We the undersigned recognise that closing the Maxilla Children’s Centre and Nursery School site and moving those services to Golborne and other areas scattered across north Kensington will put them out of the reach of the families living in north-west Kensington who desperately need them, given it is an area of social deprivation. Rebuilding Maxilla at its current location is the most sensible and cost effective way of delivering integrated early years’ services, ranging from early education for 2 to 5 year olds to Stay and Play drop-ins healthcare and adult learning with creche support, and will enable professionals to continue to identify problems such as domestic violence or postnatal depression, speech delay and special educational needs at an early stage.

To this end we call upon the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea:

• To reconsider its plans to move Maxilla’s services permanently to Golborne;
• To organise a public consultation on the future of Maxilla Children’s Centre and Nursery School services in a purpose built building on the current Maxilla site as required by statutory guidance issued in April 2013 by the Department for Education;
• To work constructively with the Westway Trust to develop a new and sustainable Maxilla Children’s Centre and Nursery School at its current site, with the Maxilla services temporarily relocated to Golborne while the building works are in progress;
• To negotiate with the Westway Trust to retain access for the children to the Maxilla garden with its exceptional outdoor learning opportunity whilst Maxilla is temporarily at Golborne.

Maxilla Children’s Centre is at the heart of the local community, is regularly rated as “outstanding” by Ofsted and is essential for the future well-being of the children of north-west Kensington.