Emotions were running high last night as Rutland County Council launched a consultation into the future of The Parks special nursery school in Oakham. The council says the facility is no longer viable and are proposing to close it at the end of the current academic year.
Parents of children with special educational needs accused the council of denying children places there. Local nursery staff say they're not being given enough support to accommodate children who need one to one care. The council says it will enhance early years provision at Oakham C of E. The consultation runs until the 30th of November.
A former long term staff member at The Parks accused the council of letting down children who need a high level of help:
"I was head teacher at The Parks before I retired, and I taught there for 20 odd years on the old site. We had three classes at one stage of children. Yes, some of them came in from Melton, but a lot of them were from the Rutland area.
Now those children, you are now saying, at their tender age can go into the playgroups. That will not work for lots of them. The staff at The Parks were the best trained. We went on course after course .......... When we moved to the C of E, we still had those children, I know, because there's two classes and I was in charge of one of them. We still have multiple skills. We managed then, but then the authority paid the staff. So that's why it worked so well. And that's why it was seen to be one of the best in the country at one stage. And that was what we were proud of. And that's what Rutland should be proud of".
The new Rutland Hub next to Oakham Baptist Church is only part of their expansion. It was officially opened yesterday by MP Alicia Kearns and sees offices from the church move in as well as spaces for the community to use and a cafe.
Northamptonshire police are appealing for witnesses after a series of burglaries, which they believe are all linked around the A43 between Kettering and Stamford.
Around 650 athletes began a swim at first light and are taking part in three laps of Rutland Water's roads this morning by bike before they run a half marathon in the annual Vitruvian Triathlon.
Road closures are in place in Stamford this morning on Broad Street, Star Lane and Red Lion Street for the annual Battle of Britain Parade and Service and will continue until lunchtime.
As part of the Rutland Day celebrations yesterday, there was an event at Oakham Castle which saw reenactors from the Ferrars' household along with local stalls, a Maker's market, a history tour and the Special Multum Gin Parvo Rutland Cocktail and Rutland Pippin were also on offer.
After a 37 year wait there was an all-female podium at Defender Burghley Horse Trails in Stamford which annually welcomes over 170,00 visitors across the four day event.
Weekend sports round up
