New Leyland nursery and pre-school Acorn Wood opens at Lancashire Business Park
A new nursery and pre-school has opened its doors in Leyland.
Acorn Wood Academy has welcomed its first pupils to the new nursery at Jubilee House in Centurion Way on Lancashire Business Park.
Nursery boss Charlotte Buchanan and co-founder Clare Ryan bonded over their shared passion for education while Charlotte was running St Andrew’s Preschool in Ashton-on-Ribble.
Charlotte said: “We both share the same passion for delivering a child centred approach to education and that is how Acorn Wood Academy came about – our aim is to reimagine education through wonder and play.”
Operating year-round from 7am to 6pm, the 70-place nursery aims to create a “home from home environment” with a “child-led approach that encourages independence, exploration, and self-directed learning”.
An outdoor space has been installed by The Wildlife Trust which includes an outdoor seating circle, den making, willow tunnel, mud kitchen and sensory path.
Charlotte said: “We are adopting a Montessori approach to education which is a child-centered educational method that fosters independence, exploration, and self-directed learning in a prepared environment. Our ethos and vision also focus on nature-based learning, child well-being, and sustainability”.
“We are also big believers in supporting children with their behaviour and will reflect what we have implemented at St Andrews – emotion coaching and trauma informed practice.”
The nursery also offers home education sessions to primary school aged children.
Charlotte added: “The interest in this has been incredibly popular with the feedback being that there currently isn’t anything like this on offer for home educated children. I home educate my children and have also found this to be the case!”
You can email Charlotte and Clare for more information at [email protected]