Children's minister Margaret Hodge attended the official opening of the new building at Kate Greenaway Nursery School in Islington, London, on 10 January. The new facility for under-threes marks the completion of the first phase of progress towards becoming a children's centre, offering integrated nursery education, childcare and health services for families with children from birth to five years old.
A 1.1m extension project has transformed Bognor Regis Nursery School in West Sussex into an Early Excellence Centre. The centre, which opened last month, caters for 142 part-time nursery children and offers 53 neighbourhood nursery places for children aged three months to five years.
Making a direct impact on local regeneration is among the aims of a 47-place nursery catering for children aged between six months and five years which opened in the London borough of Newham last month. Clever Cloggs Day Nursery, housed in a new building that was funded jointly by the Big Lottery Fund, Access to Excellence and Newham Council, is the result of five years of collaborative working with Cundy Community Centre and the nursery's director, Jennifer Lewis.
Devon's first children's centre is offering facilities for more than 500 families with children aged under five. The Sure Start Ilfracombe Martin and Berrynarbor Children's Centre was officially launched last November.
Happy Days Neighbourhood Nursery in Teignmouth, Devon, also had its official launch in early November. The nursery, housed in a building designed in the shape of a ship, works closely with the local Sure Start programme and delivers core children's centre services. Devon Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership is waiting to see if the DfES gives the go-ahead for the nursery to become a children's centre.
