Closing Sheffield nursery warns of looming ‘childcare crisis’

A Sheffield nursery is to close after 50 years in business as staff say they cannot afford to keep it open.

Hunter’s Bar Playschool, which will shut its doors permanently on Thursday, offers early years provision for children aged between two and five and is a registered charity.

Emily Baughan, parents committee chair, said: “The government offers children 30 free hours, but the rate they pay us doesn’t cover rent, staffing costs, heating, so we are one of a number of settings to go out of business since the pandemic.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said early years funding had increased by more than £2m and government would “ensure childcare is accessible and affordable for all”.

Ms Baughan said the nursery on Botanical Road, which currently has 30 registered children, was founded by a group of “feminist mums” in 1975.

“At its heart, the ethos was play and community,” she said.

“It has carried us through 50 years until the financial landscape changed.”

Ms Baughan, whose three-year-old son attends daily, warned a “childcare crisis” was looming.

The nursery, which was rated as “good” in its last Ofsted report in 2022, opens between 08:30-16:30 Monday to Thursday.

Katie Shipley, who has managed the pre-school for the past seven years, said parent working patterns also had an impact.

“When I first started working here each family had a ‘stay at home’ mum or dad,” she said.

“Now it seems everyone has to work, so they need childcare for much longer.”

Ms Shipley said leaving 59th St Augustine’s Scout Hall on Thursday would be “emotional”.

“I’ve cried buckets already, I know I’ll be blubbing,” she said.

Rowanne Bennett-Waters, who brings her three-year-old son to the nursery, said he didn’t enjoy “more traditional settings” and there were “slim pickings” for places he could go next.

“It has been a second home for my son,” she said.

“Everyone is all in one room together, it works so well with the older kids helping care for the younger kids.”

The DfE spokesperson said the government had “delivered on our commitment to put education back at the forefront of national life”.

“We will ensure childcare is accessible and affordable for all families, to deliver on our Plan for Change by getting tens of thousands more children, a record proportion, school-ready by aged five.”