Day nursery set to close (From York Press)

Acorn Nursery in St Olave’s School set to close

8:55am Tuesday 5th March 2013 in News By Richard Catton, richard.catton@thepress.co.uk

A CHILDREN’S day nursery in York is to close next month after losing the premises it has operated from for the past 28 years.

Parents with children at Acorn Nursery in Saint Olave’s School have been told they have until April 12 to find alternative arrangements for their children because the nursery has been unable to renew its lease or find another home.

In a letter sent out last week to parents, Jane Middlebrook, managing director of Kaleidoscope Day Nurseries, which operates Acorn, said St Olave’s now had its own plans for the building.

She said: “We had hoped to secure alternative premises but this has not been possible.

“Furthermore, because this news has been leaked sooner than we intended, parents and staff alike are understandably concerned. This has resulted in some parents seeking alternative provision for their children and staff seeking alternative jobs.

“Because the staff team are so experienced and valued we do not want to lose them and at the moment we have vacancies within Kaleidoscope to offer them.”

Miss Middlebrook also told parents she is due to undergo “major surgery” this week and that had also been a factor in the decision to close Acorn.

She said the circumstances meant the “difficult decision” had been made to close the nursery from April 12 – giving parents time to find alternative arrangements for the summer term.

Some Acorn staff were being relocated to the company’s other nursery in Acomb, which is also understood to have spaces for children affected by the nursery closure.

Nursery bosses yesterday declined to comment further on the closure.