A FORMER village school is catering for children once again after a new day nursery opened on the premises.

Magic Moments, which opened last week in Kempsey Community Centre, represents a dream come true for owner Sharron Chapman. It's also an answer to the prayers of many local parents and an end to the worries of Kempsey Parish Council.

The council-owned building already houses the village hairdressing salon, but community use of the remaining rooms was not sufficient to pay for their upkeep.

Now the nursery, catering for children from three months to 11-years-old, has transformed a dilapidated part of the building, with the adjoining headmaster's house.

Mrs Chapman, aged 31, is the mother of nine-year-old Hannah, who goes to Kempsey Primary School and Jamie, aged 11, at Hanley Castle High School.

"I've wanted to do this since they were toddlers. There is a real need for it in Kempsey," she said. "I think we have brought new life into the building."

She has divided the main hall into three cosy areas, including a nursery for up to six babies, decorated in calming colours. Toddlers have a special play area with a bright jungle mural and there is a separate section for painting and sand or water play.

Pre-school children have a quiet room with a book corner, created out of a former store room.

There is an enclosed playground, a welcoming cloakroom and child-sized toilets with stalls painted in primary colours, while the first floor contains the office and staff room.

"I want people to come and see what we have done. Everyone who has been here says we have done wonders for the place," said Mrs Chapman, who did the decorating with the help of friends and family, including her husband, Rob.

A meeting room is now used for breakfast and after-school clubs and children can be delivered or collected from school by the nursery minibus.

"It means parents with one child at school and another at nursery can drop them off together and pick them up from us," said Mrs Chapman.

QUALITY CHILDCARE IS ALL IMPORTANT

RESPONDING to this week's news that babies do better with mother, Mrs Chapman said she believed it was the quality of childcare that was important.

A six-year study by childcare expert Penelope Leach, published at the weekend, suggested being in nursery care hampered the social and emotional development of babies and toddlers.

They did best with their mothers, followed by nannies and childminders, faring worst with grannies and other relatives.

"There may be problems in large nurseries, but I have tried to keep everything homely and personal here, with small groups of children," said Mrs Chapman.

"We will only have six babies and six toddlers, so the under-twos will get maximum attention."

There are two staff to six babies and at least one to every four toddlers, with plenty of activities to interest and stimulate them.

"Besides, we devote all our time to the children. It's not like putting them in front of the television and then going off to do the ironing," she said.

Magic Moments can provide up to 30 full-time nursery places, plus 16 breakfast and 16 after-school places.

The after-school club is already booked up two nights a week, but the children attending do not all have working mothers. Several of them attend purely for the social benefits.

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