CAMPAIGNERS against plans to merge Elms Road Nursery with Botley Primary School have urged parents to speak out before a consultation ends later this month.

Oxfordshire County Council has issued a statutory notice for the closure of the nursery, and members of the public have until Friday, February 18, to make their views known.

Elms Road is one of seven council-run nurseries and childcare centres in Oxford not linked to primary schools.

The 68-year-old nursery is rated ‘outstanding’ by education inspectorate Ofsted.

Yet inspectors said teaching the primary’s reception class on the nursery school’s site added an “unnecessary layer of complication to management and governance”.

Staff and governors at the 250-pupil primary school have backed the change, saying it would simplify management.

But some parents are angry that it will force the nursery’s specialist headteacher to leave, arguing this would put the quality of early years education at risk.

The council estimated the schools will lose £64,000 as a result of the merger, but would receive a one-off “amalgamation grant” of £53,750.

If they do not merge, the nusery would still lose £32,000 a year from April 2011 because of Government changes to funding formulas.

Nursery headteacher Alison Brockliss said nursery staff faced an uncertain future.

She said: “No schools have their budgets finalised yet, so if we are merged, it’s difficult to be certain about anything until that is sorted out.

“The children’s centre has a different funding stream and may face funding cuts, so there are lots of ifs and buts. It’s very stressful. I think there is quite a groundswell of support for us.

“What concerns a lot of parents is the details have not been explained enough for the council to make a good judgement.”

Nursery teacher Oonagh Stephenson said: “It is hard to understand how this decision has been arrived at.”

Mum Flora De Ofpina, of Tilbury Lane, who is leading a campaign against the plan, said: “We understand and appreciate there is something to address but we think it can be done in a less drastic way.”

If the council’s cabinet backs the proposals next month, the nursery will close in August.

Responses can be made at http://myconsultations. oxfordshire.gov.uk or by calling 01865 323324.