The Harbour Schools Partnership is consulting on a proposal to extend the age range of South Brent Primary School from 4-11 to 0-11 years of age from September 2026.

The Government is committed to creating or expanding school-based nurseries across England in line with the increase in early education and childcare entitlements and is currently inviting applications for capital grants to increase early years capacity in schools.

South Brent Primary School has an age range of 4-11 years of age with a PAN of 30 split into seven teaching classes. Currently, beyond the foundation class, the school has no further Early Years provision.

The school has been in discussions with the Local Authority to enhance the school’s early years provision by opening a nursery that will cater for children from 9 months to 4 years.

The new early years provision will be embedded within the Trust’s and school’s leadership, and will operate from within the school’s existing buildings (The Den).

The Harbour Schools Partnership has a great deal of experience in relation to supporting academy nursery provision across its schools.

Being able to offer places from 9 months will provide greater consistency and continuity for children.

Parents will have the option to choose nursery places between 7.45am and 5.45pm all year round (46 weeks) or term times only (38 weeks).

The same hours are available for primary aged children through the use of our before and after school provision (Wrap Around Care – WAC).

All nursery places for 0-4 year olds will operate from the school’s Den building, which is part of the school site.

Admission to the nursery provision will be managed by Harbour Schools Partnership and South Brent Primary school will follow the Devon County Council Nursery Admissions Policy.

Parents will still need to make a separate application to Devon County Council for a place in the reception class.

If this proposal is approved, some internal reconfigurations of the school’s Den building will be required including improvements to the outdoor and indoor space and facilities to ensure the building is suitable for nursery provision.

Devon County Council have agreed to provide a capital grant towards part of the costs of the works required and the school is also making an application to the Department for Education’s (DfE) Phase 2 School Based Nursery Capital Grant.

The consultation runs until Wednesday 26th November 26.

Following the consultation period, the school and Trustees of Harbour Schools Partnership will consider the consultation responses and decide whether or not to make a consolidated application to the DfE’ s School Based Nursery Grant for capital and for an extension to the school’s age range.

If the proposal is approved, they are looking to open in September 2026.

You can send your comments by: e-mailing: [email protected] please mark your email ‘Nursery Consultation’ or by writing to: South Brent Primary School, Nursery Consultation, Totnes Road, South Brent, Devon, TQ10 9JN.

The closing date for responses is by midnight on Wednesday November 26.