Consultation on the proposed closure of the nursery class at Hertford Infant and Nursery School and raising of the lower age range of the school from three to four years

Overview

Hertford Infant and Nursery School, Hertford Road, Brighton. BN1 7GF

What are we consulting you on?

Hertford Infant and Nursery School is a community maintained school with a nursery class which currently offers part-time free early education to three and four year olds (the early years free entitlement, EYFE).

The class has 26 places and is open 2.5 days a week, for a total of 15 hours a week, and is only open during school term-times.

This consultation is about a proposal to close the school’s nursery class with effect from 31^st August 2021, and as a result to raise the school’s lower age range from three to four years.

Children who are already in the nursery class will be able to remain there to complete their nursery education and start school in autumn 2021. The nursery would not accept new children from the start of 2021 as these children will not start school until autumn 2022. This would avoid disruption for these children as they would have to move to new early years provision in autumn 2021 when the nursery class closes.

Why are we doing this?

The governing body of Hertford Infant and Nursery School has asked Brighton & Hove City Council to consider the future of the school’s nursery class, including the possibility of its closure. The number of children on roll in the nursery class has been falling in recent years and this has caused significant pressure on the school’s overall budget.

In the summer term 2020 of the of the 26 places available in the nursery there were 22 children on roll. For the autumn 2020 six children have enrolled in the nursery class, with five more on a waiting list to start in spring 2021.

Over the past four years numbers on roll in the nursery class have shown a downward trend.

As with all maintained schools Herford Infant and Nursery School receives a budget from the government through the local authority for its nursery class based upon the number of children who attended in the previous financial year. This is adjusted each term according to the number of children who actually take up places. If numbers are lower than expected funding is clawed back from the school’s budget. Early years funding cannot pay for empty places.

To meet statutory ratios school nursery classes must employ one teacher and one nursery nurse to 26 children. The staff costs for Hertford’s nursery class are £47,624 per annum, and operational costs (for supplies and other services) are around £3,850.

The estimated income for the nursery class for the 2020/21 financial year is £56,712. This is based on the class having 25 children in the summer term, 18 children in the autumn term and 21 children in the spring term.

New government regulations for EYFE funding for the autumn term 2020 mean that funding for 19 children will be received (matching the number on roll in autumn 2019 in order to compensate for the impact of Covid-19). However funding will revert to actual pupil numbers in the spring 2021, giving funding for 10 children. This means that around half the spring term budgeted income of £15,985 will be clawed back from the school.

Because of pressure on the wider school budget, and anticipated low numbers of children in future, the school’s head teacher and governing body wish to consult on the future of the nursery class and its possible closure.

Brighton & Hove City Council greatly values the high quality early years provision offered at Hertford Infant and Nursery School, but because of current budgetary constraints and the limits upon the way in which early years funding is paid in accordance with the national funding formula it is unable to offer additional funding.

The school and the local authority are impacted by low funding rates from the government for the EYFE for three and four year olds, which is the lowest of any unitary authority in the south east of England.

Other local provision

There are two other early years providers in the Hollingdean area, both within walking distance of Hertford Infant and Nursery School – Cherry Tree Nursery, the council-run children’s centre nursery on Brentwood Road, with 52 places, and St Joseph’s Pre-school playgroup, a private provider on Davey Drive with 20 places.  

In addition there is a wide range of high quality childcare available with private, voluntary and independent childcare providers throughout the city. Brighton & Hove City Council’s Childcare Sufficiency Assessment (CSA) 2018 reported on childcare provision in the city. The CSA found that quality, based on Ofsted inspection judgements, is high compared with national data. Furthermore a parent survey conducted as part of the CSA did not report any overall shortage of childcare.

What impact will the proposed changes have?

The proposed change will close the nursery class at Hertford Infant and Nursery School and raise the school’s lower age range from three to four years. This means that parents who wanted their child to attend the school’s nursery class from January 2021 will have to choose an alternative early years provider to avoid the disruption of their child having to move settings in autumn 2021.

What does this mean if my child is already in the nursery class?

From autumn 2020 nursery children are in an early years foundation stage (EYFS) unit with reception children. If a decision is made to close the nursery class the six children who are currently registered can continue to attend for the academic year as part of the EYFS unit, for their 15 hours entitlement.

If your child is in the nursery class now and you would like to find alternative early years provision the Family Information Service can help and can be contacted by telephone on 01273 293545, by email at FamilyInfo@brighton-hove.gov.uk, or through their Family Services Directory at www.familyinfobrighton.org.uk

Can I still apply for a place in the nursery class?

You can still apply for a place in the nursery class and if your child’s is already on the waiting list they can remain on the waiting list. However if the proposal goes ahead you will need to look for alternative provision as the nursery will not take on new children from January 2021.

What other options has the school considered?

The governing body has considered keeping the nursery class open; however an anticipated continued fall in numbers and the pressure on the school’s wider budget means that this is not considered possible.

Admitting two year olds into the nursery class has also been considered. However staffing ratios need to be higher for two year olds which would result in additional costs. This could offset any gain from having more children.

What will be the impact on staff?

The nursery currently has one part-time teacher and one part-time nursery nurse. These staff members are being consulted about the proposed changes and consequent staffing restructure. Staff can also respond to this consultation.

What is the process of consultation and change?

The timeline for these proposals is outlined below: