A PRE-SCHOOL that was at risk of closure after having its funding withdrawn following a poor Ofsted inspection has been given a reprieve.

Lancashire County Council was set to withdraw funding after the Bowland Montessori Pre-School was given an ‘inadequate’ rating by the education watchdog.

However after concerns were raised about the disruption to children and parents who would have to find a new pre-school just weeks before starting primary school, the council said it would make an exception.

As it only funds settings judged to be ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’, the funding will now only cease in July, unless Ofsted upgrades them.

It comes as parents mounted a campaign to try and save the nursery giving their ‘100 per cent’ backing to owner Nancy Bigmore.

Mrs Bigmore has announced she will step down in the summer but hopes Ofsted will return before then to see the issues raised during the inspection, which included concerns about hygiene risks and children’s safety, have been rectified.

She said: “The parents really stuck by what they believe in for the children.

“What we would like to do is get Ofsted back before the end of the summer and give our school the grading we think it deserves.

“Heather Fletcher, who has been working with us for a while, is going to continue the school following the ethos which she believes in while keeping in mind the Ofsted actions.

“Having the funding restored is down to the parents. They have given a lot of time to get the funding back in place so I want to say a big thank you to them.”

Melanie Spedding, 39, whose daughter Gracie-Rae attends the school, which is based in St James CE Primary School in Greenacre Street, Clitheroe, said: “We are all just so grateful that the council has kept the funding and our children do not have to go through the upheaval of moving.

“Now it is about getting Ofsted back in and getting a better grading. We want Nancy to go out on a high.”

Bob Stott, the council’s director for education, schools and care, said: “The county council only funds settings judged to be good or outstanding.

“However, as an exception, we will continue to fund these places until the end of term, as the vast majority of the children involved will leave then prior to starting primary school in September, which would have made it difficult for parents to find settings willing to take children for just seven weeks.”

He added safeguarding officers will work closely with staff and funding will definitely cease at the end of term on Friday, July 21, unless they receive a good or outstanding rating from Ofsted before then.