Ashcroft Nursery

🌟 A Fun-Filled Week at Nursery! 🌟

We’ve had a wonderful time learning through play this week! From creative painting 🎨 and sensory water play 💦 to building, balancing and outdoor adventures 🌿, the children have been busy exploring, creating and making new friendships.

We are so proud of their curiosity, confidence and teamwork

🌿🐾 Community Exploration & Physical Development 🐾🌿

Our little learners have had a fantastic time exploring the zoo, park, and open fields! Through running, climbing, balancing, and outdoor play, the children have been developing their physical skills, coordination, and confidence while having lots of fun. 🌞🛝🦒

These experiences help encourage active learning, teamwork, and curiosity as we explore our community together! 💛

🦋 Our Hungry Caterpillar & Butterfly Adventure!🐛

Our little learners have loved exploring 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' while learning all about the Life cycle of a butterfly! From egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, to butterfly, the children brought their learning to life through painting, crafts, sensory play, and observing real butterflies up close. 🎨🌿

These activities helped spark curiosity, creativity, and lots of excitement as the children explored nature through play and storytelling. Watching the butterflies and seeing their amazement was truly magical! ✨🦋

What a fun-filled week at nursery! 🌈

Our little explorers have been busy enjoying the great outdoors—running around the field, playing group games, and even practicing their football skills! ⚽️ We also had some exciting sensory and teamwork activities with our colourful parachute, which brought lots of giggles and smiles.

We also had a fantastic time at showtowns sensory class, where the children explored lights, textures, and hands-on activities that sparked their curiosity and imagination ✨

The children loved getting up close with nature too, feeding the ducks and pigeons by the water 🦆

It’s been wonderful to see friendships growing, confidence building, and so much curiosity in every activity. 💛

We’re so proud of all our little learners!

📚✨ Every Day is World Book Day in Our Nursery! ✨📚

This week the children enjoyed a range of book-inspired activities, bringing their favourite stories to life through play. From exploring The Gruffalo, to sensory play, small world activities and creative art, the children used their imagination to recreate characters and scenes from stories.

At our nursery we believe that World Book Day is not just one day — it’s something we celebrate every day by encouraging a love of books, stories and reading. 💛📖

🥞🍓 Pancake Fun at Nursery! 🍌🍋

What a busy (and tasty!) few days we’ve had! Our little chefs have been hard at work preparing their very own delicious treats.

These activity’s supported so many areas of learning:
✨ Developing fine motor skills through cutting and spreading
✨ Building confidence and independence
✨ Learning about healthy foods and making choices
✨ Practising turn-taking and teamwork
✨ Exploring textures through sensory play

We are so proud of how carefully everyone listened to instructions and how excited they were to taste their creations — there were lots of sticky fingers and even bigger smiles! 😄

Well done, super chefs! 🌟

🌈💚 Children’s Mental Health Week at Nursery 💚🌈

Last week we focused on wellbeing, self-care and exploring our emotions. The children enjoyed a relaxing spa experience with foot spas and calming activities, as well as simple yoga and breathing exercises to help us feel calm and balanced 🧘‍♀️✨

We talked about different feelings and used mirrors and group discussions to help the children recognise and express their emotions confidently 💛

We also celebrated Valentine’s Day with heart-themed crafts, sensory play and lots of conversations about kindness and friendship ❤️

What a lovely week full of relaxation, movement and spreading love!

💕

Why Maths Matters

Early mathematical experiences build confidence, logical thinking, and problem-solving skills that children will use throughout their education and everyday life. By learning through play, children develop a positive relationship with maths from the very beginning.

Maths is everywhere — in scoops of rice, trays of hearts, and even superhero adventures! 🦸‍♂️✨

⭐️ Learning Through Play ⭐️

At nursery, play is how children learn best
🩺 Role play (doctors) builds confidence, language skills and empathy while helping children understand real-life experiences.
🧱Building play supports problem-solving, early maths and teamwork.
🎨Play dough strengthens little hands, boosts creativity and supports early writing skills.
Every activity helps children learn, grow and explore through fun, hands-on experiences 🌈

A truly unforgettable experience 🌍

Our Nursery Director is currently experiencing life alongside our partner charity, Changing Stars Malawi.
Each year, we send members of our team to Malawi to work within the nurseries and our community hub in Cape Maclear — an experience that consistently changes perspectives and leaves a lasting impact.

Our staff always return inspired, grounded, and with a renewed outlook on life. This year, it felt only right that one of our Directors experienced it first-hand too. Darren was proud to build a climbing frame to the community hub for hundreds of children locally to make use of each week.

By all accounts, it’s been an unbelievable journey — and one of the many meaningful perks of being part of our organisation.

✨ Join a team that gives back ✨
If you’re looking for a career with a company that genuinely invests in its staff while giving the very best to the next generation of children, we’d love to hear from you.

📩 Email: [email protected]
We’re currently recruiting Level 3 qualified practitioners and may consider apprentices (limited vacancies available).

Because what we do matters — locally and globally 💛