St Leonard's Day Nursery: Sheffield nursery fighting to avoid closure after being asked to leave by church

St Leonard’s Day Nursery is located at St Leonard’s Church, Norwood, on the corner of Longley Crescent, Herries Avenue and Everingham Road, but is run independently from the church.

The nursery, which has eight staff, and 43 children on its register, wrote to parents last Thursday, February 27 informing them that it had been given four weeks’ notice by the church to vacate the premises.

It said that this meant unless there is a ‘turnaround’ the nursery, which has been running for nearly 30 years, since September 1995, will have to close this Friday, March 7.

The nursery said it had been ‘in dispute’ with the church before being handed notice to leave, after it was asked to vacate an area occupied by the nursery so that space could used by the church instead.

Nursery ‘heartbroken’ over possible closure

The letter to parents states: “We as a team are heartbroken and we would value your support.”

The nursery’s manager, Lynne Cottam told The Star: “There are no nursery places in this particular area for younger children, other than at the Northern General Hospital.

“The only other settings around here are schools, which don’t take two-year-olds.

“We’ve tried to look for alternative premises but there doesn’t seem to be anything big enough to accommodate the nursery in this area.

“I’m hoping that if the church sees how important this nursery is for parents in this community they will negotiate with us.

“We just want to be able to make sure we can continue to offer the provision that parents in this area need and deserve.”

Parents fear loss of ‘amazing’ nursery

The Star has been contacted by a number of parents with children at the nursery who are concerned about what they will do if it closes.

Destany Shaw said: “The ladies who run the nursery are amazing and make all the kids feel empowered, respected and most of all heard.

“My little girl has come on leaps and bounds since starting the nursery and loves all the staff for how amazing they are.”

She added: “The church doesn't realise the repercussions that the nursery closing will have on not just the staff but the local community as it has been open for 30 years and holds a lot of SEN children and at this time of year many families are going to struggle to reschool many of the children which will in turn affect work, home lives etc...”

Hayden Dutchman said: “I, as a parent, rely heavily on this nursery for childcare, as do many other working class people.

“If the nursery is forced to close, staff and parents will lose their jobs, in what is already a difficult time.”

‘Church has supported nursery for last 30 years’

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Sheffield said St Leonard’s Church had supported the nursery for the last 30 years but no formal lease had ever been in place between the nursery and the Parochial Church Council (PCC), ‘leaving both parties in a vulnerable position’.

“Over the years, the PCC has made significant efforts to accommodate the nursery, absorbing substantial costs for utilities, services, and repairs that would typically be covered under a formal rental agreement,” they added.

“In 2016, and again in autumn 2024, the PCC sought to establish a formal agreement to ensure fair andsustainable arrangements, including necessary rent adjustments due to rising costs. Unfortunately, these efforts were not successfully progressed.

“The PCC is now at a financial crossroads, with stretched budgets and an urgent need to invest in the upkeep and renovation of church buildings to ensure their long-term viability.”

‘Decision not taken lightly’

The spokesperson said that in September last year it asked the nursery to vacate a small part of the church space it had been using since 2013, ‘as a goodwill gesture’, adding that this space was ‘vital’ to the church’s plans to offer greater services to the wider community.

“We appreciate that this change presented challenges for the nursery,” they said. “However, the PCC must prioritise the sustainability of its mission and facilities.

“After much consideration, the PCC has regretfully concluded that the informal relationship between the church and the nursery must now come to an end.

“The PCC has not taken this decision lightly, having actively sought an amicable solution over a number of years.

“The PCC remains open to further facilitated negotiation with the nursery owner during this period.

“We remain committed to serving our community and ensuring that our church buildings are used in a way that benefits as many people as possible.”

Nursery rated ‘good’ by Ofsted

St Leonard’s Day Nursery was rated ‘good’ by Ofsted when it was last inspected in January this year.

Inspectors said that children there were ‘happy and settled’, and they praised the ‘caring and enthusiastic’ staff.

‘Regular’ rent increases

Ms Cottam said the nursery had had an agreement in place since it opened in 1995, albeit a ‘basic’ one which was drawn up at the time by the PCC and the vicar.

She said there had also been ‘regular’ rent increases over the year, with more in recent years, which the nursery had always accepted and paid.

She added that when the church sought to renovate the office space the nursery had always used, the nursery had made ‘no objection’ to relocating its office and meeting space, and had ‘supported the church’s vision for regeneration of this space’.

She said the nursery remained open to further discussion ‘in the hope of seeking an amicable solution’.