Consultation on the proposal to change the age range at Highfield Primary School

Overview

The Department for Education's Making Significant Changes ('Prescribed Alternations') to Maintained Schools' permits a local authority to propose a change of age range at maintained schools.  Where a change will be permanent the local authority has to follow the prescribed alterations' statutory process which includes a 4 week consultation.

This consultation is being undertake to advise you of proposals concerning Highfield Primary School.  The school's current registered age range is 3-11 years which includes nursery places for children aged 3 to 5 years.  The proposal is to change the age range to 5 to 11 years effectivley closing the nursery.

The school has experienced a drop in nursery place applications for some time as a maintained school nursery cannot provide the flexibilty that a lot of parents need.  In February 2023 the governing body decided to close the nursery temporarily for 2023/24 academic year due to it not being financially viable.

At the start of the 2023/24 academic year the governing body reviewed its decision to temporarily close the nursery and are now requesting a permanent closure of the nursery and a change of the age range.  The change of age range will not effect the pupil admission number therefore the same number of places will be available for Reception to Year 6. 

Why your views matter

Public consultation is in accordance with the statutory guidance produced by the Department for Education whereby ‘LAs can propose a change of age range of 1 year or more for community schools (including the adding or removal of nursery provision) by following the statutory process set out in the regulations’.

As an integral part of this process, we are inviting you to take part in this consultation. We welcome your views on the proposed changes raised in this letter and all viewpoints will be taken into account before deciding to publish formal proposals.

Following the end of the consultation we shall publish the results and this may include quotes of comments which will be anonymous. 

What happens next

At the end of the consultation period, the Council’s Cabinet will review the feedback and decide on whether or not to publish the statutory proposal.  Copies of decisions made by Cabinet can be found on the Council's website under Modern Gov; https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/council/modern-gov.