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Your Local Knutsford Nursery in Mere
The Mere Nature Kindergarten has been a well-established and trusted nursery on one of the busiest commuter routes in Cheshire. It is perfectly located for parents living locally or travelling to or from Manchester via the A556 or to Warrington via the A50.
With a reputation for providing high-quality childcare, we feel when visiting you can feel our nursery exudes our ethos and focus on children first. We pride ourselves on creating a secure, warm, home away from home atmosphere for children and parents to feel comfortable and confident in our setting.
We provide childcare for children from 3 months to 4 years and 11 months. With our lovingly restored and re-designed interior providing bright, airy spaces for play and learning as well as our fantastic, extensive outdoor space for all ages, we can offer families a secure and stimulating setting where children can thrive. We are open throughout the year from 7.30am to 6pm for morning, afternoon and full day sessions as well as working in partnership with Cheshire East Council to provide funding to eligible families. We also have ample car parking facilities for drop-offs and pick-ups.
Our unique features
Daily Forest School sessions for all ages
Awarded the Green Flag award for Eco School & Allotment space
Nursery Chef on site catering for allergies
Daily Mile (Preschool)
Meet the Manager
Stacy Kelsall-Light
Nursery Manager
Sarah Sanderson
Deputy Manager
Our Nursery Brochure
We will guide you through every step of your childcare journey and help you discover everything you need to know about our nursery. Come and join our family across the UK.
If you have any questions or enquiries, please feel free to contact us using the contact details at the foot of this page.
Alternatively, you can complete our online enquiry form also located below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Day Nurseries Reviews
What Parents Say About Our Nursery
Outdoor Discovery: Growing, Learning, and Playing in Nature
We love to get outside at The Mere Nature Kindergarten!
We have a leafy private, secure large outdoor space with the use of the Cricket Pitch within the grounds, which is used for our daily mile. We offer forest school and playmakers, which is sports lessons, for toddlers to preschool at an additional charge but free for children that are full time with us.
As well as access to our fabulous outdoor play areas, children of all ages enjoy regular walks in the local area. We take children out in groups, come rain or shine, to take part in a variety of activities set up by our staff. Wherever possible we try to take our indoor learning outside. During our time outside we teach children how to assess risk, problem solve, share, gather and utilise from nature as we are committed to teach our children about their environment and the effect we have on it in our day to day lives.
We have been awarded the Green Flag award for Eco School and encourage our Eco Committee to grow fruit and veg in our allotment space, while making changes wherever we can to make the world a cleaner place too!
Our youngest children are often seen out in our buggies enjoying the fresh air, sights and sounds of the local community. We use high visibility vests to keep children safe when out on trips away from the nursery. We have a playground, bike track, large natural garden area and separate baby garden that is no mowed. All children leave wellington boots and waterproof clothing at nursery so they can be appropriately dressed for all seasons!
Our Approach to Education at The Mere Nature Kindergarten
Our curriculum includes a Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage that offer hands-on approaches to encourage the skills your child will need in the nursery and beyond:
- Mathematics: Integrating numbers into real-life routines
- Schematic Play: Quality learning environment providing the potential for children’s creativity skills and allowing them to follow their own interests confidently
- Listening, Attention and Speaking: Teaching children to express their ideas and feelings about their experiences using complete sentences
- Personal, Social and Emotional Education
- Phonic Sessions
- Birth to 5 Matters Learning and Development Framework
- STEM Activities: Building and problem solving using science, technology, engineering, and math
- Art and Baking activities for Preschool children
- Ensuring children are physically active from birth and meet the Chief Medical Officers (2019) guidelines of a minimum of 3 hours per day
Our Nursery Fees and Funding
We can offer flexible booking patterns and a range of funding options, including government funded childcare. To find out more information on pricing and availability, please request a call back and we will be in touch shortly.
Our fees include:
- Quality Early Years Care and Education
- Healthy, well balanced menu for all children
- Access to a wide range of quality resources and equipment
- E-Learning Journals and Interactive App
- Monthly newsletters and parent evenings
- Free Settling in Sessions
- Nappies, wipes, and a variety of milk
Most Enjoyed Activities at Our Nursery
Forest School
Forest School is an inspirational process that offers our children opportunities to develop their self-confidence through hands on learning experiences in our woodland gardens and outdoor classrooms.
Playmakers/sports activities
Playmakers is to help children get involved and active in group and singular physical activity or community play. By incorporating teamwork, developing skills, having fun and also bonding, we can have the most amount of fun while we get in our daily exercise and socialising too!
Fundraising activities
Taking part in fundraising activities helps children to learn about others that live differently, or are in disadvantaged situations and understand how we can help them. Fundraising events are good fun and a great way to bring children, families and communities together. Some of the fundraisers we have taken part in are: Children In Need, sponsored toddles, Macmillan coffee morning, superhero days and garden parties.
