Purpose

The Head teachers and Governors at Edisford Primary School have approached the local authority in relation to the future of the nursery provision at the school. The school has asked the local authority to start the formal statutory process, to consult on the proposal to cease the maintained nursery provision, by permanently reducing the age range at the school from 3 year olds – 11 year olds (Nursery 2 to Year 6) to 4 year olds – 11 year olds (Reception to Year 6), with effect from 1 April 2022. 

Under The School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013 and the Department for Education's statutory guidance, Making 'Prescribed Alterations' to Maintained Schools published in November 2019, the local authority must be the proposer for this type of significant change and carry out a statutory process, which includes publication, representation, decision, rights of appeal and implementation.  In line with this, the authority is now required to decide whether to publish a Statutory Notice on the proposal to consult on the future of maintained nursery provision at Edisford Primary School, Clitheroe.

Decision

The Cabinet approved the recommendation(s) as set out in the report.