Burscough Village Primary School proudly celebrated the grand opening of The Village Nursery today, welcoming Ashley Dalton MP, invited guests, school representatives and pupils to mark an important new chapter for early years education in the local community. Guided by the strapline, “Where little feet take big steps,” the nursery extends the school’s nurturing and ambitious approach to its youngest children.
Guests were welcomed with refreshments and an opportunity to speak with the team about the nursery’s role in supporting children and families. Headteacher Mrs Anna Yates then introduced the vision behind The Village Nursery and described the journey from the award of the £150,000 Department for Education school-based nursery capital grant to the completion of the new provision.
The official opening included remarks from Mrs Yates and Ashley Dalton MP, followed by a performance of “We’re All in This Together” by pupils. Year 5 pupils, who will become buddies to the nursery children, also took part in the celebration. Guests then toured the nursery, met the early years team and saw children enjoying the carefully designed indoor and outdoor learning and play spaces.
Mrs Anna Yates, Headteacher of Burscough Village Primary School, said: “Our strapline, ‘Where little feet take big steps,’ perfectly captures what we want The Village Nursery to be: a place where children feel safe, valued and excited to learn from the very beginning. It was inspired by an idea from one of our Year 6 pupils when we invited children across the school to share their views on how the nursery should look and the resources it should include. Alongside expert advice from the local authority, our children played a significant part in shaping the provision, so it was especially important that they were able to celebrate with us today.
“Today marks a proud moment for our whole school community. By welcoming children from the age of two, we can build strong relationships with families sooner and provide a nurturing, seamless journey from nursery through primary school. I am incredibly grateful to everyone whose vision, care and hard work have made this possible.”
Ashley Dalton MP said: “It was a pleasure to officially open The Village Nursery and to see first-hand the warm, stimulating environment created for children. High-quality early education makes a lasting difference, and this investment will help more local families access excellent provision within their community. I congratulate everyone at Burscough Village Primary School who has worked so hard to make this project a reality.”
The Village Nursery expands Burscough Village Primary School’s early years provision to include places for two-year-olds. Its modern indoor and outdoor spaces, experienced team and play-based curriculum have been developed to give children the best possible start while offering accessible childcare and continuity for families in Burscough.