Blossom Trees Nursery

A Crocodile Log for balancing, a forest fire circle and a sheltered play pavilion give Blossom Trees Nursery an outdoor character that extends beyond its garden. Based in Mill Yard, Staveley, the nursery combines separate age-group rooms with opportunities to explore the village and a weekly Forest Session for preschool children approaching their school year.

At its July 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective, with children making good progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The main improvement point concerned helping older children understand how their behaviour affects other people. That is a useful distinction: positive relationships and purposeful learning were strengths, while explanations about behaviour needed greater consistency.

Blossom Trees has capacity for 43 children, with a current age range from birth to five. Full daycare and preschool education are offered, and the nursery opens for 50 weeks each year.

Rooms and Ages

Three rooms organise the nursery by age: the Red room for ages zero to two, the Yellow room for two to three, and the Blue room for three to four. This gives families a clear picture of the progression between rooms, rather than treating babies and older preschool children as one group.

The enclosed outdoor space includes a sand pit and a climbing frame with a slide. A sheltered play pavilion is usually used by the baby room, giving younger children an outdoor option when the weather is less inviting. These are practical features for a nursery that encourages families to send waterproof clothing and wellingtons.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for children's learning and development, with play and planned activities covering its areas of development. Blossom Trees combines activities led by adults with time for children to choose their own play. The balance matters: children have opportunities to join shared learning while also following an interest at their own pace.

The daily routine includes stories, group time, songs and an activity involving letters and sounds. Indoor and outdoor play occupy substantial parts of the day, with meals, snacks and rest providing its structure. In July 2024, staff extended conversations through stories, explaining unfamiliar vocabulary and asking questions that encouraged children to connect ideas. An activity about the Olympics included children drawing an athlete who used a wheelchair, bringing discussion of difference into an ordinary learning experience.

At that time, imaginative play included babies playing in a tube tunnel and older children making pretend food from soil, leaves and twigs. Children also washed bikes and explored water in the mud kitchen. These examples show the value of simple materials: children could experiment, invent a purpose for their play and practise doing things independently.

Outdoor and Community Life

Forest Session is a weekly outdoor activity for preschool children who will attend school that year, using natural surroundings for play and exploration. The site is on land belonging to the local primary school. Treasure hunts, trail finding and den building give children reasons to explore, cooperate and make decisions rather than simply spend time outside.

The Crocodile Log provides climbing and balancing opportunities, while a fallen tree with branching limbs creates another place for climbing and games. The fire circle is used only after the leader is satisfied that children understand the boundaries and safety rules. Snacks can be prepared there, connecting the outdoor activity with a shared practical task.

Village life also enters the timetable. Preschool children visit the local church on every third Tuesday of the month for stories and songs. Play fields, a playground and a riverside walk add other possibilities for local exploration. In July 2024, children also joined craft activities led by a teacher from the local school, giving them contact with people beyond the nursery team.

Relationships and Communication

Care routines begin with what families do at home. Parents' plans guide sleep, nappy care, comforting techniques and individual preferences in the baby room. A keyworker relationship provides continuity, so discussions about a child's needs have a familiar point of contact rather than starting afresh each time.

Small beds and cots are available for children who need to rest, with an individual sheet and blanket. Families send comforters or other sleep aids. That combination allows familiar objects and routines to remain part of nursery life, which can be useful when a child is adjusting to time away from home.

Progress Checks give parents a chance to discuss development with their child's keyworker and contribute feedback. A suggestion box offers another route for ideas, and parents can join activities such as reading or cooking. Staff attend further training regularly, bringing new ideas into their work with children.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the July 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that staff used specific SEND training, communication with other professionals and targeted support to meet individual needs, while the established key-person system helped information follow children between rooms and stages. For families needing additional support, the important detail is the combination of targeted support and communication beyond the nursery, rather than a broad promise of inclusion.

Everyday independence also received attention in July 2024: babies were shown how to wash their hands, and children were supported to use cutlery. Dental-care activities and guidance for parents about toilet training brought health into ordinary routines. These small practical skills sit alongside play and language development.

Parents supply lunch, either packed food or a meal for staff to heat, while the nursery provides milk and morning snacks such as fruit, vegetables or toast. Families also supply nappies, wipes, relevant creams and sun cream, so preparing the nursery bag is part of the daily arrangement.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Unit 15, Mill Yard, Back Lane, Staveley, LA8 9LR. Full daycare is offered, and the nursery closes at 5.30pm. It operates for 50 weeks annually, closing on bank holidays and for two weeks over Christmas; those closures need to fit the family's wider childcare arrangements.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01539 822400 or through the contact form. The application form asks for requested days and a proposed start date, giving families a straightforward way to set out their intended attendance. After sickness or diarrhoea, children must remain at home for 48 hours following the last episode, an absence rule worth factoring into work arrangements.

Getting There

Blossom Trees has its own parking in Mill Yard.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered from nine months old. The funding information also covers 15 or 30 hours per week from the term after a child's third birthday and 15 hours for qualifying two-year-olds; these are conditional entitlements, rather than a promise that every family qualifies for the same provision.

Private childcare is offered alongside funded provision. Obtain current prices in a written quotation and consider the practical contribution from home: lunch and non-food supplies, including nappies, wipes and sun cream. These responsibilities matter to the cost and preparation involved in an ordinary nursery week.

• Starting time. Opening-hour information conflicts on the morning start, with a shared 5.30pm closing time. Which start applies to your intended days, and what attendance pattern would be agreed?
• Older children's behaviour. In July 2024, staff did not consistently explain how older children's actions affected others. Ask how practitioners now help children understand the consequences of their behaviour during disagreements.
• Outdoor preparation. Weekly Forest Session is for preschool children approaching their school year, and families supply outdoor clothing and sun cream. Consider whether the outdoor routine and the kit it requires suit your child.
• Holiday cover. Two weeks of Christmas closure and bank holidays sit outside the nursery's operating year. Families needing continuous care will need arrangements for those dates.

Blossom Trees suits families seeking full daycare or preschool education with a substantial outdoor element and care routines that follow home preferences. The forest site, sheltered baby play space and recurring church visits give its offer a recognisable shape.

The July 2024 findings support its strengths in relationships, learning and individual support, while the behaviour improvement point deserves a direct conversation. For families comfortable supplying lunch and daily care essentials, this is a practical village nursery with clear opportunities for children to explore, play and become more independent.