Protest aims to save The Parks Nursery School in Oakham

More than 100 people held a town centre protest aiming to save a special needs nursery school from closure.

The protest on Saturday outside Rutland County Library in Oakham was met with noisy support from passing motorists.

Parents and children waved colourful banners and placards, asking why The Parks School was being considered for closure by Rutland County Council.

Antonia Garnett-Wright, a mother of three special needs children, speaking on behalf of the protestors said: “We’re here to stop the closure of this much needed early years special education facility, rated by Ofsted as ‘outstanding’.

“Since the announcement of possible closure was made we’ve had more than 2,700 signatures on the petition, and we’ve been handing out flyers explaining that we as parents need this facility for our children, and that there is no alternative in Rutland.

“As you can see, it’s been a fantastic turnout today despite the cold weather, and we’ve heard from passers-by and people honking their horns in their cars just how much they support what we are doing.

“Councillors from Oakham Town Council, including the mayor, are here supporting us, and it really is on Rutland County Council to re-think their proposal because our community clearly doesn’t want The Parks School to close.”

Rutland County Council, which is responsible for state schools in the county, announced a review of their special educational needs (SEN) provision in October.

The proposal says The Parks is “no longer viable” and should close from August 31, 2024.

The Parks School has provision for up to eight children, but according to Dawn Godfrey, strategic director for children's services, only two are currently enrolled.

However, Mary Darlington, who used to run a number of SEN nurseries, said she felt the council is not making it easy for people to gain a place there for their child.

Rutland County Council says its proposed closure of the special nursery school reflects a desire to increase support available to young children within a mainstream setting.

Councillor Tim Smith, cabinet member for children’s services at Rutland County Council, said: “I know that any proposal to close a special nursery school is likely to be met with serious questions and concerns from residents. I would strongly encourage everyone to read the detail behind these proposals because it is about improving the level of support available to all young children with special educational needs and disabilities.

“We want children with additional needs to have access to the right support in mainstream schools and early years settings. This approach is already working well here in Rutland. It’s more inclusive for children and means families have more schools to choose from.”

The public consultation period, launched on November 1, runs until December 3, and anybody wishing to comment on the proposal should contact the council via email at: parksproposal@rutland.gov.uk

There is also a Facebook page for information: https://www.facebook.com/groups/654521996536435 with a QR Code that links to the signing of the petition.

The Parks is rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.