Congresbury preschool granted planning permission

Planning permission has been granted to turn an old school hall in Congresbury into a preschool.

North Somerset Council has given the go-ahead to plans to turn the unused hall at St Andrew’s Primary School to increase education facilities for children aged two and three who live in the village.

The preschool will be run separately from St Andrew’s however.

The Congresbury Community Preschool charity is currently based in a Portakabin within the grounds of the primary school and has launched a bid to have permission to run the new site.

Chairman Richard Jones said if its bid is successful, it will be able to offer extra places when new Government rules concerning preschools come into effect next year.

The new policy will offer eligible children 30 hours a week of childcare, rather than the current 15-hour provision, and Mr Jones said the preschool would not be able to cope with the anticipated rise in demand at its current base.

Mr Jones said: “We currently employ nine people. We would have to increase our staff probably by two or three people – we would need a room leader, which is a more senior position.

“If we did not get the tender, we’d carry on as we are, but if we are to provide a 30-hour provision then it would cut our capacity.

“From our point of view, it would certainly be a positive thing if we were able to get it.”