Dear Parents, Carers and Friends of Seesaw,

We are writing to inform you that all three of us have independently reached the decision that we need to resign as Trustees due to personal and work commitments.

We have served as Trustees for many years and despite various attempts to recruit new Trustees, it has just been the 3 of us now for quite some time, and in that period, we have had a move, a fire, had to sort out various governance issues and changed managers – it has been quite a heavy burden. We have all simply run out of capacity to give Seesaw Pre-School what it needs to move it forward.

Over the past couple of Academic years, we have seen a steady decline in numbers. This is due to a number of factors that we can identify: -

1.     Parents needs are different to what we offer as a setting (9am-3pm, term-time only).

2.     A drop in birth rate.

3.     The redevelopment of Ekin Road which has seen a number of families move out of the area.

4.     As a result of the fire, we lost a couple of families who needed immediate provision and couldn’t wait for us to make alternative arrangements.

5.     The presence of other settings – two new at Marleigh, for example – Monkey Puzzle and Marleigh Primary Academy’s Nursery provision.

As it stands, we only have 9 children on the roll for September.

All of this means that, very sadly and with heavy hearts, we will be closing Seesaw Pre-School CIO down at the end of the current academic year. We have sought to do all we can to keep going, but have run out of time, energy and capacity to continue to drive the setting forward.

It is particularly difficult for us as we have fought to have a new setting within the new development on the corner of Barnwell Road and Newmarket Road, but this has come too late for us.

We have informed the County Council and our staff, and we will be putting in place plans to close the setting at the end of term on 17th July. The County Council have informed us that they will be writing to parents shortly with details of what support is available for parents needing to find an alternative (a copy is below).

Thank you for all the support you have given over the years – we have appreciated that and have enjoyed supporting the setting as Trustees. Circumstances mean that now is the time to move on, to close this chapter, and see what emerges.

Yours sincerely,

Jo Brasher (Chair)

Debbie Hardingham (Secretary)

Stuart Wood (Treasurer)

 Dear Parent / Guardian,

The Local Authority has been made aware that See Saw Nursery, Cambridge, will close permanently at the end of term. The setting management have informed us that that the closure is due to the low numbers of children attending the nursery therefore it is not sustainable.

The Local Authority is exploring longer term options for early years provision in the area. In the interim, we understand that your first concern may be finding an alternative childcare place for your child. We have a dedicated Families Information Service who can support you with this. Please call 0345 045 1360 or email fis@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

A full list of settings and their contact details can be found on the childcare directory which can be accessed through the Cambridgeshire County Council website at https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk. Simply enter ‘childcare directory’ in the search on the website and follow the link.

To find out more about current childminding vacancies please contact the county council’s Coram Pacey Officer for your area using the details below.

Name - Deborah Townsend

Email - deborah.townsend@corampacey.org.uk 

Telephone - 07483 514691

For future communication on this matter, please contact the Early Years, Childcare and School Readiness Service at earlyyears.service@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.  

Yours sincerely,

Head of Early Years, Childcare and School Readiness Service