Come and join us in our Litton Explorers Forest School Nursery

Our extensive woodland is the perfect place to have fun learning in a natural environment.

We have places for 3 and 4-year-olds.  To find out more about our nursery or arrange a visit, please get in touch and contact school on 01298 871449.

Alternatively, email headteacher@litton.derbyshire.sch.uk for more information. 

Litton Explorers Forest School Nursery is part of Litton CE Primary School.  We offer care for 3-4 year olds on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during term-time from 9am until 3.30pm.

Our nursery is led by qualified and experienced early years and forest school professionals. We are part of the school community and join in with celebrations, community events and special activities in school.  This is an ideal way for our children to learn from older peers and support the transition for those who choose to stay at Litton School.  We provide the option of hot school dinners for any children who want them.

With varied activities and playing environments, we offer a fun and challenging environment for children to enjoy whether they attend 3 days a week or just 1 or 2. Our Forest School sessions take place every day in the beautiful woodland on the school site.  We also use the school playground, early years play area and playing field for varied outdoor playing spaces to suit all weathers and children.  In addition, our cosy cabin is a lovely space for children to play indoors, with room for crafts, a reading corner, role-play corner, construction activities and lots more.  Litton Explorers blends forest school principles with the Early Years curriculum, including play-based early phonics and mathematics activities to support the holistic development of our children. 

Forest school is an amazing experience for children: every day in the woods, children learn with their head, heart and hands, at a pace and in a way that suits each unique child.  We share the wonder and joy of playing in nature in a gentle, fun and child-led way: creating an environment in which children can play, learn and grow.  Children have the freedom to choose their own play and activities are tailored to suit the interests and development of the children.  Activities often include:

• Free play, climbing, balancing, building and swinging, taking supported risk to build independence, judgement and physical confidence.
• Storytelling and role play
• Natural arts and crafts, including using tools
• Enjoying a campfire and enjoying campfire cooking
• Games and singing
• Exploring and learning about wildlife and the natural environment

Forest school provides a huge range of benefits, including:

• Physical health benefits: with the space and freedom to play, run, balance, climb and jump, children will develop spatial awareness, physical strength, gross motor skills and personal resilience.
• Mental health: spending time outdoors, especially in woodland, reduces cortisol levels in the brain, lowering stress and calming the whole person. This also makes learning easier.
• Social benefits: playing helps build communication, team building and language skills. Spending time with the same community and in the same natural environment builds self-confidence.
• Ability to assess risk: children learn about taking and assessing risks. Studies have shown that children who are exposed to appropriate risks at a young age are less likely to take inappropriate risks as they get older.
• Improved self-confidence and self-esteem: children develop their confidence as they solve problems and play creatively.

We used Government-funded hours and extended hours as payment for our nursery provision. Alternatively, we charge £45.00 per day or £22.50 for a half day.

The children can bring a packed lunch from home or pay for a school dinner, which is £3.25 each day.