Broseley pre-school is closing doors after 43 years

Funding cuts and falling pupil numbers are forcing a Shropshire pre-school to close after 43 years.

Broseley pre-school will shut at the end of this term when it will merge with Mount Nursery.

The group is currently run from the caretaker’s bungalow at Broseley Church of England Primary School in Dark Lane.

It is to move into the nursery, which is on the same school site, in two demountable buildings. It will then be known as Little Owls Nursery.

Group spokeswoman Dennise Roberts said the pre-school’s committee had only taken the decision to close ‘following many long, heartfelt and difficult discussions’ and with ‘deep regret’.

She said: “The amalgamation has come about due to changes to the admissions code and reduced levels of local authority funding making it difficult to support two respected, well-established settings on the same site, both with decreasing pupil numbers.

“Future demand can sustain one, high quality setting comprising all the good things within each existing provision with the opportunity to secure some capital improvements to existing premises.

“Plans have been put forward to build an extension to the existing demountable building after the partial demolition of the older unit.”

The work will begin in the summer holidays to create a new and improved nursery for children aged three months to four years with an out-of-school and holiday club for children aged up to 11.

The primary school is fully behind the development as are the trustees and committees of both the existing settings. A farewell reunion for staff, committee members and trustees is to be held tomorrow from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at the pre-school.