Stepping Stones Nursery in Woodton, Norfolk, closes

Stepping Stones Nursery Scool, based at Woodton Primary School, was founded by Jo Fisher in 1989 and was originally based in Hedenham Village Hall.

It moved to the Woodton Primary School site in 2009.

In January the nursery was told it would have to move as the school required the space.

Having worked with Norfolk County Council to find a new home for the nursery, it has been announced it was unable to do so and so has closed.

Youngsters from Stepping Stones nursery, Woodton are taking part in a Forrest school program. (Image: Newsquest)

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Children from Stepping Stones Nursery School in Woodton visiting a farm in Stow Bardolph (Image: Submitted)

“It has been a very difficult time,” said Kim Harper, proprietor of Stepping Stones Nursery School.

“We have so many children requiring a nursery place yet, despite a great deal of research and investigations, we have been unable to find new premises in order to keep the highly successful nursery running.

"We receive daily phone calls with enquires for nursery places but have, most sadly, had to let potential clients know that we will be closing.

"In a time when early years education could not be more important, it’s incredibly soul destroying to be having to close a vital and thriving setting through no fault of our own.”

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Stepping Stones was based at Woodton Primary School on the Norwich Road (Image: Google)

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Concern has been widespread among parents who have to endure the stress of finding their child a new nursery to attend.

One parent said: “Stepping Stones has been such a vitally important part of the village’s infrastructure yet it is being forced to close.

"I do not drive so taking my child to another nursery is not possible.

"We have no local shop - even the pub has closed and now we’ve no nursery but hundreds of new homes are planned for the village - it's complete madness.”

Many children and parents attended a morning of celebrations for the important part Stepping Stones had played in Woodton since moving onto the primary school site in 2009.