Local parents are being invited to view Woodcote Infant School's new £250,000 purpose built nursery.

A former caretaker's house located on a site next to the school was redeveloped to create the 52-place nursery and enables the school, based in Dunsfold Rise, Coulsdon, to offer the complete range of education provision from nursery through to high school.

Whilst all places are currently taken, head teacher Jackie Dilley is showing parents around for entry next year for children born between September 1, 1998 and August 31, 1999.

Jackie Dilley said: "We're absolutely delighted. We've been wanting a nursery here for a few years. The nursery is full which is brilliant considering it has only been open since September.

"It's called Woodies to carry on the Woodcote theme and we have two nursery classes namely rabbits in the morning from 9.0511.30am and foxes in the afternoon from 12.40-3.05pm.

"An inspector came and said he thought it was an excellent facility and said we should be showing it off as good practice in the borough."

The school was praised in an Ofsted inspection early this year. The inspector's report said: "Woodcote Infant School is a very happy and orderly community where what is best for the pupils is at the very heart of everything that happens."

The project, funded by Croydon's education department, is part of a £3m programme to provide additional nursery places, particularly in the south of the borough.

Croydon's cabinet member for education, Councillor Louisa Woodley, said: "This new nursery at Woodcote is fantastic news for parents of three year olds in the south of the borough who wish to send their child to a nursery."

December 5, 2001 16:30