{"id":16584,"date":"2017-02-03T16:20:55","date_gmt":"2017-02-03T16:20:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=16584"},"modified":"2017-02-03T16:20:55","modified_gmt":"2017-02-03T16:20:55","slug":"grangetown-eco-nursery-help-children-parents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2017\/02\/03\/grangetown-eco-nursery-help-children-parents\/","title":{"rendered":"Grangetown 'eco nursery' would help children — and parents"},"content":{"rendered":"

THE governing body of St Paul\u2019s Church in Wales Primary School wants to build an \u201ceco nursery\u201d unit and community skills centre in the grounds of the school.
\nThe community skills centre would offer opportunities for parents and other members of the community to gain new skills and qualifications. <\/span>
\nClasses focusing on improving English skills, ICT skills, Welsh for beginners, improving maths, and cookery and nutrition would be offered.<\/span>
\nThe sessions would be funded from the school’s current budget, and there are plans to allow voluntary organisations to use the space for free provided they \u201csupport parents and community skills\u201d.<\/span>
\nBuilding the nursery would provide 32 children with half-day placements, with the pupils split into two classes of 16, and would extend the lower age range of the school from four to three years. <\/span>
\nThe school would remain open during construction, as the proposed area is away from the school building.<\/span>
\nIn the consultation paper, the governing body says there are not enough nursery places in Grangetown.<\/span>
\n \u201cPupils enter St Paul\u2019s from a range of settings and in some cases have not accessed pre-school provision at all.\u00a0<\/span>The establishment of nursery provisions would provide a consistent approach to teaching and planning and contribute to raising standards across the school.<\/span>
\n\u201cThere are insufficient places in nursery classes serving Grangetown to accommodate all children who may wish to attend.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe proposal would take the number of schools in Grangetown offering nursery places up to four but even after construction the children in the area would still exceed the places available at\u00a0<\/span>Grangetown Nursery, Ninian Park Primary, Ysgol Gymraeg Pwll Coch in Leckwith, and St Paul’s. <\/span>
\nBenefits listed in the document include the option of Faith-based nursery provision for local families and the likely additional permanent staff vacancies.
\nThe proposal has been put forward under the assumption that it will be funded by Cardiff Council\u2019s capital programme, with matched funding from the Diocese of Llandaff.
\nA report will be published after consultation ends on March 13.<\/span><\/p>\n