Consultation dates – 6^th March 2025 to 1^st April 2025

Dear Parents/Carers, Students, Staff, Governors, and Other Interested Parties

Proposal

Aquila, The Diocese of Canterbury Academies Trust is proposing to extend the age range of Eastchurch CE Primary School from 3-11 to 2-11 years of age. The proposed implementation date, if the proposal is approved, will be 1^st September 2025.

Background

Eastchurch CE Primary currently has the nursery class, Little Owls, which provides places for children aged 3 and 4.

Eastchurch CE Primary School is proposing to extend the age range of the school from 3-11 to 2-11 years of age. If approved, the school’s Nursery Class would continue to operate from the purpose-built nursery building and extend into the school building to provide shared access for nursery aged children to the current Reception class outside area.  The children attending the pre-school would be registered on the school roll. Parents would still need to make a separate application to Kent County Council for a place in the Reception Class.

Benefits of the proposal

The school will be able to build strong partnerships and relationships with parents across Sheppey at the earliest opportunity. This will enable the school to both support the early development of the children and the early identification of needs which is critical to their future successes. Our commitment to the strongest start will also enable a smooth and fluid transition into our school Reception class.

The leadership and management of a school must be strong, efficient and effective to enable high quality services to be delivered.

As nursery children will be on the school roll, protocols around information sharing will be straightforward. The nursery team will be able to access all the resources and activities that are available through the school, including the expertise of staff and governors to support the operational and managerial aspects of the nursery. Parents will also be able to purchase a school meal for nursery pupils.

All 3 and 4 year olds are eligible for the ‘universal’ early years funded childcare (up to 15 hours per week) from the start of the funding period following their third birthday until they start school (usually at statutory school age – the term following their fifth birthday).

3 or 4 year olds of eligible working parents can get an additional 570 hours of funded childcare (up to 30 hours per week)

A 2-year-old can receive funded childcare if the parent/carer lives in England and is entitled to qualifying benefits.

Parents who wish to pay for childcare will be able to do this via Tax Free Childcare or via MCAS directly to the school.

Staff

If the proposal is approved, qualified early years staff will be employed directly by the Academy Trust. A school is required to work to the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage framework that governs the ratios and qualifications of staffing.

Process and Decision-making

The consultation period will run from 6^th March 2025 to 1^st April 2025. All responses to this consultation will be carefully considered by the School and the Aquila Trust before any decision is made by the Academy Trust to submit an application to the Department for Education (DfE) to change the age range of the school from 3-11 to 2-11.

If a decision is made to proceed with the proposal, following consideration of the consultation responses, an application will be made to the Department for Education (DfE) South East Regions Group. It is the DfE’s South East’s Region Group who will make the final decision on the proposal to extend the Nursery Class at Eastchurch CE Primary School through the changing of the age range of the school from 3-11 to 2-11. The DfE will make this decision after considering responses received to the consultation and the application submitted by the Academy Trust. Please note that consultation responses will also therefore be shared with the DfE South East Regions Group.

Capital and planning

This proposal will not affect the Published Admission Number (PAN) for the school, nor the capacity for school aged children, and will not put pressure on classroom space for school aged children.

Responding to the consultation

This consultation will run from 6^th March 2025 to 28th March 2025. The Trust welcome responses on this proposal by the closing date of 1^st April 2025.

There are three ways to respond to this consultation:

1.    Emailing: enquiries@aquilatrust.co.uk  

2.    In writing: Eastchurch CE Primary, Warden Road, Eastchurch, ME12 4EJ.

3.    Google form: QR Code/ https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeOvWTCjajOIalUkXI8KZafZAwfsffMWM5yvpZuRtAJD3nw_g/viewform?usp=header

All responses to the consultation will be considered and will be shared with the school’s leadership team, Board of Directors and Trustees. Responses will also be shared with the Department for Education as the decision-maker, but we will not send individual responses to any specific points made.

Kind Regards

Mrs Sarah Bone Headteacher