A VILLAGE nursery which has served its community for more than two decades has begun the new term in a new home.
Holmedale Pre-school has taken up residence in Ravensworth Primary School after 23 years in the nearby village hall. The nursery, which can cater for up to 24 children aged two to five, has moved into a classroom at the school which opens out onto a large outdoor area where the toddlers can play.
The move came about due to the refurbishment of the Ravensworth Village Hall, although manager and leader Pam Braithwaite said discussions with the school had been going on for a number of years. Ms Braithwaite said that having been a regular fixture at the village hall for so long, she was keen to let people know about the move. “People might think we have disappeared, but we are still here.”
Ms Bainbridge took over the group in 1997, when the pre-school moved from its previous base at Newsham Village Hall to Ravensworth.
After closing during lockdown, the nursery re-opened in June – but with the village hall unavailable and the agreement with the school yet to be put in place – it took up temporary residence in Dalton and Gayles Village Hall.
“The pre-school has probably been running for 30 years, possibly longer altogether,” said Ms Braithwaite.
“We felt very passionate about keeping it going. There is nothing really like it in this area. The school was really keen to get us in and work together. It’s a natural progression from nursery to school. It’s like a dream come true for me.”
The nursery was rated outstanding by Ofsted in 2014/15 and again in 2019/20 in November last year.
Currently, there are 11 children on the books, with numbers expected to increase.
Ms Braithwaite said measures were in place to ensure the nursery was Covid-secure. The pre-school also operates as a separate “bubble” to the rest of the school.
“We keep everybody as safe as possible, enable parents to get back to work and children to get back into their routine,” she said. Visit www.holmedale-preschool.co.uk.
