We are consulting from Monday 20th April until Monday 11th May for our School Based Nursery to open from September 2026 for two and three year olds.
Please read the consultation letter below for more information.
Consultation on a proposal to extend the age range of South Molton United Church of England Primary School
If you need this document in a different format or language, please contact Devon County Council’s School Consultation Team on 01392 382057 or via email: schoolconsultations@devon.gov.uk.
Proposal
The Harbour Schools Partnership is consulting on a proposal to change the age range of South Molton United C of E Primary School from 4-11 to 2-11 years of age from September 2026.
Background
The Government is committed to creating or expanding school-based nurseries across England in line with the increase in early education and childcare entitlements.
South Molton United C of E Primary School is proposing to extend the age range of the school to provide high quality school-based nursery provision for children aged 2-4 years of age from September 2026.
South Molton United C of E Primary School is planning on opening a twenty-eight place Nursery in a purpose-built classroom for two- and three-year-olds. The school-based Nursery will be separate from our Reception class and extend its existing popular and high-quality Early Years provision. The school will invest resources to ensure the internal and external spaces are fit for purpose, upgrading existing resources and adding an outdoor canopy to enable outdoor learning whatever the weather.
The proposal will not affect the net capacity of the school, or the PAN, or put pressure on classroom space for school-aged children. The school was built with seven classrooms to enable a Published Admission Number (PAN) of 30, with an additional eighth classroom built for future nursery provision. The school has been using the eighth classroom for an additional bulge class, currently in Year 6, who will leave the school in July 2026. Predicted future in-area cohorts do not require the use of the additional classroom. Therefore, the Trust is now proposing to establish a Nursery Class.
Children whose parents meet the free school meal eligibility criteria and attend for the whole day will be entitled to a free school meal. There is no lower age limit. Parents will also be able to purchase a school meal for nursery children.
Parents would still need to make a separate application to Devon County Council for admission into the Reception class.
The Harbour Schools Partnership has a great deal of experience in relation to supporting academy nursery provision across its schools.
Process and Decision-making
The consultation period will run from 20th April 2026 to 11th May 2026
Responses to this consultation will be considered by the School and The Harbour Schools Partnership Trust, who will then decide whether or not to change the age range of the school.
The Trust welcome responses on this proposal by the closing date of midnight on 11th May 2026 by:
Emailing: smups@thsp.org.uk please mark your email ‘Nursery Consultation’.
Or by writing to: South Molton United C of E Primary School, Exeter Road, South Molton, Devon, EX36 4EN.
All responses to the consultation will be considered and will be shared with the school’s leadership team, Board of Directors and Trustees, but we will not send individual responses to any specific points made.
The Trust Privacy Notice can be found via this weblink:
Privacy_Notice_2025-26_MATs_-_THSP_1.pdf
You would have noticed that over the summer holidays some interesting buildings have appeared in receptions play area. These amazing pods will ensure that children can explore and learn outside of the classroom all year round. The pod pictured above is the reading pod and the larger one is going to be used for creative art projects.
A day dedicated to Maths. The children took part in lots of fun activities all based around Maths. This includes Maths through Science where children took part in a Vitamin C extraction experiment via the titraction technique. They also learned about water stratification by using the candy sweets skittles. The children had to count out different coloured skittles, measure out the water and add the water to the skittles. They then watched as the colours separated individually and produced a rainbow effect. The water stratification element is all about how water has different masses with different properties and this created the barriers that the children could see as the colours of the skittles started to run. It also produced a lovely colour run art work design.
The pupils had a visit from Sciencedipity, a story teller that incorporated Maths into her stories. In reception this was done by using prime numbers and getting the children to count throughout the story. In the older groups children had to work out sums to continue the story.
The children all had a really great time and were dressed up in a number of different costumes all related to people who use Maths in their jobs, these included scientists, teachers, builders and nurses.
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On Wednesday 23rd January 2019, 20 very excited choir members made their way to the Genting Arena in Birmingham, to take part in the Young Voices Concert. Songs had been rehearsed over the last 4 months, with dynamic dance moves thrown into the mix, choreographed by Andy of Urban Strides, and the choir were ready to go!
And what an evening it was! Our voices joined with over 6,600 other school children, singing songs from Moana and the Greatest Show, along with many others, and there was even a recorded message from Hugh Jackman, sending inspiring words and good wishes to all the participants. Celebrities included Tony Hadley, Beau Dermott and Sharlene Hector and the Urban Strides dance crew, which got all the children on their feet dancing, along with the audience of 8000!
A truly amazing evening, which will be a lifelong memory for all those who took part! The children behaved impeccably and were a credit to the school and to their parents! Well done everyone and let's "KEEP SINGING!"
14th-18th October - Beam House Residential Trip
18th October - Anti-Racism Day (wear red to school)
1st November - Race for Life Day
29th November - Lantern Parade through the town
