A HIGHLY-regarded pre-school nursery has been given notice to quit after 32 years at a Halesowen school, sparking outrage from bemused parents.

Furious mums and dads greeted the news that the nursery at Manor Way Primary was to close on July 21 with disbelief and outrage.

Whilst longstanding staff, two of whom have worked there for 27 and 29 years respectively, wept inside, parents at the school gate urged a U-turn by the Windsor Academy Trust, which took over the primary school last October.

In January, the nursery, which is run as an independent charity, was given the bombshell news its rent was to rocket from £2,800 a year to £25,000.

The following month a verbal offer was made that it should become part of the trust, but whilst awaiting answers to questions relating to pay and conditions, the academy trust invoked a deadline and terminated its lease agreement on March 24.

In statements from the trust and school, they say the nursery was not prepared to join the trust.

But parent Paul Jaep, who has become a spokesman for the pre-school committee, said it had not refused to join the trust He said: “The advice from their union was that they did not have to give a decision by the deadline because they were awaiting answers to important questions and were shocked when the lease agreement was terminated.”

In a letter to parents, the nursery staff and committee said they felt “great sadness” at the decision adding that alternative premises are being sought.

But parents said they chose the nursery because it allowed a “seamless transition” to the primary school and many said it was the quality of the nursery that brought them to Manor Way.

Despite the difficulties of recent months, the pre-school was judged as “good” by Ofsted in March. The primary school was deemed to “require improvement” by inspectors in 2014.

Parents said the eight staff – known as aunties – provided a “fantastic” service for the 60 children.

Mother-of-three Hayley Grossett, said she was “extremely upset and disappointed”.

Abigail Farnell said she chose to drive to bring her child to the nursery rather than walk to one nearer to her home because the “teachers are so good”.

Rebekah Darby added: “This is awful for the staff and awful for the children as well.”

Manor Way headteacher Dawn Betteridge said the school will run its own pre-school nursery from September.

Referring to the trust merger bid, a spokesman for Windsor Academy Trust (WAT) added: “WAT fully supports the professional approach of the head and chair as they have tried so hard to make this happen as they aim to secure the best possible education for all of the children at Manor Way by improving consistency and continuity of learning.”