Manor Primary School Consultation to lower the school age to 2-11

Frequently asked questions:

What is the proposed nursery model and how will this impact on other local early years providers?

To make a significant change to any academy, including the lowering of our school age, there is Department for Education guidance to follow. Until we have completed this formal process, it would not be appropriate to release any finer detail on a proposed nursery offer. However, we are responding to the Government’s announcement to phase in an extension to the 15- and 30-hour early years funded entitlement. From April 2024 two-year-olds of eligible working parents have been able to access 15 hours a week of funded early education and from September 2025 this will increase to 30 hours a week. This will place significant pressure on the Local Authority (Oxfordshire County Council) to ensure there are adequate 2, 3- and 4-year-old places to meet an increased demand. Manor Primary School is keen to support the Local Authority’s sufficiency duty and enable working parents to be able to access 30 hour funded provision. Parents will then have a choice of early years provision to meet their need.

How will this change effect the current breakfast club and after school provision?

Concerns regarding WRAP were raised at the consultation public meeting as well as through written responses. The school will provide Wraparound care from 8-6. This provision will be led by the school.

Will the Nursery increase traffic pressure on the roads around the school?

As there is already a Nursery (Ladybirds) on site which parents currently drop to we do not envisage an increase in the amount of traffic on Lydalls Road and the surrounding roads. It is the intention to use the current Nursery buildings and so access is likely to remain the same. We would anticipate that many of our future nursery children might be siblings and local parents will be encouraged to walk their children to school where possible. Currently some parents drop their school age children and then drive to a nursery out of the area.