Nursery chain Dizzy Ducks are offering 17 places for children up to the age of eight from 8am-6pm at their setting in Ongar, Essex, to help parents whose children attend schools that are affected by the industrial action.
According to the Department for Education on Tuesday, at least 5,400 schools are to be affected by the strike of some teaching unions. They say this number is liable to change.
Strike action is being taken by members of the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers
Dizzy Ducks’ administrator Amy Pudney said they had received interest from parents who use the nursery and staff working at the chain’s other settings.
‘We see offering the places as a good business opportunity. We are already registered with Ofsted to provide holiday club and after-school care for children up to eight-years-old. All our staff are available and the room is empty during the day.’
Tops Day Nurseries said that their playclub in Cosham, Portsmouth, is full for the day, following calls from working parents. Nursery manager Diane Bunday said, 'We were surprised that the play club filled up so quickly due to the strikes and we have had to start turning people away. Our club is based at the Queen Alexandra Hospital site, and so the children who come here often have parents who work as doctors and nurses or community workers and some military, who need to continue to go to work.'
Springlands Nursery group, who have two settings in Colchester, Essex, announced on Twitter yesterday that they would also be offering places for children up to the age of eight.
Childminders have also been inundated with requests for childcare.
One childminder wrote on Facebook, ‘I have several extras (children) tomorrow. Childminders are always prepared like boy scouts.’
Another childminder said, ‘I have offered the space to my children who go to school so most will be with me tomorrow.’
Other comments included, 'I have eight kids tomorrow instead of one!'
