Banbury nursery announces closure as parents left in ‘shock’

NOA’s Ark nursery in Drayton Road announced this week that the management team has “very sadly taken the decision” to close the childcare service on July 19.

It had been running for more than a decade on the site of secondary school North Oxfordshire Academy, both of which are owned and operated by academy United Learning.

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A statement from regional director Matthew Wynne said: “Despite the quality of the provision, NOA’s Ark remains our only nursery in the region and, amid a challenging economic environment, has become increasingly unviable to maintain at the levels we, staff and families expect without accruing significant financial losses.

The nursery is on the same site as North Oxfordshire Academy (Image: Google)

“This is in no way a reflection on the nursery itself, but instead a combination of external pressures that impact on our ongoing ability to ensure suitable resourcing while maintaining an affordable rate for parents.”

He said that although they have been working with Oxfordshire County Council to find a ‘feasible’ way forward, no other ‘viable’ options were found and the provision will close.

The nursery site and its facilities will be handed back to the local authority for management.

Mr Wynne added: “Through a summer closure date, we want to give families and staff alike as much notice as possible ahead of the next school year.

“Delaying this decision until then will, we very much hope, mean more places at local nurseries are released as older children move into schools from September.

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“Working closely with the local authority, they have already begun to identify capacity across existing local provision and will be able to support families with identifying new local nursery places, in particular for those with additional support need.

“We appreciate that this may be difficult and upsetting news for families but we are clear that closure of the current provision is – having exhausted all other options for the site’s future – the only viable way forward.”

Stock image of a child at a nursery (Image: NQ)

But one parent who has been using NOA’s Ark for the past five years but who did not want to be named, said the closure announcement was a ‘massive shock’ for himself and others.

“Myself and many other parents rely on NOA as our lifeline to work especially as they are the only nursery this side of Banbury,” he said.

“Banbury is crying out for childcare and has very limited spaces available so it has left many of us extremely worried with a lot of uncertainty if we can even find providers for all our children especially when another Banbury nursery has recently announced its closure.

“For many of us NOA is a part of our extended family, us and the children love the team and it has come as a massive shock that united learning has announced their closure as there has been no consultation with parents to see if anything can be done to save our nursery.”

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Sean Woodcock visits Chipping Norton School (Image: River Learning Trust)

Sean Woodcock, Labour MP for Banbury, said: “The nursery supports around 50 children, and I understand that this will be worrying for those parents and children affected.

“Upon hearing the news, I raised questions with United Learning – highlighting parents’ concerns and asking for a meeting.

“I will continue to engage with them, and with Oxfordshire County Council to ensure children and families affected are provided with support and will advocate for local families in any way that I can.”