On the 21 February 2020, three nurseries in Dundee have officially reopened their doors after being refurbished for the expansion of Early Learning and Childcare. The expansion is an initiative from the Scottish Government alongside local councils to expand funded early learning and childcare from the current 600 hours to 1140 hours by August this year for all three and four year olds and eligible two year olds.
The implementation Early Learning and Childcare expansion is already underway in all three areas of our Tayside Collaborative and those refurbishments are only an example of all the work being undertaken by our local authorities, private and voluntary sector nurseries and some childminders to improve children’s outcomes in Tayside.
I am actually thinking that the whole extended hours and the whole nursery is absolutely great because it is working so well with Max and us. We both have shift patterns and not always we could adjust our work to the nursery but because of the extended hours, we can actually do it. — Dagmara Olewska, parent
Longhaugh Nursery, Caird View Nursery and Menzieshill Nursery, all Dundee City Council establishments, have been carefully refurbished in the programme to increase capacity across the city to deal with the expansion of hours. Dundee’s Lord Provost Ian Borthwick officially opened the nurseries.
Executive Director of Children and Families Service at Dundee City Council, Paul Clancy, attended the event at all three local nurseries. He said
“There is no doubt that the quality here relates the ambition that we have to give children and families the very best so, it has just been great to see how it’s been set out. Early Years is vital for children and families in establishing these educational principles and set them up for life. And you can see it on the children’s faces, and the families’ expressions as they comment they’re feeling comfortable here. They are coming in ready to learn and that is just going to set us up so well for the future.”
Children and their families also helped celebrate the openings along with nursery staff.
Dagmara Olewska, a parent who attended the opening day at Longhaugh Nursery, said “My son Max started at Longhaugh at the beginning of the year. I am actually thinking that the whole extended hours and the whole nursery is absolutely great because it is working so well with Max and us. We both have shift patterns and not always we could adjust our work to the nursery but because of the extended hours, we can actually do it. It is really going so well and Max is adjusting so well in nursery – in fact, he loves it! He doesn’t want to go home after nursery. It’s really good!”
Angela Murray, also a parent who attended the event at Longhaugh, said “My little boy Joe, he comes here Monday to Friday the hours are perfect for work and he enjoys being here… While I was working and Joe wasn’t in nursery because he was little, I had to struggle for childcare. I mean, I had a lot of family to help so that was perfect but now that he is at nursery I know that he is safe, he is in an environment where he is learning… So yeah, he’s really enjoying it.”
