Children and their parents are taking part in a protest over plans to close their nursery this morning.

The group are lobbying lobby the University of Brighton’s board of governors over their plans to close its Phoenix Nursery in Southover Street, Brighton.

They have been gathering outside Mithras House in Lewes Road since 7.30am.

University bosses are considering merging the nursery, which has been rated as outstanding by Ofsted, with the One World nursery at its Moulsecoomb campus.

Phoenix nursery has been open for 13 years and has places for 20 children.

Unison representatives say places for children of students and staff will be cut and up to five jobs will be lost.

Parents have set up a Facebook group called Save Phoenix Nursery.

One parent said: “This is a fantastic facility for both students and staff and we feel safe in the knowledge that our son is in a nurturing, caring and creative environment.”

A member of staff said: “The university should be expanding not reducing its child care support. A colleague is due to have a baby soon and is relying on getting a place to enable her to return to her job. Shame on the university for attacking their female workforce in this way.”

A university spokeswoman said “The proposal has never been to close nursery provision at the university and if any decision regarding the Phoenix site is made then it will be to consolidate services on one site, with enhanced capacity.

“The university has two nurseries in Brighton, Phoenix and One World, and neither runs to full capacity. We are having to subsidise them to a significant extent and that is why we are looking at the proposal to consolidate.

“Currently, we are looking at an alternative proposal which might allow the Phoenix nursery to remain open.”