The Learning Tree Day Nursery

About this day nursery

The Learning Tree Day Nursery in Peasedown St John, Bath, offers a nurturing and inspiring childcare environment for children aged 6 months to 5 years. Housed in a beautifully converted chapel, the nursery benefits from a quiet village location with abundant natural light and resources, creating a true "home from home" atmosphere.

The dedicated team focuses on child-led, play-based learning, drawing inspiration from various educational approaches such as "Planning in the Moment," Anna Ephgrave, The Curiosity Approach, Alistair Bryce Clegg, Reggio Emilia, and The Forest School Approach. The nursery prioritises authentic resources, loose parts, and natural, open-ended materials over manufactured plastic items to foster curiosity and creativity.

With a strong emphasis on outdoor play, children have free-flow access to a large garden and participate in weekly Forest School activities led by a qualified leader. The nursery also maintains strong links with Peasedown St John Primary School for transitioning children.

The Learning Tree values each child as an individual, capable, and competent learner, aiming to build confidence and essential life skills within a supportive "sense of family" ethos. Parents stay engaged through unique online learning journals, ensuring an active role in their child's development.

Our ethos

We believe that all children are individual, capable and competent learners. They are naturally inquisitive, curious, active and adventurous. When children feel trusted and loved by their key persons, every child will reward us with an invitation into their imaginations and learning through play comes naturally. All children who come to us experience high quality teaching from a passionate, caring and enthusiastic team of highly skilled staff. The care we offer is warm and nurturing, helping children feel happy and safe. Children at our nursery thrive from the varied learning experiences on offer and the enabling environment we provide. We have many high-quality resources including loose parts and we use the moment planning method. Through our unique online learning journals, parents are able to actively be part of their child’s learning.

What it's like

Children are enthusiastically welcomed into the setting, showing high levels of confidence and a strong can-do attitude. They readily explore both indoor and outdoor environments, engaging in activities that spark their interest and foster a sense of belonging and engagement. The staff's well-founded key-person approach and responsiveness to children's needs promote emotional well-being and confidence in social situations.