Moving To A School Site

[laura]

Hi all

We have just had some very exciting news today that the primary school I work in is going to moved to a brand new purpose built one in 2009 or when its built (could end up being 2020!) Our current one will be flattened for housing.

Anyway i don't think a nursery is going to be attached, we don't have one at the moment, but a pre-school currently rents a mobile from county on the school grounds. It isn't attached to the school. So my mum runs her own pre-school and is now wondering if she can make a 'bid' to move to the new site as well. Do you think the current pre-school will automatically go or should it be a case of whoever puts forward the best plan or bid if you see what I mean.

thanks

Laura

[Inge]

In our area the pre-school has moved with the school, or I know of one in another area which lost its location all together, as there was not any room or provision in the in new school to rent out! They had to totally relocate, you will really need a lot more information,

 

so I dont see how bids could make any difference to who gets it, the school at present has no say in running of the pre-school and the county rents them the space, it is just like others who rent a hall, just they are on school grounds.

 

if on the other hand the school or county has a say in the running of the pre-school this could be a different matter. This has happened with pre-schools being incorporated in childrens centres, but in this area the ones already on site always relocated to the centre but all staff had to appy for a job abd go through interview process.

 

Inge

[narnia]

isn't it possible that if they're going to build a new school, they will also add a nursery/preschool class to it?? Good luck though, it couldn't hurt to ask the LEA what plans they have already for it, could it??At least that way, you'd know where you stand??

[Andreamay]

well as a manager/supervisor of a pre-school in school grounds but seperate I would be gutted if somebody came and did that to me!

However if you feel you are a better quality pre-school then I supose it is only right that you should have a chance, I think

I wish you well but have mixed feelings about it

I am certain tho that if it were to happen to us years down the line we would automatically be given first choice

[laura]

Thanks for the replies. I think mums main worry is that if there is a nursery built it will mean the end. As for the other pre-school it was rather unfair how they managed to get on the school site in the first place, but that's another story.

I will go and see my head tomorrow and see if he'll tell me anything.

[nicki-k]

I wouldn't assume anything where local authorities are involved. I'm the supervisor of a pre-school on the site of a school. The pre-school has been on site for fifteen years so is very established. The school applied for funding for its own maintained nursery unit, because our local authority said we didn't have enough providers to cater for the children in the area. We are a large village/small town and already have four pre-schools and two day nurseries. All of us have spaces for more children. However despite vigorous opposition from all of the pre-schools the school was granted the application. The nursery unit is now open and we have now heard that planning should go through for a childrens centre in the village as well. Fortunately we have a good reputation but who knows what will happen in the future. A new nursery isn't necessarily the end though - we have many parents who feel the nursery is too much like school. They wear school uniform at three, have to attend for five sessions a week, attend school assemblies..........the list is endless. Its parental choice at the end of the day and the nursery is right for some families but there are many who still choose pre-school. We find we just have to work a little bit harder to advertise our good facility.

[Guest]

The preschool I used to work at is having to close next July as the school in which it is based has got permission for a new build and there will be no room in the new building for preschool. We tried to get a Foundation Stage Partnership organised but the only way school could get a room for this age children was to open its own Foundation Stage Unit - ratios 1:13 instead of 1:8 (or 1:6 usually). 3 members of preschool staff made redundant - very sad.

[laura]

Our other primary school has a nursery and we get only two or three children that will start at the school in september. A problem we have is that parents are basically made to go there or 'they won't get a place in reception', they were so desperate that they even took a few children for a term before they were funded. They do have falling numbers so i think thats why.

As for the new school everything is in its very early stages, so no news yet about whatthey will have. There are already 3 day nurseries, a kindergarten and a nursery at the other school, and the two pre-schools. We aren't that big a town and birth numbers are dropping. I suppose one idea would be to amalgate the pre-schools to form some sort of children's centre. But if they want a teacher in charge then you have the problem of ratios being lower and we all know the more adults we have the better. I have always said that i could walk into mums pre-school and 2 staff could leave, but how does my being a teacher mean I can do the job of two others, we don't have extra arms!

Oh well, we shall wait and see