Children Feel Special Here - East Anglian Daily Times Education Page, 13 July 2004 & Ipswich Angle, August 2004

In the 6 months since its official opening by actress Ruthie Henshall, The Nursery @ Suffolk College has been a happy, fun-filled place with plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Not least among these is the recently-published glowing OfSTED Combined Inspection report, the achievement of which was marked with a party for the children and their parents.

The Nursery @ Suffolk College is the second Neighbourhood Nursery in Suffolk, and offers 84 spaces for children from birth to five, as well as exciting holiday play schemes for school-age children. The new purpose-built and well-equipped facility was developed thanks to funding support from the New Opportunities Fund, Suffolk County Council and Suffolk Learning & Skills Council. Through the Neighbourhood Nursery Initiative places are available not only to the staff and students of Suffolk College, but also to meet some of the wider need for childcare in Ipswich.

This year the holiday Playscheme for older children runs from 8:30am until 5:30 pm each week day during August, with the options of extended care between 8am and 8:30 am (with breakfast) and up to 6pm. There will be a wide range of creative and adventurous activities on offer with a different theme for each of the four weeks the scheme will operate – Jurassic Capers, Exploring the Waves, Fit to Burst and Up the Nile. The Playscheme is for children aged from 5 to 12 years, and is supervised by qualified and experienced playworkers. It is offered on a daily or weekly basis, which must be booked in advance. The fees per child are £18 for a day or £80 for a week. If you would like more information, or a booking form, get in touch with Suzanne George, Tina Abbott or Janice Freeman on (01473) 296457.

Suffolk College has, of course, provided 14 years of successful childcare provision. Perhaps the reason for its continuing achievement is best summed up in the words of Sarah Rose - a Suffolk College student whose 2 year-old son, James, attends the Nursery - when she said “Every child is made to feel special”.