Settling in sessions
Our nurseries offer free settling in sessions. Parents can bring their child for a couple of hours first, gradually introducing the child to a new environment. Settling in sessions are aimed at helping your child to adapt and become more familiar with the staff and children, but also help you adapt to their surroundings and feel safe and secure when your little one joins us.
E-learning journals – Tapestry
Our E-Learning Journals via the Tapestry app allow you to see your child’s activities at nursery with the click of a button. Your little one’s Keyworker will upload images and notes about your child’s development, any useful updates from their day and participation in activities at nursery for you to access wherever you are. Our nursery tablets offer exciting and stimulating learning experiences tailored to challenge and engage little ones.
Physical Development and Education
As part of our curriculum we are committed to ensuring children are physically active for a minimum of 3 hours per day. Physical Development Champions at each nursery are passionate about physical development and create and design specific activities based around movement, raising the heartbeat and exercising the cardiovascular system.
Food & Nutrition: Building Healthy Habits
Here at The Mere Nature Kindergarten we have our very own qualified Nursery Chef who creates nutritionally balanced and tasty meals on site.
Our menus are designed to give your little one the very best start in life. We make this possible by supplying our children with home cooked nutritional food, bursting with fresh fruit and vegetables and all the essential ingredients necessary for healthy physical and mental development. Whenever possible we source our food locally and organically, including seasonal vegetables and fruit into our menus. Our children have a choice of milk or water to drink throughout the day.
Cooking and Baking Activities
Our children have opportunities to work with our Nursery Chef through weekly cooking and baking activities.
Vegetarian and Vegan
We are happy to cater for all preferences including Vegeterian and Vegan.
Dairy Free Milk
We offer a variety of milk including animal and plant based milks. Speak to our Nursery Chef regarding your preference.
Dietary Requirements
We are happy to cater for a whole range of dietary/religious/cultural requirements. Please speak to our Nursery Chef for more information.
No Added Sugar or Salt
We do not add additional salt or sugar. Where possible we purchase products with reduced salt and lower sugar.
Allergies and First Aid
Our staff are trained in First Aid and the team are experienced in catering for allergies. You are more than welcome to meet with a member of our team to discuss your requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer part-time or flexible sessions for children?
Yes we do, please don’t hesitate to ask your nursery manager what is available in your nursery
How do you handle first aid or medical emergencies?
Our staff teams are qualified in paediatric first aid and refresh their knowledge on a regular basis, this is over and above regulatory minimum requirements
What is your settling-in process for new children?
We take an individualised approach to setting our children into our nursery environments, as a minimum we offer three settle sessions to allow children to gain familiarity and then our nursery teams will work with you to decide if more sessions are required
How do you communicate with parents about their child’s progress?
We have a fantastic app where you can view your child’s progress and daily routines. We also hold regular parents evenings and you can request a meeting at any time with your child’s key person to discuss your child’s individual needs
Are there any additional costs, such as for trips or special activities?
This is nursery dependent and will be explained on your personal tour
Do you offer sibling discounts or loyalty programs?
No
Do you provide care for children with special educational needs (SEN/ASN)?
Yes and we work together in partnership with you, external agencies and the local authority throughout your time with us to support you and your child to reach the very best outcomes
What makes your nursery stand out from others in the area?
Our Thrive ethos and values are unique to us and set us apart from the rest
What should I pack in my child’s bag for nursery?
A spare set of clothes are a must, also any comforters your child may need, apart from that we provide the rest!
Should I pack nappies and wipes, or are they provided?
No, they are provided
What is the process for dropping off and picking up my child?
This is nursery dependent as some opening and closing times do differ, ask your nursery manager to clarify. All of our nurseries endeavour to make this transition as smooth as possible for you and your child
What happens if I am late to pick up my child?
We understand that on occasion this can be inevitable, we do issue a late charge if lateness becomes an ongoing issue and will work with you to find a solution
What should I do if my child has trouble adjusting to nursery?
Trust us and trust in the process, we are here to help and advise so please reach out if you are concerned your child isn’t settling, we can work together to help the separation become easier over time
Do I need to provide suncream or outdoor clothing, such as rain boots?
This is nursery specific again however all of our sites provide suncream, you are welcome to provide your own if your child is sensitive to the suncream we provide
Can I change my child’s schedule once it has been agreed?
Yes you can, we will need a months written notice to reduce sessions, if its an increase and we have availability it can in most cases be arranged sooner. You can also book extra sessions when you need them again dependent on availability We regularly offer discounted extra sessions so do look out for those discounts in our nurseries
Take a
personal tour of our nursery
We will guide you through every step to get the most out of our nurseries. Join our family and pay us a visit by completing the contact us form.
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