The new centre is due to open in April. Currently the nursery is housedin a building attached to the school, but children will transfer to thenew centre before it is converted to offices and rooms for training andhealth services.
Some of the centre's services are already up and running, including amidwife, outreach and community workers and a childminding network. Aspeech and language therapist runs rhyme-time sessions open to localfamilies with children from birth to five.
Headteacher Ludiya Besisira said, 'Many parents don't speak English andrhyme-time helps them learn English in a fun way. It also helps us toidentify children who have language delay.'
Children at the nursery and school speak more than eight differentlanguages, including Urdu, Turkish, Somalian and eastern Europeanlanguages.
Mrs Besisira said, 'It brings a richness to the school and helpschildren to experience different cultures.'
The phase two children's centre costs 1m and is funded by theLondon Borough of Waltham Forest and Sure Start.Eight centres arealready open in the borough.
