The Learning Tree

An outdoor library and celebrations of Loy Krathong give The Learning Tree a character that reaches beyond its church-hall base. In May 2025, parents borrowed books from the outdoor library, while children explored different cultures and made frequent outings into their local community. Everyday independence mattered too: serving food, getting water and learning to manage small disagreements were part of the nursery day.

At its 6 May 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective. The current nursery age range is two to five, with capacity for 32 children in total. Its base is St. Philip’s Church Hall on Chatterton Road, in Stubbins, Ramsbottom.

Morning, afternoon and term-time day sessions sit alongside wraparound care. That gives families several attendance patterns, rather than one fixed-length day. Indoor noise needs consideration: in May 2025, this sometimes interrupted children’s listening and participation.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides the curriculum: children develop through play, relationships and connected areas of learning, with room for different interests and rates of development. It is the shared early-years framework, while the experiences chosen here give the day its own character.

In May 2025, staff used children’s interests to shape activities and conversations. Singing familiar songs, talking through play and asking questions that invited more than a short answer gave children opportunities to practise language. Puppets helped hold attention during small-group activities. These are useful details for parents looking for interaction woven into play, rather than learning confined to a formal group session.

Children also worked together to construct a den. The task brought practical problem-solving into shared play: children had something to make together, rather than simply being told to cooperate. Alongside this, staff helped children take turns, share equipment and talk through disagreements.

Outdoor and Community Life

Enclosed outdoor play areas provide space beyond the indoor hall. In May 2025, outdoor activities included balancing across tyres and moving freely as children explored. The physical challenge was concrete, giving children opportunities to practise coordination as part of play.

Community experiences brought family celebrations into learning. During May 2025, preschool children took part in a ceremony at the local church, wearing wedding clothes, and explored how marriage celebrations differ between families. Loy Krathong was another festival explored through activities about cultures and beliefs, with families invited to contribute. These experiences connected unfamiliar ideas to people and celebrations children could discuss.

Frequent visits to local places of interest extended that community connection. The outdoor library added a quieter link between nursery and home: parents could borrow books, carrying shared reading beyond the nursery day. Neither activity depended on a formal lesson to give families something useful to build on.

In May 2025, children sought comfort from staff and formed close relationships with them. Adults used calm reminders during play and helped children discuss their feelings when disagreements arose. The practical value is in the response: children received help with the social situations that can make sharing a busy nursery space difficult.

At the May 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received support that helped them make good progress, including referrals, work with external agencies and communication adapted to individual needs. Visual aids and boards showing what happens now and next were among the methods used. This gives parents a concrete picture of support, rather than a general promise of inclusion.

Self-care was another visible part of daily life in May 2025. Children practised handwashing around meals and bathroom use, served food themselves and accessed drinking water. These small responsibilities gave them repeated opportunities to manage familiar tasks before moving to their next stage of learning.

Staff also worked with parents to understand children’s preferences and needs. In May 2025, home-learning support included advice about toilet training and dental health, alongside book borrowing. Communication therefore covered everyday care as well as activities: useful for families managing the same developmental steps at home.

Sessions and Attendance

Preschool sessions run Monday to Friday during term time. Families can choose a morning from 9am to noon, an afternoon from noon to 3pm, or a term-time day from 9am to 3pm. Wraparound care runs from 7.45am to 9am and from 3pm to 5.30pm.

The preschool arrangement is term-time only. Requests to swap a day or add an occasional session can be made to the nursery; this is flexibility by request, rather than a promise that any change can be accommodated. For families whose working patterns vary, that distinction matters when planning regular attendance.

Getting There

The address is St. Philip’s Church Hall, Chatterton Road, Stubbins, Ramsbottom, Bury, BL0 0PQ. Enquiries can be made through the contact form or by telephone on 07907 43 58 38.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery offers both 15 and 30 funded childcare hours per week for eligible two-, three- and four-year-olds. Eligibility remains a condition of the offer; families using the eligibility-code route bring their government code to the nursery.

The choice between a preschool session and added wraparound care makes it useful to compare the complete attendance pattern, rather than considering the core session alone.

• Indoor noise. In May 2025, high sound levels sometimes made it hard for children to hear adults and left some unsettled or less involved. During a visit, ask how staff now organise quieter listening and group activities, especially if your child finds busy rooms difficult.
• Term-time attendance. Preschool sessions run during term time, with morning, afternoon and day options plus wraparound care. Families needing continuous preschool attendance through school holidays should weigh that pattern against their working calendar.
• The funded-care bill. Both funded-hour offers depend on eligibility, while wraparound extends beyond the preschool sessions. What would your chosen pattern cost, including any meals, consumables or additional hours?

The Learning Tree suits families choosing between morning or afternoon preschool sessions and a term-time day, with wraparound care extending either end. Its strongest character comes from the everyday experiences recorded in May 2025: shared books, community outings, cultural celebrations and practical independence.

The Good judgement provides a clear inspection position, but the noise finding deserves attention when deciding whether the indoor environment fits your child. For parents who value community connections and learning through ordinary tasks, there is plenty of substance here. The attendance calendar and your child’s response to a busy shared space are the key decisions.