A new pre-school is opening in Swindon in the space previously used by a different early years education team.

Sparklers Pre-School closed earlier this year, but the rooms it used at Peatmoor Community Primary School will not be empty for long.

A new venture known as Little Herons is setting up there and planning to be open by January, offering term time pre-school places for children aged three and four years old as well as off-site holiday club provision.

Sessions will be held from Monday to Friday, with the option of a full 6.5-hour day from 8.30am to 3pm or three-hour sessions from 8.30am to 11.30am and 12pm to 3pm, with a full week totalling 32-and-a-half hours.

Anyone seeking more information should email office.littleherons@gmail.com

Sparklers Pre-School was a charity-run not-for-profit educational facility that served the community for 35 years and was rated Outstanding by Ofsted inspectors in February 2023.

The pre-school closed in October due to what were understood to be financial reasons, though a notice published on the pre-school’s website alleged that the proper procedures were not followed before the closure decision was made.

A Charity Commission spokesperson said: “Concerns have been raised with us about Sparklers pre-school nursery. We have assessed the information available to us and are monitoring the situation.”

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