THERE is sad news in Crediton after it was announced that one of the town’s pre-school nurseries is to close.

Early Birds Nursery has been providing first-class care to children in and around Crediton for 26 years and has been run as a Charitable Trust - which means that any surplus income over expenditure has been ploughed back into the setting - by a small group of unpaid volunteers (Trustees) since its inception in 1992.

The Trustees say that it is “with sincere regret and great reluctance” that they have made the decision that Early Birds Nursery will be forced to close with effect from the end of the current term.

Parents received a letter on November 9, which explained the circumstances which led to the closure.

Discussions had been held with Devon County Council on measures to save the nursery and the Trustees had been working through an agreed action plan to implement all viable cost-saving measures.

They say, however, that a combination of factors have led to the financial losses endured by the nursery becoming unsustainable.

Jenna Hansford, Interim Chair of Trustees, explained: “Whilst each September, for many years, there has been an historical decrease in children, numbers have always recovered; but not this year.

“Where children have left, to go to school, the numbers have not been replaced by others.

“Whilst a concerted effort was made to broaden the age range of children catered for by the nursery, to encourage attendance, regrettably there was insufficient interest.

“Devon County Council informed Trustees of a recent review they had conducted which confirmed that there are currently more childcare places in the Crediton area than there are children.  Yet despite this, two new nurseries have recently opened in the immediate area.”

Jenna added that the overall funding situation from the government has also had a great impact.

She continued: “The Early Years Entitlement stands at only £4.02 per hour, meaning that overheads are more than we are paid on an hourly basis for most of the children who come to the setting.

“This is a recognised problem, as the results from the National Day Nurseries 2018 Nursery Survey for England, released in June, showed.

“It found that 87 per cent of the 700 nurseries in England that responded said that the funding they received for three and four-year-olds did not cover their costs.”

Jenna continued: “Because of the closure, all staff at the nursery are sadly to be made redundant.

“The quality of their work over the years, led from the outset to the end by Shaaron and Jill is reflected in the fact that in every OFSTED or equivalent inspection during its life, the nursery has been adjudged outstanding, a record which the Trustees believe is unequalled in the area.

“Parents have been reassured that nothing will change before the closure. Children will still receive the dedicated care to which they have become accustomed and as usual the term will end on a triumphant note with a Christmas party and a celebration of our 26 years of caring.”

It is believed that six people will lose their jobs as a result.

Parents have been signposted to alternative childcare providers.

Early Birds Nursery has been located in the former Landscore Primary School building in Greenway, Crediton, since 1992.