As we go to press today (Thursday 22 November) with the Pevensey Bay Journal at 5:00pm, news comes of a statement from the Memorial Hall in Pevensey about the foundation of a new pre-school in Pevensey.
Simon Montgomery. editor of the Pevensey Bay Journal , said (Thursday 22 November),”we have had a number of parents and key stakeholders and interested parties talk to us about the context and circumstances here with regard to the pre-school. This is the second closure of a pre-school here in Pevensey within a year, and the shock has reverberated across the community..
We published the statement by Nick Porter, the current director of the pre-school (November 7) on behalf of Total Childcare Services. His heartfelt, carefully worded statement about his decision to close the pre-school, on 18 December was a shock to everyone.
We will publish the response by The Memorial Hall Management Committee in Pevensey, as a result of our communication with the Management Committee on 8 November.
We said “Do you want to say anything about the closure of the new Pevensey and Westham Pre-school? We are publishing a statement by the owner, Nick Porter this morning. We would be happy to quote anything that you want to say on behalf of the Memorial Hall”.
“Our article, The Big Story, is the headline news in edition 23 of the Journal, printed this afternoon, will include the response offered to us by the Memorial Hall, as a result of our communication on November 8″.
Simon added, “at this stage we are clearly dealing with a damage limitation exercise of some description by all the parties concerned, with regard to what has happened.
“I have been a teacher for 42 years and understand the context here to a certain extent. What matters at this point is that parents, pre-school children and families are supported to enable the possibility that a new (the third in a year) pre-school is established and up and running by Easter 2019.
“A time will come when the full story of what has happened with the debacle of the failure of pre-school services here will be told.
“We are a local campaigning newspaper, we will tell that story because there may be some big lessons that can be learned for future education services planned within the community
“But we also believe as a local newspaper in the Digital Age that we have a concrete role to perform that involves support, encouragement and the expression of hope to this community, in particular at times of crisis in the community, and very much in particular with regard to education, so we will tell that story.
“We will be supporting the establishment of the new pre-school in every way possible in the hope that by Easter next year, a sustainable pre-school enterprise will be established.
He suggested, “what on earth has happened here? How did we lose someone of the calibre of Nick Porter with his Total Childcare Services? What has been the role of the Management Committee at the Memorial Hall? What does this story say about us all as a community? Are there some important bigger questions here to ask about what has happened?
At 11:00pm last night (Wednesday 21 November), Keith Henderson, on behalf of the Memorial Hall in Pevensey, offered us the following statement with the message,”I would be grateful if you would include the attached in your publication please.”
Statement from Memorial Hall. Pevensey
Wednesday 21 November 2018
BREAKING NEWS
The Memorial Hall are pleased to announce that a new pre-school is in the process of being formed. You will appreciate that the start date relies somewhat on the speed of Ofsted giving consent.
The new proprietor has some 25 years of experience in the child care system and currently has a pre-school in Hellingly.
It is hoped that this one will be up and running by Easter at the latest.
For more information, please contact Nataha on 07713880255 or email :hellinglyplaygroup@aol.co.uk
Pevensey Memorial Hall management committee wish to apologise to parents for the current situation, which was as much of a surprise and disapponitment to them, as to you all.
KEITH HENDERSON
ON BEHALF OF PEVENSEY MEMORIAL HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
