Future of Bute Cottage Nursery still unclear as merger plans move to next stage

Glamorgan Star news 13/01/2022

7 minutes read

| By MARCUS STEAD

PLANS TO MERGE Bute Cottage Nursery in Penarth with Evenlode Primary School have been moved to their final stages by the Vale Council cabinet despite an overwhelmingly negative response from people who took part in a recent statutory consultation.

The nursery, which opened in 1974, has space for 96 children. The council says the amalgamation would fit with its policy of adopting a primary school model that caters for children aged three to 11, which has led to mergers elsewhere in the Vale during the last decade, leaving Bute Cottage and Cogan Nursery as the county’s only remaining stand-alone nursery schools.

Future of Bute Cottage Nursery still unclear | Image: GOOGLE

The council argues that providing primary school provision in this way offers a smoother transition from nursery to primary education.

However, critics argue it is motivated by cost-cutting and leads to nursery schools losing their distinct sense of identity.

The findings of the statutory consultation, which closed on 5th November, revealed that of the 238 individual responses, 48 were in favour of the proposals, 169 were opposed and 21 offered no opinion either way.

While the merger proposals were unpopular with parents and grandparents, of the 29 staff consulted, 19 were in favour, six opposed and four did not provide an opinion either way.

The findings of the consultation were released ahead of a Vale Council cabinet meeting on 10th January.

Cllr Lis Burnett (Labour), cabinet member for Education and Regeneration, revealed that the merger, combined with the proposed merger of Cogan Nursery School and Cogan Primary School would result in a saving of £140,000. During the meeting, she said: “We have to be honest – proposals are not motivated by a cost-cutting exercise, although it’s noted within the consultation document that the proposals would result in an overall saving of £140,000, and we’ve got to take that into consideration when we look at education budgets.

“Our education budget is over £100 million a year, but the vast proportion of that is actually delegated directly out to schools to manage, and the money follows the child – it’s determined on a per capita basis, so the money would go to schools in exactly the same way, so no schools would lose any funding.”

The plans would see the earliest age for enrolment at Evenlode Primary School lowered from four to three, and while the nursery would initially remain on the Bute Cottage site, a recent Vale Council cabinet report states it would in future ‘prioritise relocating nursery provisions at Evenlode Primary School onto a single site’, but that it would be subject to a separate consultation and feasibility study.

However, during the meeting, Cllr Burnett said: “Both nursery units would be on their same site, so from the children’s perspective, there would be absolutely no difference in experience.

“But one of the main benefits of amalgamation and improved transition, and pupils could be introduced to the primary phase informally throughout the year”.

The loss of the Bute Cottage site is one of the main concerns of mum-of-two Laura Windeatt, whose ‘Save Bute Cottage’ petition received more than 1,000 signatures: “We would like to draw attention to a comment in the consultation report which says that any future plan to move a nursery school to a different location within one mile would not require a statutory consultation.

“This contravenes past assurances and we call on the council to guarantee the pledged consultation would take place if there is ever a proposal to close and relocate the nursery school,” she said.

Addressing the issue of a consultation in the event a proposed relocation, Cllr Burnett said: “The fact that move would be under a mile means that it would not qualify to have a statutory consultation, as in this case, but there would be a consultation if the feasibility assessment suggested that it was a proposal that we wanted to take forward.

“So we’re being totally open on that. We are a long way away from that – this is purely to do with an amalgamation that would keep both nurseries operating on their same site.”

Speaking during the cabinet meeting, Cllr Benjamin Gray (Vale Independents), cabinet member for Social Care and Health and governor at Evenlode Primary School condemned what he described as ‘misinformation’ by campaigners for Bute Cottage’s independence, with a thinly-veiled attack on Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Conservative group in the Welsh Parliament, and also a Vale Council member: “We have people who continue to make comments and make contact with the absolute belief that there’ll be some sort of closure of Bute Cottage. That is absolutely not the case, as is laid out very clearly in the consultation documents.

“The fact that certain national politicians have chosen to wade in and be loose with the words they used to further stoke this is a particular annoyance to me, and I’m sure to others.

