What this consultation is about
Pre-publication consultation on a proposal by the governing body for the extension of the age range of the school from four to 11 years to three to 11 years.
Context
Harpur Hill Primary School is situated next to woodland at the foot of Solomon’s Temple. The school was built in 1953 and has been extended over the years as it has grown in size and popularity. The school site and surrounding area provides many opportunities for learning beyond the classroom. There are three separate playgrounds, a multi use games area (MUGA) and a large field. The children’s centre was built in 2008 and is situated on the school site, close to the main school building. In 2015, a purpose built early years department was constructed, including two reception classrooms and a covered outdoor area. The school’s early years department currently consists of two reception classes. This department was rated as ‘good’ in the most recent Ofsted inspection, September 2016.
The school roll currently has 343 pupils aged four to 11 and pupil numbers are predicted to increase in the future. The school attracts pupils from the existing pre-school (private provider) as well as local pre-schools and private nurseries. Also, the school attracts a small number of pupils each year from local infant schools as they reach junior age. In September 2016, the class structure was changed to allow for future pupil growth as projected by the local authority for the coming years. Currently there are two classes per year group from reception to Year 4 and three mixed Year 5/6 classes. The school has future plans to move to two classes in each year group as numbers increase.
The school provides a popular before and after school club, delivered by an external provider, ‘Play Days,’ who have other clubs and nursery provision in the town. The before and after school club provides parents and carers with wrap around care on the school site.
There is a children’s centre on site which is due to close in January 2017. We have identified a demand for nursery places in the area. There is a private provider leasing space within the building, to continue to provide pre-school provision. Our feasibility study shows that there will be sufficient demand for a school nursery as well as the private provider.
Proposal
It is proposed that the age range of the school be extended from four to 11 years to three to 11 years so that the school can offer nursery provision.
Benefits of making nursery provision at Harpur Hill Primary School
Our early years sufficiency assessment identified an under-supply of places in Harpur Hill and a need for nursery provision. This demand is set to increase from September 2017 with the introduction of 30 hours funded provision. This proposal meets the demands of families in the area and provides opportunities for flexible access to nursery provision at the school.
Research has shown that when schools provide early years education, pupils make improved progress as they move between the early stages of learning. School staff are able to share their expertise between early years and Key Stage 1, allowing for consistent progress. The transition becomes a smooth and effective process allowing the children to settle more quickly. Staff can get to know the parents and carers on entry and build on this partnership in the following years. It provides continuity of education and provision through a single leadership team and governing body.
Early years staff would work together across the nursery and reception to provide an excellent environment for young learners’ development. In the future, there may be opportunities for improved outdoor provision for nursery and reception children, utilising the school grounds. The nursery class would have a qualified teacher to support the learning and development of the three and four year olds. A school nursery provides an opportunity for children to attend provision on the same site as their older siblings. This will impact positively on parents’ time and logistics of using different child care provider and facilitate good communication with families.
What the nursery provision would look like
The arrangement would be very similar to that which is currently available to existing reception children in school. There would be high quality play-based provision including role play, sand, water, construction, reading, mark making, and outside play. There will be free flow between areas, including the outdoors, offering children planned learning choices allowing them to engage in learning which is relevant and appropriate to their stage of development. They will be supported by knowledgeable and appropriately trained adults.
Number of places offered
The proposed nursery class will provide up to 26 full-time-equivalent (FTE) places in September 2017. This will be arranged flexibly depending upon the needs of the family and current legislation, with no session (morning or afternoon) exceeding 26 children. We will take in year admissions as long as the total number of children eligible for reception class in the following year does not exceed 26.
Staff
The school has early years trained staff already on the teaching and non-teaching staff. If the school were to provide a nursery, the school would need to recruit one additional teacher and two non-teaching staff. Some of the existing staff may be deployed in the new nursery.
Funding
The school would receive funding for all pupils that have reached the age of three at specific census points throughout the year (January, May and October).
Pre-publication consultation
The consultation on this proposal will be for six weeks from 9 January to 24 February 2017.
A meeting will be arranged with all interested parties to explain the proposal and respond to questions. This will take place on Tuesday 7 February 2017 at 6pm at Harpur Hill Primary School.
The consultation document will be available on request from the clerk to the governors and is available on the Harpur Hill Primary School’s website
Any comments, observations or objections should be submitted to the school.
The deadline for receiving responses to this consultation is Friday 24 February 2017.