SPECIAL NOTICE
Dear Parents/Carers,
I am writing to let you know that, after careful consideration, we are very sadly taking the decision to close NOA’s Ark Nursery on 19th July 2026. This means that the last day of provision will be Friday 17th July.
When we set up NOA’s Ark over a decade ago on the site of our secondary school North Oxfordshire Academy, it was with the intention of creating a successful, high-quality new Nursery to meet the local need for ‘from birth’ early years care and education. Since then, we are very pleased that NOA’s Ark has become a popular hub for local families and so appreciated for the attention, expertise and care provided by our Nursery team.
Despite the quality of the provision, however, NOA’s Ark remains our only Nursery in the region and, amid a challenging economic environment, has become increasingly unviable to maintain at the levels we, staff and families expect without accruing significant financial losses. This is in no way a reflection on the Nursery itself, but instead a combination of external pressures that impact on our ongoing ability to ensure suitable resourcing while maintaining an affordable rate for parents.
Recognising this, we have for some time been working closely with Oxfordshire County Council to identify feasible options for NOA’s Ark’s future – including the strong expectation of a transfer to a new specialist provider – but despite everyone’s best efforts this has not proven possible. At this stage, therefore, it is not viable for us to continue to operate the Nursery and so we are taking the sad decision to close NOA’s Ark. In doing so, we will be returning the Nursery site and its facilities back to the Local Authority for its management going forward so that it continues to benefit the local community.
Through a summer closure date, we want to give families and staff alike as much notice as possible ahead of the next school year. Delaying this decision until then will, we very much hope, mean more places at local Nurseries are released as older children move into schools from September. Working closely with the Local Authority, they have already begun to identify capacity across existing local provision and will be able to support families with identifying new local Nursery places, in particular for those with additional support needs. This support can be accessed directly through the Family Information Service via www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/familyinformation or by calling 01865 323 332.
We appreciate that this may be difficult and upsetting news for families but we are clear that closure of the current provision is – having exhausted all other options for the site’s future – the only viable way forward.
In the meantime, thank you for your support of NOA’s Ark and its staff team. We all remain committed, as ever, to offering the best care and education for your child until this takes effect. If you require any further information, please email matthew.wynne@unitedlearning.org.uk.
Many thanks
Matthew Wynne Regional Director