Proposal to increase the early years admission age at Ingoldmells Academy
We are consulting on an important proposal regarding the admission age at Ingoldmells Academy, specifically to increase our current admission age from 2-year-olds to 3-year-olds. This decision is underpinned by a series of considerations aimed at enhancing the educational experience for our youngest learners, alongside addressing the financial sustainability of our academy.
We have seen a consistent decline in pupil numbers in our nursery setting, leading to financial challenges that impact our ability to provide the high level of care and education that our children deserve. The funding we receive does not adequately support the staffing required to meet the statutory ratios for our nursery, which has unfortunately resulted in our finances continuing to operate at a loss.
By raising the admissions age, we aim to create a robust Early Years unit within our main building, bringing together nursery children aged 3 and 4 years alongside our reception cohort. By integrating nursery and reception staff, we can leverage their collective expertise, ultimately providing enriched learning outcomes for our early years’ pupils. This integration would not only foster collaboration among our experienced staff but also enhance the learning experiences of all children involved. Our dedicated team would be able to utilise their skills more effectively to support the developmental needs of early years pupils, thus better preparing them for their educational journey ahead.
The establishment of an Early Years Unit within the main school building would free up our existing nursery space for more versatile use. This area could then support all our pupils, particularly those with additional needs, and transform into a resource for our wider community. We envision hosting parent social events, ‘Stay & Play’ sessions and supportive workshops, led by our Family Support Worker, Pastoral Lead, and SENCO, thereby promoting a more inclusive environment that benefits the community. We believe that these community engagements would strengthen our support network and enrich the educational experience for our children and families.
We encourage all interested parties to share their views, as their feedback is vital to us and we look forward to gathering insights that will be instrumental as we consider the next steps in this process.
Consultation period
The consultation period will be 3 weeks and will commence on 28th April 2025 and end on 19th May 2025 at 5pm and we look forward to receiving your views.
How to give your views
Your views are very important to us, and we look forward to receiving your comments. To submit your views, please email them to consultation@greenwoodacademies.org by 5pm on 19th May 2025.
Decision-making following consultation
Following the consultation period, the Greenwood Academies Trust will review responses and propose to submit a Significant Change application to the Department for Education (DfE).