Strynd Nursey to relocate

The Strynd Nursery in Kirkwall is set to relocate to the brand-new nursery facility in the town.

The Strynd - which currently provides a nursery and early years setting for 15 children - will relocate and extend its provision from 2–5-year-old children to 0–5-year-olds and incorporate all the children from the Willow Tree Nursery, currently housed in the old Papdale Halls of Residence building.

The existing Strynd facility has some restrictions in terms of changing facilities, staff accommodation and parking - with limited scope for future modifications.

The purpose-built nursery, situated next to Orkney College (UHI Orkney), is for up to 51 children aged 0-5 years, or 24 children aged 3 – 5 and 27 children aged 0 –3.

The location lends itself well to opportunities to support Childhood Practice Students as they develop their skills, therefore supporting a key sector which has had recruitment challenges.

The total project cost of £3.12 million was part funded by £1.683 million from the Scottish Government as part of the Islands Programme, which supports the implementation of the 2019 National Islands Plan helping to make the Scottish islands even better places to live, study, work and raise a family.

Elected Members accepted proposals to relocate and extend the Strynd and close the Willow Tree Nursery at a meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee on 17 February as part of a wider report on the future running of the new nursery building

The report detailed all the options available to the Council – including re-running the procurement processes to identify an operator, running the nursery as a Council service and repurposing the building.  After a vote, Elected Members ultimately went with the officer recommendation to run the nursery as a Council service.

That recommendation was then ratified at the General Meeting of the Council yesterday (10 March).

Parents and staff of both facilities have now received communication from the Council advising them of the move – with tours of the facility being carried out later this week.

Gwenda Shearer is the Chair of the Council’s Education, Communities and Housing Committee.  She said: “Relocating the Strynd nursery to the new building next to UHI Orkney offers an opportunity for the long-standing provision provided by the Strynd, to be done so in a new, ffantastic purpose-built facility.  We understand parents at the Strynd may have questions and concerns about the move and our staff will be on hand to answer these.

“The critical need in Orkney for childcare provision for 00–3-year-old children took a step forward today with the decision of this Council.  I have every confidence that this decision provides a sustainable future for the Strynd Nursery whilst catering for a number of our families with very young children.

“Following today’s decision, we’ve written to parents at both The Strynd and Willow Tree nurseries to advise them of the situation and we’ve offered up the opportunity for families to come and see the new facility on Friday afternoon.  Next week we’ll gather feedback from parents on any further support they’ll need for the move and two weeks later families can set up individual meetings with staff to discuss any worries.”