Pre-school celebrates 60 years with former pupils

A MAN who attended Emmer Green Pre-school 52 years ago returned for its 60th anniversary with his granddaughter, who is now a pupil.

Jason Fontaine, 55, attended the school, off St Barnabas Road, as a three-year-old when it was located in St Barnabas Church Hall on the land adjacent.

Two weeks ago, he returned to the site where the pre-school moved to in 1990, to celebrate its 60th birthday with his granddaughter, Miya, who is four.

He said: “We’re three generations here. Emmer Green is lovely, all of the staff are lovely, my granddaughter, she loves it.

“In the mornings she can’t get here quick enough, most kids hate school but she loves it here.”

Dozens of children and their families gathered in the school’s playground and enjoyed cakes, biscuits and refreshments, which were donated by Waitrose.

Bridges Estate Agents and Budgens were also sponsors.

The pre-school is a charity run by a committee formed of parents and staff and occupies a building owned by Reading Borough Council.

It is run by a team of eight staff, known as the “pink ladies” because of the pink polo shirts worn as part of their uniform.

Wendy Robins, who has managed the pre-school for 34 years, said she has seen some major changes in her time there.

She said: “I only started working here because my son came to the pre-school. He came at two-and-a-half, they asked if I would like to work so I got offered the job and now I’ve got my grandson that comes here as well.

“It’s lovely because at the moment, we have had three work experience students here this week, from Highdown School. They all attended the pre-school and they wanted to come back.

“Ofsted is the biggest thing that has changed because, when I first started, it was just the local authority that did the checks on us.”

She said one of the biggest challenges they faced was the impact of the covid lockdowns, when they had to downsize because of financial constraints. “We really struggled to stay around because we’re a charity,” Ms Robins said. “We struggled on and that’s why they let us stay in the two little rooms rather than hire out the bigger room, because we just didn’t have the funds to pay for the big hall.

“We were really down but now we’re back up and we’re just blooming now.

“We’ve got dedicated staff who put 100 per cent into this place and we don’t turn over staff that much because they’re dedicated, which is brilliant.”

Mandy Cox, 43, also attended the pre-school as a child. She went to the celebration with her daughter, Daisy, four. She said: “It’s really nice that so many parents came along, I wasn’t expecting it to be this busy.

“My daughter is going to Emmer Green Primary in September and I thought she could mingle with kids before she goes there.”

Bhuna Kitt, 40, whose daughter, Bhumi, four, attends the pre-school, presented the staff with a gift.

She said she thought the pedestal fan would help keep them and the students cool in the warmer months. She said: “The Pink Ladies do so much and they are a really good team so I felt like our family should do something.

“This school was highly recommended and it’s really nice, clean, the kids are confident. It’s a good place to learn.

“The whole team all are great people, you feel like your child will be happy. At the end of the day, it is about learning and having fun.”