Alfriston pre-school closure after 50 years

Alfriston Pre-school will closed at the end of the week for half term and will not reopen.

The pre-school in The Tye blames financial difficulties which meant it could not recruit enough staff to keep the facility running.

“We have been in crisis for months and we feel no one, in local or national government, is doing anything to advocate for the early years sector,” said Alice Melville, the pre-school’s committee treasurer and mother of a pupil.

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The school is in a small village and therefore the children are now “dispersing in all directions and losing friends” according to the committee.

Ms Melville said: “One family can only find a place for both their children 25 minutes away from their home.

“Another self-employed parent cannot find a place for one of their children and is having to cut her working hours due to lack of childcare.”

The pre-school is based in the Alfriston War Memorial Hall, which it hires. As the venue’s main hirer, the committee says “the future of the hall will also be uncertain".

The nature site, where pupils learn through play. (Image: Alfriston Preschool)

The school also has an allotment and nature site. The allotment will be returned to the parish and the nature site belongs to parents and will return for their sole use.

An East Sussex County Council spokesman said: “Advice and guidance have been provided to the pre-school by our early years improvement team for a number of years, within our statutory responsibilities to the private, voluntary and independent sector.

“We are very aware of the difficulties facing the sector. Unfortunately, there is a national shortage of qualified early years staff which means recruiting to manger and senior roles is extremely difficult. 

“We realise that the closure of this setting may be difficult for some families whose children attend the pre-school. We will work with providers in the Alfriston area to ensure, where reasonably practicable, there are sufficient early years places available, as we do across the rest of the county."

Pupils of Alfriston preschool playing outside. (Image: Alfriston Preschool)

The pre-school focuses on learning through play and spending time in the countryside.

Ms Melville said: “I live in a local town with other options for childcare, but I chose Alfriston for my daughter because it felt different.

“Forest school has taught my daughter to be brave, resourceful and curious and there is no other pre-school in the area that offers such a unique learning experience.

“It breaks my heart to know my other daughter will never get to experience it.”

The pre-school says the local council has “known of their situation for a long time” but there has been no intervention.

Ms Melville said: “It is too late for Alfriston Pre-school now, but the village now has a hole for a new school which I hope will be filled with something that fits with the country life this school fostered.”

The pre-school receives council funding for children in its care in line with the government's free 15 hour and extended 30 hour childcare allowance.

The county council also provides business support such as face to face visits, telephone support and additional quality improvement resources in reaction to identified risks around staffing levels.

The council said: "The ongoing support provided to Alfriston Pre-school has been over and above our required statutory duty to provide information, advice and training.”

The spokesman added: “East Sussex has a duty to provide sufficient early years place to meet demand. The local authority has provided business support to the committee of Alfriston Pre-School in relation to our sufficiency duty.

"Unfortunately local authorities are not in a position to provide additional financial support beyond the government funding."