I was saddened, but not surprised to read your article about the decline of nursery schools (TES, June 14) in spite of evidence showing that they are the best place for the under fives.

My son has just spent a wonderful year at Hertfordshire’s only beacon nursery school. The school is consistently oversubscribed and has a specialism in SEN children, who have often not managed in other nursery settings.

In spite of this, when the site for the school is lost in a year’s time, and with the offer of a new building for the school from the developers, the council feel that numbers do not justify retaining the school.

Parents in the area looking for nursery places are already turned away from local private and voluntary schools because they are full. The introduction of the nursery grant for three year olds can only make the matter worse.

The council’s consultation paper only shows there are nursery places, but it refuses to investigate whether they are taken, and what parents want.

Our nursery school is the best in the county - we can’t understand why the council aren’t supporting, and expanding the school as a centre of excellence, rather than knocking it down. Our children deserve more.

Gaenor Morris
Parent, Wall Hall Nursery School
Aldenham
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