School's nursery faces permanent closure

The number of children attending the nursery at Springfield Primary in Sheffield has fallen over recent years, a report says

A primary school's nursery could be permanently closed due to a decline in the number of children attending, despite the main school being oversubscribed.

Governors at Springfield Primary School in Sheffield decided to temporarily close the 52-place nursery in September last year.

However, a report to be considered by councillors said the closure could only last two years before it must reopen or shut its doors permanently - and, following a review, a closure was recommended.

The proposal is expected to be discussed by Sheffield City Council’s children, education and families policy committee on Tuesday 3 September.

'Best efforts'

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the report said that unlike at many schools, the number of reception year children in the Springfield catchment was increasing and currently stood at about 82.

The school, on Cavendish Street in Broomhall, was also oversubscribed and unable to meet demand, with waiting lists in the year groups ranging from seven to 27 children, it added.

However, the picture was "vastly different" for the early years nursery provision at Springfield for three to four-year-olds, the report said.

"There has been a reduction in the number of children taking up a place at the provision over the last five years, despite the best efforts of the school to improve this."

Demand for places has dropped since 2018-19, when there were 39 children enrolled at the highest point of the school year, to a maximum of only 16 in 2022-23, it said.

This meant the nursery was running at a deficit of £50,000 a year, with the minimum number of children needed to make it financially viable being 34.

The report stated that the school had an "exceptionally high mobility rate, as many of the pupils are the children of overseas students or refugees and asylum seekers, and the number on roll changes frequently".

If approved by councillors, the closure decision must by law go through a period of consultation.

That process was expected to take four weeks and then it would be reviewed.

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