Warwickshire News Mine

Camp Hill Primary School in Hollystitches Road is host to what is now effectively a one-stop shop for parents and families.

Generations of children have used the facilities but after an extensive refurbishment programme, the community can now access more services than ever before following support from Warwickshire County Council.

The Early Years Centre has both an LEA nursery and private nursery to cater for all children from birth to five. Over recent years, with funding from Building Sustainable Neighbourhoods, the Windmill Café allows mums in the area to get to together for pre and post-natal groups. Also on offer are advice and support sessions for new mums, breastfeeding café, baby clinic and baby massage, to name but a few. There is also a parent information room, sponsored by BT Community Connections.

Voluntary organisations and other support agencies use the building too. Relate run advice and counselling groups, Health Visitors use the centre and HomeStart support the Play and Stay sessions. There is also a toy lending library and weekly bounce and rhyme sessions run by Nuneaton Library and a Childminders Support Group.

And following a grant from the Learning and Skills Council, a training room packed with the latest computing facilities has been opened, enabling sessions run by Warwickshire County Council’s Adult and Community Learning Service to be offered at the heart of Camp Hill.

Headteacher Pam Harbot said: “It has been a long journey. Whenever funding has been available we have taken the opportunity to extend and improve the services on offer. We have seized the opportunity to expand the school beyond the traditional classrooms, to give facilities that support children and young families from birth onwards to underpin the principles of lifelong learning.”

Eric Wood, County Education Officer, said: “Schools across Warwickshire can learn a lot from the way that Camp Hill has moved into a position where it is a real centre of learning, support and advice for the community. It has been ahead of its time and I hope that the people of the area reap the full benefit from the fantastic facilities that have been built there.”

Link to WCC