West Minster Primary School
Update June 2025
The Statutory guidance for proposers and decision makers ‘Making Significant (‘prescribed alterations’) to maintained schools’ was updated in March 2025. In order to support the government’s commitment to create or expand school-based nurseries across England, the guidance was changed and updated. There is no longer a requirement for local authorities and governing bodies to follow the statutory prescribed alterations (change of age range) process when they wish to make changes to a school’s age range in order to add, remove or change existing nursery provision. The school’s governing body can now make this decision following an open and fair consultation.
The full Governing Body of West Minster Primary School met on the 20 May 2025. They agreed and approved to lower the age range of West Minster Primary School from 3-11 year to 2-11 years from September 2025, taking into consideration the responses and comments received from the consultation.
Kent County Council (KCC), together with the Governing Body, are seeking the views of parents, staff and other stakeholders on a proposal to permanently change the age range of West Minster Primary School from 3-11 years to 2-11 years, to enable the school to expand their nursery provision accepting 2-year-olds.
KCC as the Local Authority has a statutory duty to ensure sufficient school places are available. The County Council’s Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent 2023-27 is a five-year rolling plan which is updated annually. It sets out our future plans as Strategic Commissioner of Education Provision across all types and phases of education in Kent.
It also set out how we will carry out our responsibility for early education and childcare. Early Education and Childcare is legislatively governed by the Childcare Acts of 2006 and 2016. These place a duty on all local authorities to improve outcomes for young children, to cut inequalities between them, to secure sufficient childcare, with adequate flexibility to allow parents to work. A copy of the plan can be viewed from this link: Education Provision - Kent County Council
West Minster Primary School currently provides early years education for children who turn five when in the reception class and a nursery provision for 3 and 4-year-olds.
The proposed nursery expansion at West Minster will cater for 2-year-olds and will be located in the school’s previous pre-school classroom, on site, as their current pre-school children (3 and 4-year-olds) are now housed in a spare Reception classroom.
Have your say
If you wish to comment on this proposal, please respond by:
- completing our online response form
- sending a copy of the response form by post to: Robert Veale, Assistant Director Education, East Kent, Brook House, Reeves Way, Whitstable, Kent CT5 3SS.
- handing your response form in at the school office.
- by emailing: school.consultations@kent.gov.uk
All written responses need to be received by noon on 3 April 2025.