March 2011
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Parents shocked at private school’s sudden closure By Sandie Marshall PARENTS were left high and dry when a small Honley private school went bust with just a few days notice. They are angry they were given no time to adjust their children to the change. Honley Day Care Nursery and Preparatory School on Queens Square Business Park went into administration during February half-term. The official receiver acting on behalf of owners Jones Day Care Nurseries sold the business almost immediately. New owners, Carlin Nurseries, are keeping the day care centre open saving all 20 jobs that were under threat. The preparatory school, however, was closed straightaway. At the time of the closure there were just seven pupils enrolled there. Shocked parents received a
phone call from the official receiver on the Friday telling them not to bring their youngsters to school on the following Monday. Sean English, whose sevenyear-old daughter Molly was a pupil, is angry the school was not allowed to stay open for at least a week to help the children cope with the change. “There seems to be no rule book for this situation. Surely there should be a moral code which allows a school to carry on for a short time to allow everyone to adjust and to allow parents to find new schools. That would help protect the kids from the shock. This just didn’t happen and the speed left everyone stunned,” he said. Sean had already paid £850 in school fees for March – money he is doubtful he will get back. With
Villagers urged to use local services
the help of Kirklees Council, Molly has been transferred to Holme Junior and Infant School. Local business owner Alison Ashurst was also left to find a new school for her six-year-old daughter. She too was disappointed by the lack of systems in place to help parents. She says: “I asked the official receiver how we were to go about finding a new school but was told they could give us no advice or help. Basically we were on our own.” Alison is so angry she has contacted the office of Education Minister Michael Grove and local MP Jason McCartney to lobby for more protection in such cases. “There should be something in place to protect the children. I know there are rules when a business goes bust but in these rare cases, the children’s emotional welfare should always come first.”
Organiser Stephen Dorill is confident this year's Holmfirth Film Festival will be a box office smash. For a special feature see next month’s edition.
HONLEY Village Trust has launched Stop and Think Honley! a campaign to encourage everyone to source all their goods and services from the town and surrounding area. As part of the campaign, the trust has updated its free local business directory and has made it available onwww.honleyvillagetrust.org.uk Trust secretary John Murray said: “The headline ‘Stop and Think’ relates to the fact that in our busy lives we often go to the main suppliers for our needs and habits without considering a local option.”
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