FAITH IN THE COMMUNITY: Pre-school closure is sad - but it's the right decision

By the Revd Kate Macfarlane, minister-in-charge, Hart Plain Church

Hart Plain Church Council has taken the difficult decision to close Hart Plain Church Pre-School, which has been a part of our church for many years.

The pre-school will close at the end of the summer term because we cannot guarantee that enough suitably-qualified staff will be available in September.

I have been here for more than 11 years and have been closely involved with running our pre-school by chairing its committee, helping at events and supporting the manager and staff. As I’m the 'nominated person’ for the pre-school, it is up to me to ensure that it complies with Ofsted and Early Years standards.

In recent months, it has become harder to recruit and retain suitably-qualified members of staff to run the pre-school. This is an issue that is happening nationwide, but particularly in this part of Hampshire. 

While we have always ensured that staffing has been at the legal level before opening the pre-school, we have been reliant on the goodwill of staff coming in on days off and have been forced to ring agencies to attempt to hire temporary staff.

We were in precisely this situation a couple of weeks ago and came close to ringing parents that day to say we would not be open at all. Our Church Council does not believe this situation is sustainable.

Because these children are so young, the staff-to-child ratio is vitally important to ensure their safety and wellbeing. Parents would understandably expect us to meet those standards if the pre-school were to continue. 

Our Church Council is the body responsible for the pre-school. It took the difficult decision that the lack of qualified staff meant we would be unable to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the children from Autumn 2026. We are now consulting with staff about the implications of the closure and the next steps.

This is incredibly sad for all concerned - including for myself and others on the Church Council. We have appreciated all the messages from parents praising the excellent care and commitment they have seen over the years from staff at the pre-school. 

We have attempted to give parents and carers as much notice as possible, so that families can make other plans before September. It has been a joy to be involved in the care of these children, and we wish our families all the best in the future.