In a letter handed to parents at the end of the nursery day on Tuesday 28 May, director Leslie Beech announced the permanent closure of the 117-place nursery called Cedar Park – Wolverton, claiming it was due to enter administration.
Concerned parents spoke to Nursery World to express their ‘deep distress’ and ‘shock’ at the abrupt decision to close its doors overnight.
‘We were not aware anything was amiss until we received letter through the parent app at 9pm the night before he was due to go to nursery the next day,’ said parent Chris Wheeler, whose three-year-old son attended the nursery for three days a week over a two year period.
‘He was extremely happy there and he loved his teachers,’ he added.
Parents have formed a WhatsApp group to support each other in finding new childcare and raise awareness of the zero-notice closure in the national press.
‘I’m not a legal expert but it shouldn’t be the case that a nursery can just close down with zero notice. We’ve contacted Ofsted and reported it to them. We’ve also contacted the local council but we’ve had no response from them. Our local MP has spoken to local nurseries to see what availability there is, and most of the children are now in new settings, along with some members of staff who were left jobless,’ Wheeler says.
On Facebook, Enfield North MP Feryal Clark slammed the sudden closure and said, ‘The owners of this nursery clearly knew they were in financial trouble before tonight but chose not to tell or give notice to tens of parents. Loads of kids have no childcare from tomorrow with parents left looking for last minute nursery places! This is disgusting behaviour.’
While finding nursery places for their children has been their top priority, the closure has left many families in a difficult position, both logistically and financially.
‘Our June nursery fees were taken out of our accounts two days before the announcement. They also have our £1,000 deposits,’ Wheeler said.
Parents are asking for clarity on what led to the sudden closure. ‘We’ve been given no information about who to contact. The only message we received was a time slot to pick up our children’s belongings. When I went in, the teachers were in shock and tears. It was a really bleak feeling,’ he added.
Staff ‘shock’ at sudden closure
Nursery staff told Nursery World that they were unaware of the nursery’s financial situation and are planning to take legal action.
They said, ‘Words cannot express our shock and sadness at the abrupt closure of Cedar Park Nursery. It was the staff and wonderful children and families that made working there so special and enjoyable.
‘We are still trying to process the suddenness of the closure that unfortunately left many staff unemployed and hundreds of parents without childcare.
‘There are members of staff that have dedicated to their career to Cedar Park, with 15 plus year tenures, that have now been left jobless.’
In a message to parents explaining the closure, director Leslie Beech said he ‘deeply regrets’ any disruption this closure will undoubtedly cause.
‘This decision has not been taken lightly and it comes after much deliberation and consideration of all possible options to keep our nursery going. We have been in talks for the last 12 months for the business to be sold however sadly the deal has fallen through at the last minute and the lease allowing Cedar Park Schools to operate from Wolverton is due to expire at the end of the week.
‘Our primary concern has always been the wellbeing and development of the children in our care, however we have exhausted all efforts to allow the business to continue and of course with having no lease we have no building to operate from.
‘Cedar Park Schools will shortly enter administration and once again we apologise for what will undoubtedly be a terrible inconvenience for everyone.’
The nursery's website states, 'Wolverton Enfield was originally built as a private dwelling house for a local dignitary around 100 years ago. It had been used as a residential care home prior to our acquisition and subsequent change of use to the nursery.
'Situated on the fringes of some of Enfield's finest green belt countryside and set amidst a combination of formal gardens and natural woodland extending to over 5 acres, it provides us with the perfect home for our lovely preschool and baby care unit.'
The nursery had been open since 1999.
Cedar Park Nursery Ltd also operates a second nursery called Cedar Park – The Grange in Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire. Nursery World has contacted the owner to ask if the Hoddesdon setting has been impacted by the closure of the Wolverton nursery, but no response has been received.
Nursery World contacted Enfield Council but they said they were unable to provide a comment.
