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A highly rated nursery may have to leave its current home over the summer. St Brendan’s Nursery currently operates on the site of St Brendan’s RC Primary School in Harwood. But the Brookfold Lane nursery's lease is set to come to an end, meaning it is expected to have to leave the premises in July.
Cllr Jackie Schofield, of Bradshaw, said: “This nursery has been a lifeline for many families in Harwood for years. “Parents deserve to know why this decision has been made and what is being done to protect the care and well-being of their children. Cllr Schofield outside St Brendan's RC Primary School (Image: Public) “I’m calling on the school, the nursery and the council to work together to find a solution that puts children and families first.
” A parent, who did not want to be named, said: "After sending my children to St Brendan’s Nursery over the past 15 years, we are all devastated to be given the news that the nursery may no longer be able to operate and care for all the children in the Harwood community unless suitable premises are found local before the end of July. "Over the years they have helped and supported so many children and their families. "After them very recently achieving a good Ofsted rating, constantly having waiting lists and being in high demand for the local area, this will cause major disruption to us as parents and our children as there is nowhere else around to send children which don’t have long waiting lists.
"I really do feel for the staff and owners in what must be a heartbreaking situation, and hope that somewhere local can be of assistance to help them transition to new premises." St Brendan’s Nursery, which cares for children up to the age of four, was rated “good” across all areas by an Ofsted report that was published in March this year after an inspection in February. The report said that children were “confident and secure” at the nursery and praised the strong partnerships and close working that staff had formed with parents.
But the Diocese of Salford, which runs St Brendan’s Primary School , says that the nursery’s lease is set to end in July. They say that they now need to make more use of the school grounds. ALSO READ: 'Happy and welcoming' school praised by Ofsted ALSO READ: Bolton school is in the top one per cent of schools nationally for its outstanding results ALSO READ: The Bolton schools which are among the best in the country A Diocese spokesperson said: "We can confirm that the lease given to the private nursery that operates on the grounds of St Brendan's RC Primary School will come to an end this July.
“The owners of the nursery were given notice of our decision in August 2024. "The commercial nursery has been a welcome addition to our school grounds for many years, and although the lease expired several years ago, we were delighted to have been able to extend it on a rolling basis for a number of additional years. “However, due to the growing demands of school life, it has now become necessary for us to utilise the full extent of our grounds to ensure we are providing adequate space to maximise learning opportunities and wrap around care at the school, which is vital for many of our pupils and their families.
" The nursery was approached for comment about the situation..
