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Consultation:

Highweek Community Primary & Nursery School: Change of Age Range

Update 14 July 2023

Following completion of the statutory process, the proposal to change the age range of Highweek Community Primary and Nursery School from 3-11 to 2-11 years of age has been approved. This will take effect from September 2023.

Proposal

Following informal consultation, Devon County Council is now in a formal 4 week representation period on a proposal to lower the age range of Highweek Community Primary & Nursery School from 3-11 to 2-11 years of age with effect from September 2023.  A Brief Notice has been published in the Western Morning News (14 June 2023) and a Full Proposal has been published. The Full Proposal is available under ‘Consultation method’ below.

Background
The school currently has a Nursery Class for children aged between 3 and 4 years old. The proposal is to take two-year-olds as well from September 2023.  Parents will still need to make a separate application to Devon County Council for a place in the reception class. Changes to the age range of a Community School requires a statutory process to take place. This is a four stage process of consultation, representation, decision by the Local Authority and implementation.

Benefits of the proposal
By enabling children to start in the nursery at two-year-olds will remove a transition point for some children. Those more disadvantaged children who are eligible for 2-year-old funding may currently go to different providers. They may then come back to the school at age 3 into the nursery or at 4 into the reception class.  Being able to offer places from 2 years old will provide greater consistency and continuity for children before starting at school and enable staff to make a more significant impact and identify children’s needs well before they start in the reception class.

Evidence of Demand

In light of the recent Spring 2023 Budget announcement on early years entitlements and associated funding, DCC is projecting an increase in demand for 2-year and 3-year-old places. The new entitlements are being introduced in phases:
– From April 2024, all working parents of 2-year-olds can access 15 hours per week entitlement; this is in addition to the more disadvantaged families that will continue to get 15 hours a week of funded provision.
– From September 2024, all working parents of children aged 9 months up to 3-years-old can access 15 hours per week;
– From September 2025, all working parents of children aged 9 months up to when the child starts at school can access 30 hours funded childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year.
– All providers are being encouraged to stretch these funded hours over more than 38 weeks to reflect the demand by most working families who also work during the school holidays.

The Early Years Foundation Stage children will learn together until they move into Year One when Key Stage One begins.

The children in the Nursery Class are registered on the school roll. However, Parents/carers of children in the nursery class will still need to make a separate application to Devon County Council for a place in the Reception class.

Capital and Planning
It is confirmed that no capital is required to implement this proposal. Changing the age range will not affect the school’s net capacity or published admission number for school aged children and will not put pressure on existing classroom space.

Highweek Community Primary and Nursery School is an Ofsted ‘Good’ school, March 2023.

Informal consultation

The informal consultation was held from 5 May 2023 to 9 June 2023. No responses were received.

Responding to the formal representation period
We welcome responses on this proposal by the closing date of 12 July 2023 either by:
Emailing: schoolconsultations@devon.gov.uk or by:
Post, to: Shona Meek, School Organisation Team, Room 120, Devon County Council, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 4QG.

All responses to the consultation and formal representation period will be considered by Devon County Council and will be shared with the school’s leadership team and governors, unless you request otherwise.

The process

Devon County Council will consider all responses to the consultation and the formal representation period when making their decision.

Formal representation period: 14 June to 12 July 2023
Proposed implementation: September 2023

The County Council will keep you informed throughout the process on this webpage.

Please note that all responses will be properly considered by Devon County Council and the Governing Body, but we will not send individual responses to any specific points raised.

If you need this document in a different format or language, please contact the School Planning Team on 01392 382057 or via email: schoolconsultations@devon.gov.uk

Contact information: Address: Shona Meek, Strategic Planning - Children's Services, Room 120, Devon County Council, Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 4QD
Email: schoolconsultations@devon.gov.uk
Phone: 01392383000
From
14/06/2023
Until
12/07/2023
District

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