Waverley College Waterford Preschool to close as Woollahra Preschool expands
One beloved eastern suburbs preschool is shutting its doors while another is expanding its offering as the demand for preschool education in the area soars despite the availability of long daycare.
Wentworth Courier
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Waverley College is closing a beloved preschool which has operated for more than half a century as Woollahra Council instead expands its preschool space making way for an additional 40 families.
Waterford Preschool at Waverley College will close at the end of the year after operating on the site for 51 years – the last 25 of which the school itself has run the service.
Parents were notified earlier this month and so far more than 600 people have signed a petition calling on Waverley College to give them more time to find an alternative location to run the preschool.
However, the college says they have tried for years to find a solution, including a failed purchase of the nearby Waverley Bowling Club, and they had no choice but to close Waterford.
The school confirmed they need the space “to meet the learning, teaching, wellbeing, mental health, risk management and compliance requirements and responsibilities of the school”.
A Waverley College spokeswoman said the announcement was made after architects and town planners confirmed that due to the heritage and height restrictions the school was “unable to build to solve our space issues”.
“This has given staff and parents five months notice, and we have been providing both staff and parents assistance to identify alternative centres,” the spokeswoman said.
“For those families who are not sending their children to kindergarten next year or who have not already secured additional days at centres, the College has identified 64 childcare and 22 preschools in the local area that are advertising with vacancies available for 2021 for the same age care as Waterford Preschool.”
Waterford’s shuttering comes after UNSW announced in May they would be closing their long daycare Kanga’s House at the end of the year.
Waterford Preschool parent Alicia Caplice has spearheaded the campaign to save their service which her son River currently attends.
“Waterford is such a special place and its closure would be a huge loss for the community,” Ms Caplice said.
Meanwhile Vaucluse MP Gabrielle Upton on Friday officially opened the Woollahra Council preschool extension, which was built thanks to state government grants totalling just under three quarters of a million dollars.
Upon opening the Woollahra Preschool extension, Ms Upton spoke about the vital role played by the service.
“This funding means our local families have more access to quality early childhood education which is so vital for our young ones and for parents’ piece of mind”, Ms Upton said.
“As a parent, I know how much my children’s preschool experience helped them make an easier transition to school.”
Woollahra Mayor Susan Wynne said Woollahra Council has used the funding to renovate Woollahra Preschool’s ground floor, create a new preschool room, and also transform its outdoor area to make a new outdoor play space.
Woollahra Preschool will start offering the new places from Term four.
If you know of a space which could be used for Waterford Preschool, please contact savewaterfordpreschool@gmail.com