Children are naturally drawn to the outdoors, and it is wonderful to see how they flourish through our Forest School experiences. At Ashton House, Forest School sits at the heart of our passion for outdoor learning and is embedded into everyday nursery life through our on-site environment.

Our Forest School sessions offer children a wide range of hands-on experiences, including tree climbing, den building, shelter construction, woodland arts and crafts, storytelling, mark making, and exploring plants and wildlife. Children also learn practical skills such as using tools, building and lighting a campfire, and preparing simple food outdoors.

These experiences support children’s social interaction, communication skills and physical development, while also nurturing resilience, confidence, creativity and independence. Our environment provides children with a gentle and progressive exposure to risk and challenge as they grow.

As children move through the nursery, they gradually develop the skills and confidence to manage more complex activities. By the time they reach our Butterfly Room, children are supported to safely handle tools such as loppers, hammers, saws and fire strikers during Forest School sessions. They also learn to climb safely, listen carefully to guidance, and respect the boundaries that allow them to challenge themselves in a safe and supported way.

To ensure children can enjoy the outdoors in all seasons, the nursery provides water- and wind-resistant all-in-one suits so children can explore freely regardless of the weather. Our babies and toddlers are also provided with warm fleece-lined down suits, ensuring they stay cosy and comfortable during outdoor experiences.

Our core opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm.

We also offer pre-arranged early starts and late pick-ups from 7:30am to 7:00pm to support families who require additional flexibility.

Our fees are all-inclusive and cover a wide range of enriching experiences, high-quality resources and exceptional care to support every child’s learning, development and wellbeing.

This includes:

• Daily access to our extensive landscaped outdoor environment, designed to inspire exploration, creativity and adventure in all seasons.

• A comprehensive outdoor learning programme, including Forest School sessions led by Level 3 qualified practitioners, where children take part in activities such as tool use, fire lighting, outdoor cooking and nature exploration.

• Rural education experiences, connecting children with nature, animals and traditional skills, building confidence, resilience and real-world understanding.

• Woodland and nature-based sessions, including walks, wildlife exploration, bug hunting and habitat creation, fostering curiosity and respect for the natural world.

• Purpose-built outdoor facilities, including our bespoke sand and water island with stream channels, water play and large-scale sensory opportunities.

• Large-scale outdoor sensory and creative experiences, including mud kitchens, digging areas, painting stations and outdoor music and sound exploration.

• Purposeful physical challenge activities such as climbing, den building, rope swings, loose-part construction and use of our large sunken trampoline, supporting strength, coordination and resilience.

• Progressive cycling experiences, including balance bikes and pedal bikes, supporting coordination, confidence and independence.

• Access to our allotment and seasonal growing activities, helping children learn where food comes from through hands-on gardening, harvesting and cooking experiences.

• Freshly prepared meals and snacks, made on-site each day using seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, with menus designed to introduce a wide range of flavours and cater for all dietary requirements.

• Opportunities for children to develop independence and confidence at mealtimes, with food that reflects the cultures and backgrounds of our community.

• High-quality teaching and care, with qualified Teachers and Early Years Professionals in our pre-school rooms, supporting curriculum planning, teaching and assessment.

• Staffing ratios that exceed Early Years requirements, ensuring enhanced support, care and individual attention.

• A dedicated staff development mentor, ensuring best practice and embedding the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) alongside our unique ethos.

• A full range of consumables, including premium Pampers nappies, biodegradable wipes, suncream and other daily care essentials.

• High-quality weatherproof outdoor clothing for all children, including all-in-one suits and fleece-lined suits for babies, enabling outdoor play and rest (including outdoor sleeping) in all weathers.

No. We are closed on Bank Holidays and during the period between Christmas and New Year, and these days are not included in our fees.

Yes, additional sessions can be booked subject to availability. We ask that requests are made at least one week in advance and submitted by email.

A copy of our terms and conditions is included with the information and fee details that we send to you.

Please click here to request our information and fee details, which include our enrolment form.

Access to the nursery is controlled through a secure facial recognition entry system used by approved parents and carers. Individuals are only added to the system following a thorough vetting and authorisation process.

All visitors must be acknowledged and admitted by a member of staff, and no one is permitted access without prior approval. This ensures a safe, secure environment for all children, families and staff.

We offer gradual settling-in sessions, free of charge, to help children become comfortable in their new environment. These sessions increase in length over time, allowing your child to gently become familiar with the nursery routine, surroundings and staff.

We have a clear accident and incident policy in place, and all staff are trained in the procedures to follow. The majority of our team hold paediatric first aid qualifications.

If your child has an accident, they will be cared for immediately and the details of the incident will be recorded and shared with you via the Famly app. Parents are asked to acknowledge the report on Famly once they have reviewed it.

We follow a strict illness and infection control policy, which includes specific exclusion periods for contagious illnesses to help protect all children and staff.

Children with mild symptoms such as a cough, cold or other common childhood illnesses may usually attend if they are well enough to take part in normal nursery activities.

If medication needs to be administered during the day, prior parental consent must be provided in line with our medication procedures.

Yes. Our nursery kitchens are experienced in catering for a wide range of dietary requirements, allergies and cultural preferences.

If your child has specific dietary needs, our team will work closely with you to ensure these are safely and appropriately catered for.

We follow a comprehensive Special Educational Needs and Disability Inclusion (SEND) policy. Our nursery SENDCO (Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinators) has extensive experience supporting children with additional needs. We work closely with parents and, where appropriate, other professionals to ensure each child receives the support they need to thrive within our nursery.

Universal Entitlement

• 15 hours per week for all children aged 3 and 4
  (from the term after their 3rd birthday)

Working Family Entitlement

• 15 hours per week from 9 months old

• 30 hours per week from 9 months old (subject to eligibility)

2-Year-Old Funding (Disadvantaged Families)

• 15 hours per week where eligibility criteria are met

Funded hours are provided for 38 weeks per year (term time).

How Funding Works at Ashton House

As a provider registered with Cheshire West and Chester Council and Ofsted, we claim funded hours on your behalf.

Parents are required to:

• Apply for an eligibility code (where applicable)

• Complete a parental declaration form each term

• Reconfirm eligibility every 3 months (for working family funding)

Funding cannot be claimed without a completed declaration.

Stretched Funding

Although government funding covers 38 weeks per year, Ashton House Nursery is open 51 weeks per year.

To provide consistent monthly invoices, we stretch funded hours across 51 weeks.

This means:

• 15 funded hours becomes 11 hours 11 minutes per week

• 30 funded hours becomes 22 hours 21 minutes per week

The same funded amount is applied to your account each month to create a consistent monthly bill.

Yes. Funded hours are free at the point of use.

Government funding covers the delivery of the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) only.

Meals, consumables and our Outdoor Activities Programme sit outside the funded entitlement and are offered as optional chargeable extras.

[View our Chargeable Extras Guide]

Parents may access funded hours without being required to purchase chargeable extras.

Ashton House Nursery is registered for the government’s Tax-Free Childcare scheme.

For every £8 you pay into your online childcare account, the government adds £2 (a 20% top-up), up to:

• £2,000 per child per year

• £4,000 per year for children with disabilities

Tax-Free Childcare can be used alongside funded hours to help cover:

• Additional hours

• Chargeable extras

• Full fees where funding does not apply

To check eligibility or apply, visit:
www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare

Eligibility for funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare is determined by HMRC or the Local Authority.

To check what support you are entitled to, visit:
www.childcarechoices.gov.uk