A Brighton after school club, valued by some of the area’s poorest parents, is to close within weeks because of a funding shortfall.
The closure of the Whitehawk After School Project (WASP) is expected to affect up to a hundred children.
Members of the Brighton and Hove City Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee were informed of the decision yesterday (Wednesday 3 February).
The project is based at the City Academy Whitehawk, formerly Whitehawk Primary School, in Whitehawk Road, Brighton.
A letter has been sent to parents and staff by Caroline Ridley, the chief executive of Impact Initiatives, the charity that runs the after school project.
Impact Initiatives said in one letter, giving notice of the closure: “I am writing to inform you that we have had to make the incredibly difficult decision to close the WASP After School Club at the end of this term. Our last day will be (Thursday) 24 March.
“As we currently work with over 100 children, many of whom are referred to us as there are child protection issues, we have let the school know as soon as possible so they have time to make alternative arrangements for these children and their families. We are no longer taking any referrals.
“We will be sending a letter to parents to also inform them. The club enables a significantly higher number of parents than in recent years to work so they too will be affected.
“This decision is purely financial. Demand for the service is high and the amazing results it brings, as stated in our last Ofsted report, continue.
“Impact have for over 20 years raised money to go alongside funding from Brighton and Hove City Council. We currently bring 65 per cent of the total needed.
“Impact has invested a significant amount of time and money this year to keep the club running while we try to negotiate further support but we cannot continue to do this.
“We need to reapply for ongoing funds from Children in Need this year and without any school or statutory funding it is highly unlikely the application will be successful.
“Closing the after school club will mean we no longer have a staff team in place and so will not be able to run the summer play scheme this year.”
The council previously used pupil premium payments to help fund the project which supports exactly the sort of children for which the pupil premium was designed.
One councillor said after the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting that the closure raised questions about how the pupil premium money was being used by the academy.
The academy is sponsored by City College Brighton and Hove. Academy head David Williams is due to leave at the end of the school year in July.
Like the after school project, Ofsted rated the academy good in its most recent inspection.