“They don’t need to clarify it, because their aim is to create a feeling of fear,” Cllr Gray said.

Following the publication of the statutory consultation’s findings, Andrew RT Davies said: “The council’s consultation has shown that an overwhelming majority of respondents are opposed to the merging of Bute Cottage Primary School with Evenlode Primary.

“I am deeply disappointed to see the council’s cabinet papers recommending that the cabinet approve the merger regardless of the obvious and overwhelming public opposition.

“Cabinet members must vote against this merger and apologise for the upset they have caused for students, staff and parents at Bute Cottage Nursery School by considering this ludicrous merger.”

Cllr Gray also expressed disapproval of the online petition and the arguments around the statutory consultation: “It’s not a referendum on it because x number of people ticked a box to say they’re not in favour when the arguments have nothing to do with the subject matter.”

The cabinet voted unanimously to proceed to the next phase of the merger process, and a statutory notice period is now underway and runs until 2nd February, during which time formal written objections are invited.

In March, a final decision will be made, and, if approved, the merger will take effect from the start of the new academic year in September.

Following the cabinet meeting, Richard Disley, Chair of Governors at Bute Cottage said: “It was extremely disappointing to witness the views of 71% of respondents to the consultation and over 1,000 signatories of the ‘Save Bute Cottage‘ petition disregarded by the cabinet of the Vale Council as they voted to move the amalgamation of Bute Cottage with Evenlode to the next stage.

“With public opinion clearly against the move, it is surprising that our elected representatives have turned a blind eye to the many genuine concerns held by governors, staff, parents, and local residents.”

Mr Disley expressed grave concerns that the ethos of Bute Cottage Nursery would be lost if the merger goes ahead.

The nursery includes an extensive outdoor area with many provisions for teaching and learning including a chicken coop, a summer house, a sand pit, a pirate ship, an outdoor house and many other fixtures. He said: “The main thrust of the council’s argument for amalgamation, that this has been their policy across the Vale for a number of years, fails to address the potential loss of sector-leading, progressive and innovative early years teaching through play that will be more difficult to implement in a primary school environment where traditional methods are well established.

“Diluting funds currently ringfenced for three and four-year-olds across the whole primary school will exacerbate this issue.

“Our parents are concerned the unique experience provided to our children by the current governance and management of Bute Cottage will be lost under the management of a primary school and these concerns have not been allayed following the cabinet meeting. In fact, confusion has also been created by mixed messages from councillors throughout the process.”

Speaking after the cabinet meeting, Mrs Windeatt added: “This consultation has stirred up the community, brought together over a great esteem for Bute Cottage Nursery School which provides an inspirational learning setting for its pupils.

“With uncertainty over how the future looks, every party must now work hard to ensure that the exemplary ethos which has been built up at Bute Cottage over nearly 50 years is preserved for future generations.”

Meanwhile, Mr Disley stated that he felt the council paid insufficient attention to concerns raised by inspections body Estyn that the loss of a dedicated early years headteacher may negatively impact the quality of education.

He said: “No empirical data has been provided to reassure that educational standards will not be compromised, and a number of concerns raised by Estyn in the Consultation Response Report were not discussed.

“I would encourage people to read page 39 of the report where Estyn states ‘the proposer has not considered the risks and disadvantages associated with the loss of a dedicated headteacher whose focus is providing effective early years education, and the impact this may have on the quality of education provision’. It is of great concern that this issue, at the heart of the matter, has not been considered by council at any stage of the process.”

The cabinet vote also sees the proposed merger of Cogan Nursery School and Cogan Primary School progress to the statutory notice period phase.

If approved, both mergers will be implemented at the start of the new academic year in September.

The Welsh Conservative Leader in the Senedd, Andrew RT Davies, commented after the cabinet meeting: “Pupils, teachers, and parents at Bute Cottage Nursery School have been told that there are no proposals to relocate Bute Cottage Nursery School, but the council has not categorically ruled it out to date.

“Continually we see cabinet members saying there is no proposal to move Bute Cottage, so why can’t they put minds at rest and say, categorically, that it will not happen?”