ANGRY parents have vowed to fight plans to close a children's nursery which was praised by Ofsted inspectors for its good quality teaching and learning.
Bridgwater College has written to parents advising them that the Squirrels Nursery on its Cannington site will close for good at the end of July.
Parents said they had not been consulted about the closure and not asked if they could help overcome the problems blamed by college bosses for the imminent closure.
Mum Sarah Caddick, of Nether Stowey, whose three-year-old daughter Samantha has attended the nursery for two years, said she believed the college was simply trying to force parents to use its flagship childcare centre on the main campus site in Bridgwater.
She said: "We all had a letter last week telling us the nursery was closing and that was it and that there was a purpose-built unit in Bridgwater and how wonderful that was.
"They said the Cannington premises needed extensive refurbishment and the occupancy had dropped, but there still seems to be a lot of children there to me.
"There's been no consultation and we've not been asked if we can help. I don't think either of the problems they have highlighted are insurmountable, to be honest."
Parents angered by the announcement have already held a crisis meeting at Mrs Caddick's home and were due to attend a question and answer session organised by the college yesterday (Thursday) as the Free Press went to print.
Mrs Caddick said: "For those of us who live in the Nether Stowey and Stogursey areas the Bridgwater centre is very inaccessible.
"We're being left out on a limb - the local pre-school here is already up to capacity, as far as I'm aware, and they only provide care during term time, anyway.
"There are a lot of angry parents who don't know what they're going to do.
"It's a rural area and people are struggling enough as it is, let alone trying to fund travel expenses to and from Bridgwater."
The college's own website advises parents to book their child's place at Squirrels Nursery early, such is the popularity of the centre.
It also reveals the nursery was refurbished in 2006 and has "good inside accommodation as well as good outdoor facilities" for the children.
But Mike Robbins, vice principal of Bridgwater College said the decision on the future of the facility had been made.
He said: "Due to the extensive programme of building renovations that Squirrels Nursery now requires, in addition to the low number of people using the nursery, we have made the difficult decision to close the facility.
"We will, however, be working closely with Somerset County Council to support those families from the local community in finding alternative childcare arrangements and exploring the redeployment of the nursery staff to the Children's Centre at Bridgwater."
* Sarah Caddick is pictured (foreground) with Andi Rickard, Julie Wood, Emma Warner, Val Baker, Neil and Antonia Baker with son Ashton, and on the slide, youngsters Sammy Caddick, Harrison Warner, Ella Baker, Molly and Tabatha Rickard and Katie Baker.
Photo: Steve Guscott