The Treehouse Eastrington

Playing fields and frequent nature-reserve visits give The Treehouse Eastrington its character. Based in a purpose-built room beside Eastrington Village Hall, it uses the village as part of children's learning, with forest school sessions taking children outdoors regularly during the week. Space to run and explore is a practical part of the offer.

The nursery has capacity for 50 children, accepting ages from six months to five years. Ofsted rated it Good at its June 2021 inspection. That is a dated judgement, rather than an assessment of today's practice.

Full-day and short-day bookings serve different family routines, with both term-time and year-round attendance offered. A waiting-list system makes the registration process an important consideration.

Learning and Activities

Eastrington's curriculum is organised by developmental stage, extending learning as children acquire new skills and understanding.

For babies, the emphasis includes early communication, emotional bonds and learning to feed themselves, alongside physical development and mathematical language introduced through play. These are everyday building blocks, connecting learning with the things a young child is beginning to do independently.

Toddlers work on sharing, expressing their needs and understanding emotions, with dressing and toileting included in their developing independence. Problem-solving and coordination sit alongside those practical skills. The progression is towards children doing more for themselves while learning how to play with others.

Preschool learning includes counting, shape and measurement, letter and number recognition, and maintaining friendships. Children also practise using tools and resources independently. Preparation for the next stage therefore includes managing ordinary tasks and relationships as well as recognising symbols.

Asking questions is another preschool priority. Children are encouraged to pursue their curiosity and solve problems independently, giving them a role in extending their own learning. Alongside counting and recognising letters, this places emphasis on how children approach something unfamiliar: asking about it and working towards an answer.

Care for the world around them appears in both the toddler and preschool curriculum. It connects the outdoor setting with a learning aim, rather than treating the nature reserve solely as somewhere to exercise. Preschool children also work on moving confidently and safely in different ways. Together, these priorities give the playing fields a practical educational purpose alongside the space they provide for running and exploration.

Outdoor and Community Life

Forest school sessions, an approach centred on outdoor learning, take place at the nature reserve regularly throughout the week. This gives the outdoor emphasis a concrete setting beyond the nursery itself. The playing fields provide another space for movement and exploration.

The village also has a substantial role in the curriculum. For families choosing between settings, the useful distinction is that children's learning extends into their surroundings, rather than depending entirely on activities within the nursery room.

Emotional development runs through the age-stage curriculum. Babies work towards forming bonds, toddlers begin recognising other people's feelings, and preschool children develop friendships while learning to manage their own emotions. The sequence connects relationships with increasing independence.

Self-care is equally explicit. Feeding skills begin in the baby curriculum; dressing and toileting become part of toddler learning; preschool children develop greater independence with these tasks and with accessing resources. Families who value practical preparation can see what children are being encouraged to practise at each stage.

Experienced Early Years Educators lead the Eastrington setting. The educational priorities give families concrete topics for a conversation about their child, rather than requiring them to judge care solely from broad descriptions.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery is based at Eastrington Village Hall, Howden Road, Eastrington, DN14 7PW. Full-day bookings run from 7.30am to 6pm; short-day bookings run 9-3pm. Both patterns are offered Monday to Friday, with a choice between term-time and year-round attendance.

Registration works on a first-come basis. After a place is confirmed, a deposit reserves it and is credited against the first month's nursery fees. The waiting-list arrangement means submitting a registration request should be understood as starting the process, rather than securing a place immediately.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is accepted for children from nine months, two-year-olds and three- and four-year-olds, subject to eligibility. For eligible children, funding starts in the term after they turn nine months. Families can use 30 funded hours a week during term time or stretch the entitlement over 50 weeks at 22 hours 48 minutes a week, with a maximum of 10 funded hours a day.

For funded attendance, families can supply packed lunches to keep the place fully funded; hot lunches are an optional separate charge. Current private prices belong in the nursery's written quotation, so the useful comparison is the attendance pattern and any chosen lunch charge together.

• Outdoor participation. Nature-reserve sessions happen regularly during the week, alongside access to the playing fields. On a visit, ask how outings are adapted for your child's developmental stage.
• Booking sequence. A waiting list operates, and a deposit is due once a place has been confirmed. Register early enough to allow for that process when planning a start date.
• Babies' daily arrangements. The baby curriculum includes emotional bonds, physical development and independent feeding. Ask how the room's daily arrangements support those priorities for your baby.

The Treehouse Eastrington suits families who want village surroundings and outdoor learning to be part of nursery life. The nature reserve and playing fields give that preference substance, while the staged curriculum links communication and friendships with practical independence.

It also serves two different attendance needs: full days for families needing the longer window, and short days for those wanting a shorter pattern. Term-time and year-round choices broaden that fit. The June 2021 Good judgement provides historical context; the strongest current reasons to consider Eastrington are its outdoor setting and clearly described learning priorities.