Nursery

Middleforth Minis Nursery

Places Available

We currently have pre-school places available in Middleforth Minis. To arrange a visit and see our nursery in action, please contact the school office on 01772 746024.

Welcome to Middleforth Minis

Middleforth Minis is a happy, vibrant and nurturing nursery within Middleforth C of E Primary School, welcoming children from the age of three. Since opening in September 2018, our nursery has become a valued and well-established part of our school community, providing children with a secure and inspiring start to their educational journey.

As part of our Early Years Unit, children benefit from a caring environment where they feel safe, valued and supported to develop confidence, independence and a love of learning. We understand that every child is unique, and we work closely with families to ensure that all children thrive socially, emotionally and academically.

Rooted in our Christian vision to "Let Your Light Shine", we encourage children to develop curiosity, kindness, resilience and respect while fostering a sense of belonging within our school community.

Part of Our School Family

Being part of Middleforth Primary School provides our Nursery children with a wealth of opportunities beyond the classroom. Children regularly:

• Enjoy lunch in the school hall.

• Take part in playtimes using our OPAL outdoor play equipment.

• Attend worship and assemblies.

• Build relationships with older pupils and wider school staff.

• Become familiar with school routines and expectations.

• Join with Reception class for days/activities.

These experiences help children feel confident and secure as they transition into Reception and beyond.

Our Experienced Early Years Team

Our Nursery children are supported by highly qualified and experienced Early Years staff who are passionate about helping every child achieve their potential.

Miss Stritch
Reception Teacher and EYFS Lead

Mrs Cowell
Nursery Practitioner

Miss McKeon
Nursery Practitioner

Together, our team creates a warm and welcoming environment where children feel valued, challenged and supported.

Whatever the Weather!

Outdoor Learning and Forest School

We believe that children learn best through active, hands-on experiences. Our outdoor learning environment is available throughout the day in all weather conditions, allowing children to explore, investigate and develop their skills through meaningful play.

Children benefit from:

• Continuous access to our dedicated Nursery outdoor provision.

• Opportunities to learn alongside Reception children.

• Rich experiences that develop physical skills, communication, problem-solving and creativity.

• Regular visits to our on-site Forest School.

Forest School sessions provide opportunities for children to develop confidence, resilience, independence and a strong connection with the natural world.

The Individual Child

At Middleforth Minis, every child is known, valued and celebrated.

Each child is assigned a dedicated Key Worker who develops a strong relationship with them and their family. This secure relationship helps children to settle quickly, feel confident and develop positive attitudes towards learning.

Our Key Workers carefully observe, assess and plan for each child's next steps, ensuring that learning experiences are tailored to children's interests, strengths and developmental needs.

We closely monitor children's progress through ongoing assessment and half-termly reviews using our bespoke progression document. This has been developed using:

• Lancashire EYFS Progression Documents

• Development Matters

• Birth to 5 Matters

This allows us to identify achievements, celebrate progress and provide timely support and challenge so that every child can flourish.

Our Learning Environment

Our Nursery environment has been carefully designed to inspire curiosity, creativity and independence.

We provide calm, inviting spaces filled with high-quality, open-ended resources that encourage children to explore, investigate and make sense of the world around them. Our provision is continuously enhanced to reflect children's interests, current learning and next steps, ensuring that learning remains engaging, purposeful and meaningful.

Children are encouraged to:

• Make choices and become independent learners.

• Develop their communication and language skills.

• Build positive relationships with others.

• Explore, create and problem-solve.

• Develop sustained concentration and resilience.

Through carefully planned interactions and high-quality continuous provision, our staff support children to become confident, capable and motivated learners.

Inspired by the Curiosity Approach- https://www.thecuriosityapproach.com/

Our practice is influenced by the principles of the Curiosity Approach, which places children's interests, imagination and natural inquisitiveness at the heart of learning.

We use authentic, everyday and natural resources to create engaging learning experiences that encourage children to think, investigate and explore. By providing open-ended materials and allowing children time and space to follow their interests, we help to develop creativity, independence and critical thinking skills.

Learning Through Play

Play is at the heart of everything we do.

Through carefully planned play experiences, children develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need for future success. Our curriculum is ambitious, engaging and carefully sequenced, ensuring children make strong progress across all areas of learning whilst developing the Characteristics of Effective Learning:

• Playing and Exploring

• Active Learning

• Creating and Thinking Critically

By the time children leave Middleforth Minis, they are confident, curious and well-prepared for the next stage of their education.

Come and Visit Us

We believe every child deserves a happy, nurturing and inspiring start to school life. We would love to welcome you to Middleforth Minis and show you what makes our nursery such a special place to learn and grow.

To arrange a visit or find out more, please contact the school office on 01772 746024.

Middleforth Minis: nurturing confident, curious learners and helping every child let their light shine.