School set to lower age range

The infant school and the pre-school are on the same site

A school is set to provide nursery care for 24 children by lowering its age range.

Winklebury Infant School in Basingstoke, Hampshire, has room for 180 students from reception to year two, with the Winklebury Infant School pre-school (WISPS) on the same site.

The infant school governing body approached Hampshire County Council to seek approval to lower the age range to include two-year-olds and directly manage the early years centre as part of the school.

A public consultation was held in March, but no objections were raised.

The change will not make the infant school an all-through school, so parents of children attending the pre-school would still need to apply for their place in reception through the normal admission process.

The current delivery of WISPS is located in a designated area on the school site, specifically designed for pre-school care for up to 24 children.

The county council currently leases this area, and the school receives income from the tenancy.

This tenancy arrangement will end when the governing body takes over the management of the pre-school.

The council report said that the union of both schools would "continue to support" early years childcare services in the Winklebury area of Basingstoke, "thus supporting families from an area of deprivation".

Winklebury Infant School also "recognises" that delivering an early years provision "will offer an early intervention approach to children with SEND and implement early support before children start school".

If Hampshire County Council approves the proposal next week, Winklebury Infant School will manage the WISPS from September 2024, offering care for 24 two-year-olds from 08:30 BST to 15:30.