EDUCATION group Nord Anglia is continuing to claim no decision has been made over the future of its Cheadle headquarters - despite a leaked document revealing detailed plans of its closure and the sale of the building.

Last week the company, which runs the UK's biggest nursery chain, dismissed as "just rumour" suggestions that it was to shut its operation in Cheadle where it has had a base for more than 30 years, with the possible loss of 100 jobs.

The "rumours" also state the company is to move to Burton upon Trent, the headquarters of its nurseries division.

Now the M.E.N. has seen an internal document which outlines a detailed timetable for closure and a move to Burton.

Under these plans the closure announcement is scheduled to be made this Friday along with the start of a 30-day consultation with staff, and the Cheadle office put up for sale from 1 August.

The paper also discusses redundancy options and the planned extension to the Burton offices.

In a statement today, the company whose nursery chain includes the elite Princess Christian group, said: "As previously stated, a strategic review has been taking place to discuss, in detail, a number of options and the implementation of those options. No decisions have been made about any of them.

"Staff have been updated throughout the review process and, when a decision has been made, everyone will be informed."

But in letters to the M.E.N, angry staff have complained that they are being kept in the dark by management.

One said: "The atmosphere is dreadful and upsetting."

Tumultuous

Nord Anglia, which has two other divisions - one running British-style schools overseas and another providing inspection and training services in UK schools - has been through a tumultuous year.

Its chairman and founder Kevin McNeany stood down, its finance director Lorene Simpson left and it issued a profits warning and scrapped its interim dividend as pre-tax profits fell, largely due to its nursery acquisitions on which it spent £78m.

The company was founded in 1972, and floated in 1997. Last year it quit the domestic schools market to focus on the three other divisions. It now employs around 4,500 staff and operates more than 100 nurseries, offering more than 10,300 places with brand names including Leapfrog, which is based in Burton, and which was bought for £61m last year.

In January when Mr McNeany stood down, the company had a market value of £90m, but in March shares plummeted and it lost half its market value.

In May new chairman Alan Kelsey said that, though it had been through a difficult period, it was now stabilising and had revised its banking facilities.

Today it is valued at £50m.