A PRIVATE school will close its outstanding-rated nursery in December, giving parents just a term's notice.

Leehurst Swan said running its pre-prep school, which teaches children up to age five, was "no longer financially viable" after the government introduced its new 30-hours free childcare scheme.

Leehurst said the broadening gap between costs and funding had prevented it joining the scheme.

As a result, an "unprecedented and unexpected" number of pupils had left, it said, with many parents giving notice late in the summer term.

After speaking to "business specialists and those with a deep interest in the school", governors and senior staff "regretfully agreed" there was "no choice but to close".

A statement on the Leehurst website said the decision was necessary for the rest of the school's future security.

The pre-prep school's "outstanding" Ofsted status was not in question, the school added.

When asked why it had chosen to close so quickly, the school said: "The figures spoke for themselves.

"We needed to take immediate action, there would never have been a right time."

Concerned parents asked why they had only now been told, to which the school replied: "This news has been delivered as quickly and effectively as possible."

The last day will be December 14.

When asked what would happen to fees and deposits already paid, the school said each case would be treated individually and the board aimed "to be as sympathetic as is reasonably practicable".

They said staff losses were "always the last resort".

There should be no impact on the senior school.

In a statement, the school said: "This decision was finally forced upon the governors and school’s leaders with the introduction of the government funded 30 hours.

"Leehurst Swan offers bespoke childcare, with highly qualified staff in an outstanding setting; however, the broadening gap between costs and government funding has made it impossible to increase to 30 hours scheme.

"The result of not increasing from 15 to 30 funded hours has seen our pupil numbers reduce dramatically.

"The governing body and senior leadership team have been carefully reviewing pupil numbers.

"The volume of leavers in the last weeks of the summer term were unprecedented and unexpected.

"A number of parents sought funded places elsewhere and waived notice periods.

"Declining numbers forced us to take early decisive action – the alternative was a potentially slow and painful decline that would undoubtedly have impacted on the quality of provision and the reputation of the school.

"Staff losses are always the last resort.

"Staff will be transferred to vacancies within the school where possible. We are also working with other nurseries who are interested in the redeployment of our exceptional staff.

"At current student numbers, this difficult decision provides absolute assurance for the future of the Leehurst Swan prep and senior schools.

"This closure removes financial pressure and places the school in a robust financial position that many other independent schools would be envious of.

"Having this degree of confidence underpins future investment and secures the long term charitable objectives of the school: ‘to provide education to children’.

"As painful as this has been, it is the only way to ensure survival.

"The last day of trading will be December 14.

"This is a national problem that the prospect of 30 ‘free’ hours from September was the last straw for many long-established pre-schools. Years of underfunding from successive governments, as well as the outlawing top-up fees, have compounded issues nationally, and the latest statistics suggest as many as 1 in 10 settings will close."

Two open meetings for parents to meet governors and senior staff will be held on Monday at 1pm and 5pm.