A PROPOSAL to shut down a Crowthorne nursery has sparked fierce protests from devastated parents who want to save the 'lovely' school. 

Falling pupil numbers and a funding gap of £39,000 have raised questions over the future of Wildmoor Heath Nursery, which could close its doors this summer if Bracknell Forest Council backs a governors' proposal to shut.

However, parents and teachers claim the nursery is hugely beneficial to children who can make a smoother transition to Wildmoor Heath Primary School and have launched a petition in efforts to convince the council to protect it. 

They gathered in Crowthorne High Street on Saturday in protest against the closure. 

Attending the protest was Sarah Bridges, mum to five-year-old Tom, now in Year 1 at Wildmoor Heath, and three-year-old nursery pupil Ellie, who said: “Like many other parents, I'm devastated by this news. Having had one child go through the transition from nursery to reception so seamlessly, I felt happy in the knowledge that my daughter would do the same.

"The care and facilities on offer really are second to none and I feel that if more was done to raise awareness in the local community about this fantastic nursery, numbers could be boosted and it wouldn’t need to close. 

"I can’t emphasise enough how wonderful a place it is – the staff make it feel like an extension of our family and it would be a major loss to our lovely school if it were to go."

The nursery, which is attached to the primary school in Lower Broadmoor Lane, is only 42 per cent full this year, with just eight children on the roll in September 2015, and 14 in January 2016 and the numbers are expected to continue falling due to the lower birth rate in the surrounding area. 

Funding for nurseries is allocated per pupil and the unit at Wildmoor Heath is expected to lose more than £32,000 in 2016/17 alone if it remains open. the council has revealed. 

So far, the funding gap has been plugged by diverting funds from the rest of the school but the governing body say this is not sustainable. 

A former deputy headteacher of Wildmoor Heath, Lucy Cottrell, felt closing the nursery was the wrong response to a falling birth rate and said: "I think its a national problem, the birth rate is falling. I just think we should look at other options rather than just close it down."

Jo Saxby, a member of newly established campaign group Friends of Wildmoor Heath, was responsible for setting up the nursery 20 years ago and said the campaign has had great support. 

She said: "We've had an excellent reaction from people. It would be terrible for the nursery to close. There will be redundancies for staff, some families are already talking about taking their children out of the school because they can't do two school runs.

"I was involved in the nursery for 15 years, it's a massive part of my life, I have grandchildren there and it's heartbreaking that it might close."

Speaking on behalf of the school governors' Karen Roache, chairman of the school’s governing body said: “The decision to propose to close, after all other options had been researched and considered, was an extremely difficult one.

"We see it as a necessary step to ensure the school’s ability to continue to deliver a high standard of education for children in Reception to Year 6 and to be a thriving part of our community.” 

A public consultation is underway and the final decision on the closure will be made by Bracknell Forest Council. 

A public meeting on the issue will be held on Monday, February 1 in the school hall from 7pm. 

Residents can also email their thoughts on the consultation to consultation@wildmoorheath.bracknell-forest.sch.uk

 

In numbers

- Wildmoor Heath Nursery can accommodate 26 pupils 
- The nursery was 70 per cent full in 2010/11 and 42 per cent full in 2015/16
- There were 73 children born in the school's postcode areas in 2010 and 44 born in 2014