An Ellesmere Port primary school nursery is to take in two-year-olds following the imminent loss of a long established playgroup.

Heathfield Playgroup, which meets in The Acorns Primary and Nursery, Pooltown Road, will close at the end of the summer term. The move follows an Ofsted report late last autumn which found it required improvement.

Inspector Jan Linsdell said the group was attended by 18 youngsters aged 2-3. Among other issues she felt not all children made good progress in their learning as staff were not always effective in teaching children to listen and concentrate.

The inspector also accepted there were a number of strong points with parents saying that staff were ‘really good’ with their children.

In 2012, the group had been found to be ‘Good’.

The outcome meant the playgroup was unable to offer new funded places to two-year-olds.

Ellesmere Port Sutton ward councillor Nicole Meardon (Lab), the council’s children’s chief, has now been told the group has decided ‘after many years of serving the community’, they will not continue after the end of this term.

As a result she has agreed to alter the age range at the school to include two-year-olds.

A report to Cllr Meardon explained the school governors had sought the change to ensure continuity for local two-year-olds.

The playgroup child care staff, six at the time of the Ofsted report, would transfer to the school.

Ofsted had separately found early years at the school itself to be ‘Good’ and officers felt the loss of the playgroup could potentially lead to a local shortage of places for children living nearby.

A consultation had been held which supported the move. Cllr Meardon has now signed off the change.