Dear parents/carers, students, staff, governors and other interested parties,
The proposed change to SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is to alter the age range from 5-11 years to 3-11 years from September 2025 by adding a nursery provision for 3-4 year olds.
This is an exciting opportunity that would enable the school to provide Early Education places to children aged 3 and 4 years old prior to their entry to school. The purpose of this consultation is to provide information about our proposal and seek the views of SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School families and the wider community. This document is part of a consultation process which opens on Wednesday 11th December 2024 and closes on Wednesday 1st January.
Why are we proposing to expand the academy’s age range and add a nursery?
Meeting Community Needs: We are aware that there is a growing need for quality nursery places in our local area especially with the government giving additional funding for 2-year-olds. A new nursery provision for three-year-olds is set to enhance local childcare options, addressing a critical need in the community. This initiative aims to provide accessible, high-quality early education, ensuring that every child can benefit from structured learning and social interaction. By offering up to 30 hours of government-funded childcare per week, the nursery will support working parents and promote child development through play-based activities. This expansion not only increases available places but also fosters a sense of community by integrating families into local educational resources. The government is currently investing heavily in increasing childcare provision, with initiatives like expanding free childcare hours for working parents. We are proposing that we use our current reception classroom to accommodate nursery children as we have declining reception class sizes year on year for the last 3 years.
Stronger Relationships with Families: Offering high-quality nursery provision creates an opportunity to build relationships with families earlier. This fosters trust and allows for a more collaborative approach to a child’s education from the very beginning.
Further Enhanced Staff Expertise: A school with a combined nursery and primary programme can foster a rich learning environment where all staff can share best practices and expertise across different age groups, leading to a more well-rounded approach to education.
Continuity of Care and Curriculum: By extending the age range, the academy will be able to further establish a consistent approach to early childhood education. This allows for a seamless curriculum flow from nursery to reception, ensuring a strong foundation for future learning for our future pupils.
Smoother Transition: A nursery within the same environment can create a familiar and comfortable space for children as they transition from nursery to reception. This familiarity can help reduce anxiety and ease the process of starting primary school. All children, even those not in our catchment, will benefit from a close relationship within a school setting.
Early identification of SEND Needs: As a school we would be aware earlier of any SEND needs and subsequently be able to plan and put appropriate support in place. Our Academy benefits from a highly experienced and knowledgeable SENDCO.
Pupil numbers: This provision would better ensure a cohort of 30 pupils into our Reception Year which would support the school financially and this in turn benefits the whole school community.
The Proposal
The proposal is to utilise the existing facilities in the reception class for our nursery provision which will create a cohesive learning experience. To ensure play-based, age-appropriate educational activities for our nursery aged children. We would need to adapt the current reception spaces with suitable furniture and resources for younger children and ensure that the toilet facilities were updated and changing areas created. We have an excellent, spacious outdoor area which will allow for direct access to outdoor play areas for continuous learning. We would need to employ an additional member of staff to ensure that appropriate ratios are maintained.
How to Share Your Thoughts
We invite you to take part in our consultation process, running from Wednesday 11th December 2024 and closes on Wednesday 1st January. You can submit your feedback by:
- Email: a3354@telford.gov.uk
- Post: SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, Coppice Drive, Newport, TF10 7HU.
We also have a short survey to help gauge current interest in the proposed provision which you can access here.
Following the consultation period, SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy will consider any comments received and how to proceed.
