Families get first look at Rosedene Forest School nursery in Stokesley
Families in Stokesley have had their first glimpse of a brand-new nursery that places outdoor learning at the heart of early years education.
Rosedene Nurseries has officially unveiled its latest Forest School, based at Ellerbeck Way on Stokesley Business Park, with an open day that welcomed more than 100 children, parents and grandparents.
The purpose-built setting can accommodate up to 100 children aged 0–4, with additional holiday club places for youngsters up to 11 years old. Spread across two floors, the nursery has been fully refurbished to provide a calm, “home-from-home” environment indoors, while outside six dedicated forest school areas encourage children to learn through nature.
Youngsters will be able to take part in activities such as building campfires, wildlife exploration, gardening and yoga. During the open day, families tried out potion-making, sang around the campfire and collected stamps in their own “forest school passports.” The event also offered the chance to sample nursery menus and meet staff ahead of the official opening in September.
Alice Haslam, Director at Rosedene Nurseries, said the event was an exciting milestone: “It was incredible to see these children fully immersed in nature and embracing the exciting activities that we offer. This open day gave families a glimpse of the high-quality early years education and unique learning environment we’ve created. We look forward to welcoming our new children in September as they begin their Forest School journey with us.”
The new site is Rosedene’s twelfth nursery across the North East and North Yorkshire. The group, which was founded in 1991, has seen three of its existing settings rated Outstanding by Ofsted within the past year.
The opening comes as families prepare to benefit from the government’s expansion of 30 hours of funded childcare, which will be extended to babies from nine months old from next month.