Plans being considered to lower age limit at Hemel Hempstead primary school

There are proposals for Maple Grove Primary School, in Hemel Hempstead, to accept children from the age of two.

The school, in Grovehill, already offers places in its nursery class for children as young as three.

But – following the closure of an independent pre-school that had operated from its site – plans have been drawn-up to accept children from the age of two.

According to those plans the school would continue to offer 30 nursery places in the morning and 30 in the afternoon – but from January 2025 up to half of those places would be offered to two-year-olds.

On Tuesday (June 18) a meeting of the county council’s education, libraries and lifelong learning cabinet panel backed the plans, after hearing the outcome of a five-week period of public consultation.

More than 200 consultation letters were distributed to parents and carers, staff and governors as part of that consultation – with a further 137 emails being sent to others, including all 78 county councillors.

There were seven responses received by the council as part of the consultation – six of which agreed with the proposal.

According to the officers’ report – presented to the cabinet panel – the school has sufficient and suitable space and correct staff ratios to accommodate two-year olds.

And, says the report, the lower age limit would not impact on the financial stability of the school.

The council’s cabinet will be asked to consider the plans at a meeting scheduled for July 9.