Consultation under way to consider the future of Ashgate Nursery School

Published: 9 January 2023

Derby City Council is consulting on the future viability of Ashgate Nursery School, due to a combination of the impact of the pandemic and falling numbers of children on roll.

As more parents now routinely work from home, this has reduced the number of parents purchasing additional childcare sessions. Income from these sessions helped to support the nursery’s running costs and the loss of this income, combined with lower numbers of children on roll, has led to significant financial difficulties.

Ashgate Nursery School is federated with Central Nursery School, and the Council has worked closely with the Schools’ Governing Body to try to find a solution. To minimise any potential disruption to children, parents and families, the proposal is to keep Central Nursery School open as it has space available to accommodate the children attending Ashgate Nursery School.

The Council has now launched a consultation on the proposal and would like to hear the public’s views and comments. The consultation document and response form are available online on Let’s Talk Derby. The seven-week consultation period closes on Monday 27 February 2023.

After the closing date, the Council will gather all the responses received and report them to the Council Cabinet in March 2023 for consideration and a decision on whether to progress to the next stage of the consultation process, which would last for four weeks. A final decision is due be made by June 2023.

Councillor Evonne Williams, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools, said: 

Ashgate Nursery School has, unfortunately, experienced falling numbers of children on roll over several years. This has led to financial difficulties, resulting in this proposal to consider the future viability of the nursery. We would very much like to hear the views of parents, carers and other interested stakeholders and partners on this proposal.

Children, Consultation, Education