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23
NURSERIES.
The accommodation at the seven day nurseries has been
utilised to the utmost capacity throughout the year. At each
nursery there is a long waiting list for admission ; in fact, when
vacancies occur it is often only possible to consider those children
whose mothers have urgent need to seek employment (e.g. widows,
unmarried mothers).
To help meet the need for more places in the nurseries an
extension of Stanhope Nursery has been arranged. A large room,
formerly used as an air raid shelter and pram shed, will now
provide places for 20 children.
From April, three changes were made in connection with the
nurseries. (1) The hours of opening, formerly 6.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.,
were reduced to 7.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (2) Instead of all seven
nurseries opening for a full day on Saturday, only two, Stanhope
and Culmington Road, now open on this day. Children from the
other five nurseries are permitted to attend one of the nurseries
which are open and, where necessary, are collected by car in the
morning and are returned in the evening. (3) The charge for
admission, formerly one shilling per day, was doubled. Exception
is made, however, in cases of necessity and one shilling per day
continues as the charge when there is only one parent in employment
and also in respect of a second child from the same family.
The training of the nursery students has proceeded throughout
the year, in preparation for the National Nursery Examination.
The two-year course of training is now held at the Acton Technical
College by arrangement with the Middlesex County Council.
Lectures in further general education as well as in vocational
subjects are attended. The practical work at the day nurseries
has continued as before and the students are under the close
supervision of the superintendent matron.

* Extension opened February, 1948, increased capacity to 90
and maximum bookings to 108.