her brothers and sisters.”
However, the biggest issue Gary and his family are set to face is the after school pick up as both Gary and his partner work full-time jobs that are necessary to sustain their family income.
He said: “I honestly don’t know if my partner and I will both be able to continue to work full-time jobs that we need to do to pay for everything.”
Gary runs his own business as an industrial equipment supplier, which covers the north of Scotland, and allows him to work around some timetables if need be. However, not having a school position means he is unable to work further afield as a source of income.
His partner’s job is far less flexible as she works from 9am-5pm for an employer, meaning that it isn't feasible.
Additionally, the family struggled finding a childcarer in the first place and are now concerned they won’t find another suitable option in sufficient time.
He said: “There is a real shortage of childminders and they only have some available slots as they are governed by rules and they can only have so many children at one time.
“It wasn’t on the cards for next year.
“I am just really disappointed for my daughter.”
Gary’s main concern is getting Emily accepted into Cradlehall Primary School as he said: “The children who were accepted for the nursery will be further up the list to get into the primary school I’d imagine.
“I will be very, very, very disappointed if my child doesn’t go to Cradlehall Primary School, in fact I will probably be standing outside of the building with pickets and banners because it’s just not fair.”
Another parent, who was declined a place for their son, said: “I'm really struggling as it is and I was hoping he would start nursery school to ease the pressure so I was focusing on making it until August.
“Now with no other alternative, as I can't get him anywhere else, I have to hope they are ready in January and that there is space for him.
“Given that they are only upping the intake from the original 23 places to 40 and there's so many houses gone up in the area it still doesn't feel like there will be a guaranteed space.”
Parents are now keen to receive some sort of confirmation as to whether their children will get a position in the next six months or not, and what alternatives are available.
A Highland Council spokesperson said: “Cradlehall ELC is currently undergoing major refurbishment works to upgrade the facilities and increase pupil capacity. The programme of works will take place throughout the school holidays and into the new term.
“From August 2024, ELC provision will be in an alternative room at Cradlehall Primary School and due to capacity places are limited to a total of 17 pupils.
“Places for the 2024/25 intake were allocated according to the council’s admissions policy which prioritises four-year-olds within the catchment area, and all have been offered a place.
“It does mean that pupil requests for three-year-old places within the catchment area and other requests outwith the catchment area cannot be accommodated at this time, however once the programme of works at Cradlehall ELC is completed and capacity confirmed by the Care Inspectorate, additional places should become available, and requests considered as per the admissions policy.”
