I am writing with important updates regarding St Werburgh’s Park Nursery school and its future plans. As you may or may not know, Maintained Nursery Schools nationally have faced significant financial challenges over the last few years. This has seen many Nursery schools across the country forced to close.
Bristol Local Authority is dedicated to keeping its 12 Nursery schools open as they recognise the significant impact we have on outcomes for families and children across the city. We have been working as a group to find sustainable solutions to enable St Werburgh’s Nursery School to remain open and to continue meeting the needs of the children in our community. As a result of this work, we are planning to work towards becoming a federation with a small group of Nursery schools: The Limes and Rosemary Nursery School. The leaders of these settings have been working closely together as we share beliefs about education as well as hold the same moral purpose. The Limes and Rosemary have worked together as one this year, led by Catherine Bolam. The next step will be for St Werburgh’s to join the group too. This is an exciting opportunity for our Nursery and will help support its sustainability. From September, Catherine Bolam will also lead St Werburgh’s Nursery and begin to work towards a federated model for all three schools.
As part of the city-wide plan for Nursery Schools, I will be moving to Ilminster Avenue Nursery School in Knowle to start an Acting Headteacher secondment. This opportunity will be for the next year in the first instance. Although I will begin the secondment in September, I will begin to spend more time at the school over the next few weeks. I will be based at St Werburgh’s Park Nursery on Thursdays and Fridays and on call at the beginning of the week.
Should you have any questions or queries that need solving during the rest of this term, at the beginning of the week, please see Jacqui MacFarlane in the office or Nicola Brinkworth, class teacher in Blue Room.
Kari Warrener will be taking on my 2-day teaching responsibility in yellow room, as well as an extra half-day to support Lucy Freeman, Assistant Head to take on more leadership responsibilities. Kari is already a member of the Yellow Room team so this change will have a low impact on children.
I have loved my time at St Werburgh’s and am so sad to be leaving in September. However, I know this change is a fantastic opportunity for the school and look forward to hearing about all its future successes.
If you have any questions or concerns please come and find me on Thursdays and Fridays.
Best Wishes,
Mandy Collier-King