Coventry nursery pleads for more funding as bills soar
Georgie Porgies Pre-School cares for 60 children and is praised by parents.
Georgie Porgies Pre-School in Holbrooks - a beloved Coventry nursery where staff “deserve a medal” for their work - could be forced to close due to soaring bills and a lack of government funding.
Owner, Katie George, 36, kept the nursery going through a serious illness and she made sure it was open to look after keyworkers’ children in the pandemic.
But the mum-of-four could be forced to shut the nursery she loves within a year because state funded care is not rising in line with its costs.
Katie said: “I know everyone’s feeling the pressure. I understand the government have a hard job to do.
“I am speaking for the early years sector. We are not greedy business owners. We care massively. We’re helping people get back into work.
“We are teachers, that’s what we do. Staff are deserving of their salaries – if not more.
“But funding is so low. I can’t ask fee paying parents to take the shortfall.”
Like everyone in the UK, Katie has seen food and energy costs double in the past year.
She now spends more per month on gas and electricity for the business than she takes as salary.
Since the nursery opened in 2015, staff costs have risen by 61%, Katie said.
However, in this time government funding for early years care has only gone up by 14% for two-year-olds and 27% for three-to-four-year-olds.
She doesn’t want to cut staff pay, due to go up to £11.76 per hour, as she says they deserve the money and also fears they’d leave for better paid retail jobs.
Asked how she’d feel if the nursery has to close, she said: “Devastated. It just makes me feel really emotional.”
Parents have been sending messages of support
Aaron Daniel said: “Our now 21 month old started at the nursery at 11 months old. Like all parents we were nervous, especially with it being our first child so not having been through this before.
“The nursery is exceptional, the staff are fantastic and our daughter loves attending.
Leonie said: “The nursery staff go out their way for all the children and take their time to get to know each child.
“It’s important we support nurseries, as a working parent I wouldn’t be able to do my job without them. I know my child is safe everyday which takes a lot of anxiety away. “
Another parent added: “I’m a working single mum who could have free childcare with relatives willing to look after my son but the staff at the nursery are amazing and that is why I am increasing his hours there.”
MP speaks up for nursery in Parliament
MP speaks up for the nursery in Parliament
At a debate on early years funding last week, Coventry North West MP Taiwo Owatemi brought up the case of Katie and Georgie Porgies nursery.
The MP pointed out that childcare costs in the UK are the third highest in the world and called on the government to “rethink the system.”
She said: “Katie, the owner of Georgie Porgies, pays herself a salary that is below the minimum wage simply to keep her business afloat—a business that provides employment for nine people and vital education for tens of children—but despite this selfless sacrifice, she and her business face financial ruin.
“To put it simply, the Government are levying a tax on generosity and kindness.”
She added: “Let me make it clear to Conservative Members that Katie does not need any business advice on how to make her money stretch or improve efficiencies.
“What she and everyone in the sector need more than anything is deep-rooted, fundamental change to a broken system.
“That is the only thing that will keep childcare businesses in every corner of the UK afloat.”
What the government is doing about it
At the end of the debate, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education Claire Coutinho said: “Some £3.5 billion has been spent in each of the past three years on our early education entitlements alone for two to four-year-old children.
“I know the sector is facing economic challenges, similar to those being faced across the country.
“We have already announced additional funding of £160 million in 2022-23, £180 million in 2023-24 and £170 million in 2024-25, compared with the figure for the 2021-22 financial year, for local authorities to increase the hourly rates they pay to childcare providers.
“In December, we announced that for 2023-24 we will invest an additional £20 million in early years entitlements funding, on top of that additional £180 million I have just mentioned. Taken together, this will help to support early years providers.”
She added: “I am happy to assure the House that improving the cost, choice and availability of childcare for working parents and making sure that providers are well supported are enormously important to me, we will not ignore the cost pressures faced by the sector in the cost of living crisis. We will continue to explore all options.”