Whitley Park Primary and Nursery School Age Range Consultation
Proposal to lower the age range at Whitley Park Primary and Nursery School, Reading RG2 7RB
Period of consultation: 12 May 2025 to 9 June 2025
Why your views are important
It is important to the school that the views of the families, carers, and children who may be affected by the proposal are carefully considered. This consultation is to gather families’ feedback and offers you the opportunity to have your say.
Why is there a consultation?
In order to support the Government’s commitment to create or expand school-based nurseries across England, there is no longer a requirement for local authorities and governing bodies to follow the statutory prescribed alterations process when they want to make changes to a school’s age range in order to add, remove or change existing nursery provision. Where these changes to nursery provision are made, the government expect local authorities and governing bodies to have regard to ‘Changes that can be made outside of the statutory process’ including access to an open and fair consultation.
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This is notice that the governing body of Whitley Park Primary and Nursery School, intends to lower the age range of pupils at the school from 3 to 11 years to 2 to 11 years, with effect from 1 September 2025.
School: Whitley Park Primary and Nursery School, URN:136512. This is a community school.
Local authority: Reading Borough Council, Civic Offices, Bridge St, Reading RG1 2LU
Whitley Park Primary and Nursery School currently has an attached nursery for three and four-year-olds, term time only. It is proposed that the age range is lowered to include two-year-olds, to allow an earlier start to nursery. Places will be provided within the existing nursery accommodation with no changes to the total number of places overall. No wider changes to the school are required to lower the age range and the nursery will continue to operate in line with the school’s existing provision and attendance patterns.
The early years entitlements have expanded to support more parents to return to work. This includes eligible two-year-olds whose parents are working, starting with 15 hours funded provision initially and expanding to 30 hours, 38 weeks a year from September 2025. This entitlement complements the existing offer for targeted two-year-olds, which includes access to 15 hours funded provision, 38 weeks a year. There has been an increase in the number of families with two-year-olds eligible for funded early years provision in Reading.
Whitley Park School and Nursery is situated in Church ward, close to the border of Whitley ward where there is a pattern of increased birth rates emerging. The area is served by childminders, day nurseries and school providers. Currently one school offers places for children who are two-years-old and they report high demand from parents.
Demand for three and four-year-old spaces within Whitley Park Nursery School has declined. This has led to unfilled spaces, low occupancy and reduced income for the school. The expansion of the early years entitlements provides an opportunity to meet new demand for two-year-olds and fill places earlier. Currently there are 14 children on the waiting list for January 2026 that could start earlier from September 2025. School support staff have also identified families currently known to the school that could benefit from two-year-old provision.
The proposal will create new nursery places for two-year-olds improving the availability of school-based, sessional, term time only childcare options for local residents. There are other providers in the proximity of the school who predominantly offer full day, all year provision. This distinction should reduce direct competition between schools and other providers. The risk is lowered further as Whitley Park School and Nursery is not increasing the overall occupancy of early years children and demand is increasing on a national and local scale due to the expansion of entitlements. Parents may also choose to access a blended offer of school based, day care and childminding provision to meet their childcare needs.
The objective of the proposal is to provide long-term sufficient childcare places in the area for local families that minimises the impact on existing families and staff at the school. It aligns with the school’s vision to support early learning and development through a nurturing, high-quality nursery provision. Children attending Whitley Park Nursery can continue to benefit from a continuity of education and care through to school where this is parental preference and allocated through the admissions process. Additionally, strong relationships between the nursery and school staff will support transition arrangements.
There are no capital costs associated with this proposal. The additional places for two year-olds will be provided within the nursery where the environment will be modified. An amount of £5,000 has been budgeted to provide suitable resources for younger children.
Whitley Park Nursery will continue to deliver free entitlement funded places, 38 weeks a year under the management of the school leadership team. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework will be followed, and staff will be deployed to meet legal ratios and qualifications from September 2025.
Within four weeks from the date of publication of this proposal, any person may object to, support, or make comments on the proposal by completing the response form:
Whitley Park Primary and Nursery School age range proposal online form
This form is also available as a downloadable document should you prefer to print it out and complete it by hand.
Whitley Park Primary and Nursery School age range proposal form – Word version
Closing date for response: 9 June 2025, 9am.
If you have any questions relating to this proposal please contact Allison Dench, School Business Manager at admin@whitleypark.reading.sch.uk
Responses will be shared with:
- Whitley Park Primary School & Nursery leadership
- Brighter Futures for Children & Reading Borough Council teams as appropriate and for decision
The downloaded form can be emailed to: admin@whitleypark.reading.sch.uk or posted to Whitley Park Primary & Nursery School, Brixham Road, Reading RG2 7RB.
What happens after the consultation?
Once the consultation is finished, the school will review all the information gathered from your feedback, which will influence the final decision. The consultation outcome will be published on the BFfC website and also on Whitley Park Primary and Nursery School website.
