Nursery

We currently have pre-school places available in Middleforth Minis – please call the school office on 01772 746024 to arrange a visit and come and see us in action!

Middleforth Minis is a happy, vibrant and caring nursery within Middleforth Primary School, welcoming children from the age of 3 years old. Since opening in September 2018, our nursery has grown into a well-established and much-loved part of our school community. Our children are an integral part of our Early Years Unit, benefiting from a nurturing environment where they feel safe, valued and inspired to learn.

As part of our wider school community, Nursery children take part in whole-school experiences such as having lunch in the hall, enjoying playtimes using our OPAL equipment, and joining daily worship and assemblies. These opportunities help children to feel confident, included and fully immersed in school life, supporting a smooth and positive transition into Reception and beyond. We are passionate about providing the very best start to each child’s learning journey, building strong foundations for their future both socially and academically.

Our nursery children are taught and supported by our highly qualified early years staff: 
Miss Stritch - Reception Teacher & EYFS Lead

Mrs Cowell- Nursery Practitioner

Miss McKeon- Nursery Practitioner

Whatever the Weather!
Our outdoor learning space is a stimulating environment with a variety of different areas for children to explore, discover and develop their skills. The space is freely accessible throughout the day, whatever the weather, supporting our commitment to outdoor learning as an essential part of children’s development. As well as our Nursery free-flow outdoor area, children also have access to spaces linked to the Reception class, providing valuable opportunities to engage in shared teaching and learning experiences alongside older peers. In addition, Nursery children regularly visit our dedicated, on-site Forest School, led by Mrs Partington, who holds a Forest School qualification. These experiences encourage curiosity, resilience and a love of the natural world.

The Individual Child
Each child is allocated a Key Worker who will work closely with them throughout their time at Middleforth Minis. This special relationship helps children to feel safe, supported and confident as they settle into nursery life. Our Key Workers take time to really get to know each child, ensuring that learning experiences are carefully planned around their individual interests, needs and stages of development. Children are always at the heart of everything we do.

We also carefully monitor each child’s progress through half-termly assessments using our bespoke progression document. This has been thoughtfully created using Lancashire’s EYFS Progression of Skills, alongside Development Matters and Birth to 5 Matters. The document breaks learning down into small, manageable steps across all areas, allowing Key Workers to have a clear understanding of each child’s development. This ensures we are always aware of their achievements and are able to plan the next steps in their learning with confidence and care.

The Learning Environment
In our Nursery, we pride ourselves on creating a calm, nurturing learning environment where every child feels safe, valued and ready to explore. We carefully choose natural, open-ended resources that inspire curiosity, creativity and independent thinking. Our provision is thoughtfully enhanced with engaging activities and experiences that are regularly adapted to reflect the children’s interests, needs and next steps in learning. This ensures that each child remains motivated, excited and fully involved in their learning journey every day.

Our learning environment focuses on aspects of the 'Curiosity Approach' The curiosity approach aims to give children back their freedom by igniting their natural curiosity and imagination. When adopting this teaching method, children are able to think for themselves, make their own choices, and direct their own learning. We use every day 'real' and natural resources, creating calm & tranquil plays spaces.

 'The Curiosity Approach aims to create ‘thinkers & doers’ by putting the child at the centre of their own development and education. Modern toys and technology are removed from the learning environment and replaced with everyday items to encourage children’s natural curiosity and eagerness to explore and create.

The Curiosity Approach draws from various other philosophies of early years education, including the Reggio Emilia approach, Te Whãriki, Montessori, Pikler and Steiner.''-https://www.daynurseries.co.uk/advice/the-curiosity-approach-to-early-years-learning

We believe that every child deserves a happy, secure and inspiring start to their school journey, and we are dedicated to making those first experiences of school positive and memorable. Rooted in our Christian values, we encourage every child to grow in confidence, kindness and curiosity, supporting them to develop as unique individuals and to 'Let Their Light Shine' in all that they do. If you would like to find out more or come and visit us, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.