TEACHERS are desperately seeking a replacement pre-school building in Weymouth for 45 children.

The mobile classroom currently used by Allsorts Pre-school at Beechcroft St Paul’s School is to be demolished because it has become unfit for purpose.

The children, aged between two and five, and nine staff will have to leave the building by May 22.

The Allsorts committee and staff – including Rosie Sharp and Denise Folds – have been searching for a new building for nine months without success.

Manager Mrs Folds said: “The building has come to the end of its life. It’s freezing cold in winter and the plumbing doesn’t work properly. The children deserve better than that.

“We are appealing to anyone to help who knows of a suitable building.

“I’m determined not to let these children down.

“We’ve had various opportunities come up but rugs have been pulled out from underneath us.

“Because we’re a charity we can’t get a mortgage.

“We’re looking for a peppercorn rent and somewhere in Westham that we can use Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm.”

Beechcroft headteacher Sarah Sprague said the school was expanding to meet children’s needs and another building would be built on the empty site to support pupils.

She said: “The foundation unit will help us to support children in a variety of ways. We need more space.”

Mrs Sprague said it was originally thought Allsorts would have to leave the site by Easter but the deadline was extended.

She added: “We will always work with Allsorts in a professional manner. There’s no bad feeling about this.”

Allsorts has been at Beechcroft school in Corporation Road since 2006. It used to be based at the Moose Lodge in Chickerell Road. The pre-school was rated ‘good’ in all areas in its last Ofsted inspection.

Mrs Folds said: “There is a massive need for the pre-school to stay within the immediate Westham area.”

ALLSORTS is overseen by a voluntary committee of parents.

It also has a site at St Augustine’s School in Hardy Avenue and both pre-schools are running at their full capacity with waiting lists.

Mrs Folds said there were currently not enough pre-school spaces within the Westham area for the high number of disadvantaged two-year-olds With a new building Allsorts plans to offer parent and toddler sessions, parenting support and training in surroundings that are familiar and ‘non-threatening’.