A 30-year-old village pre-school has been forced to find a new space due to the increased need for pupil spaces at the local primary school, where the pre-school have been renting a room. They have been given until July to find a suitable space.
The pre-school’s manager, Susan Snoad said to Kent Online: “Time is against us. If we close, there is going to be a severe lack of places in the village.
“Parents will have to pay for childcare or travel much further. We are a charity so have some reserved funding and are exploring all possibilities.
“We have a really good relationship with the school, and they have been very generous to us. Part of the delay in them telling us is because they were looking for another option.”
A local landowner offered to build a new site and rent it out cheaply to the pre-school, but the process can take a long time due to planning permissions.
The pre-school would have to find a temporary space for the time being, but they can’t afford to pay commercial rent.
Hariettsham Primary School will be adding a new class of 30 in the coming academic year, due to the popularity of the area.
Headteacher, Linda Oliver said: “We appreciate this is a difficult time and will support them in any way we can in finding alternative premises.
“We would like to thank the pre-school staff for their professionalism during these difficult times, and we wish them and the children all the best for the future.”