Plans being considered to save Ashgate Nursery School
Published: 30 June 2023
Parents and carers campaigned against closure plans
A nursery school on the edge of Derby city centre which was earmarked for closure could be set to stay open.
Derby City Council’s previous administration made the decision to consult on closing Ashgate Nursery School, off Ashbourne Road, on financial grounds earlier this year.
Falling numbers on the roll, made worse by the effects of the COVID pandemic, had led to the school running up a significant budget deficit of £121,295.
The plan had been to relocate children to Central Nursery School in Darley Ward, which shares a headteacher and governing body. Both schools have separate budgets, with Central Nursery School facing a deficit of £277,846.
However, parents campaigned against the closure of Ashgate Nursery School, and 204 out of 225 responses to a public consultation – a total of 91% - were against the proposal.
In March, the previous Cabinet approved a second, statutory four-week consultation for its closure.
But following the election of a new Labour-led administration, who pledged in their manifesto to keep the school open, plans not to progress the closure of Ashgate Nursery school are set to come to the Council’s Cabinet meeting on 12 July. Instead, the focus will turn to developing other options to address the financial deficits at both schools.
Under the plans, the Council would work with the governors to come up with options for the schools. If these proved to be unviable, the Council could use its statutory powers to intervene, but with positive conversations so far this would be the very last resort.
Councillor John Whitby, Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, Learning and Skills, said:
We promised that if we were elected, we would keep Ashgate Nursery School open.
This isn’t the most affluent part of the city, and closing the school would hit parents hard, and undermine the prospects for their children.
From the start we’ve listened to the views of parents, carers and staff at the nursery. We’ve had good conversations with the school and we’re confident that we can work with the governors to develop other options.
Cabinet will consider the next steps at their meeting on 12 July. Papers will be published on the Council’s website next Tuesday, 4 July.