From Jackie, Headteacher at Filton Avenue Nursery School and Children’s Centre:

Filton Avenue Nursery School is committed to providing the highest quality education for your children. Every day we work to inspire a love of learning in the children you entrust to our care and to ensure every child gets the support they need to access an Early Years education.

We are very proud this year to be celebrating 80 years of providing Nursery Education at Filton Avenue Nursery School but are concerned the funding cuts are seriously threatening the provision at maintained nursery schools everywhere. As headteacher, I feel it is my duty to give you an honest account of the challenges nursery schools across the country face right now.

Like other schools, maintained nursery schools have been struggling with chronic underfunding for years and many have been forced to close their doors permanently. The situation is getting worse and, recent changes to the Government funding policy, are putting nursery schools at risk.

Three years ago, central Government accepted that funding for nursery schools is insufficient. As a stopgap measure, they allocated some money to plug the holes but this funding expires in 2020 and, despite recent Government announcements of extra money for schools, there is still no commitment to renew it.

Unless the Government changes course, every nursery school faces losing, on average, 30% of their budget from September 2020. That means severe cuts to the education and services we provide to families. Under these conditions, many nursery schools will simply not be able to stay open.

Across the country, nursery schools enrol more than 40,000 children and the majority of these are located in some of the poorest parts of the country. The quality of education we provide helps close the gap between the most disadvantaged children and their peers. If nursery schools are forced to close or cut provision, tens of thousands of children could be left without an early education place.

There are 392 nursery schools in England and it is important that we stand together to urge the Government to take urgent action. That’s why at our nursery school, our staff and leadership teams are adding their voices to a network of organisations working to protect nursery schools.

Today we are asking you, our community, to do the same.

If you agree that nursery schools should stay open, and be adequately funded for the long term, then please add your voice to the School Cuts campaign petition.

We are calling on the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, to urgently take action. Please encourage your friends and family to do the same.

If every parent of a child in nursery lends their voices, together we will make this issue impossible to ignore. You can take action today

1. Sign the petition

2. Share with every parent, guardian, and teacher you know

3. Write to your MP and ask for their support