A PRE-SCHOOL has “reluctantly made the decision to close” forcing parents to find alternative arrangements for their children.

Kings Worthy Pre-school has announced that at the end of December it will shut its doors for good after more than 10 years.

The closure comes after the village primary school has decided it will not the renew the licence for one of the room’s the pre-school uses. It is understood that the room will be used to help pupils with extra needs and those who need to catch-up due to the pandemic.

Acting chair of trustees Signe Biddle has a released a statement on behalf of the trustees and members.

She said: “The pre-school has operated successfully providing early years support for children from two – four years and we have prided ourselves in being able to support a range of children with differing needs. We have offered an inclusive experience for all our children, preparing them for school entry. This has been possible through the flexibility of being to function in two rooms.

“The use of the Willow Room has been through licence from the primary school. The school has recently informed us that the licence will not be renewed after the end of August 2021.

“The loss of the Willow Room and the restriction of operating from one room will severely impact on the ability of the pre-school to increase the number of children required for it to be financially viable and to provide the level of early years education we would wish and on which we have gained our reputation.”

MP Steve Brine, who chairs the all-party group on childcare and early education in Parliament, said: “I am acutely aware of the challenges faced by early years settings at this time and our area is not exempt from them.

“This is a story with still moving parts and what it needs is someone sensible and credible who is able to bridge the gap between school and pre-school.

“Our focus must be to maintain an affordable preschool offer in the area recognising Hampshire County Council have a general statutory responsibility to secure sufficient childcare places for working parents. Not everyone in Kings Worthy drives.”

The pre-school will not be admitting any new children and has informed the county council of its intention to close at the end of December.

Ms Biddle added: “Although from September we will be functioning from one room, we have agreed to remain open until the end of term in December to allow time for alternative placements to be found for all our remaining children.”

Jamie Dodson, headteacher at King’s Worthy Primary School, said: “As a school we have a duty to provide the best education possible to all of our 432 pupils, and for some time now it has been clear that we needed a dedicated space to use with our younger pupils to help them catch up after the Covid closures, and in particular to support our growing number of pupils who have additional needs.

“The room in question (the Willow Room) had been licensed to the pre-school since September 2019, and before half-term our governors took the decision that we would not be renewing the licence.

“Hampshire County Council has advised that the pre-school would be able to continue to operate by reverting back to one room, as was the original case when the provision opened. However the trustees of the pre-school decided this was not possible and to close.

“It is regrettable that individuals have chosen to blame this decision on Kings Worthy School, when we are acting to support our most vulnerable pupils at an unprecedented time. Hampshire’s Services for Young Children are working with Kings Worthy Primary School and will be seeking tenders for a new pre-school to operate onsite to ensure childcare is continued.”