The beauty of the cottage is that the provision is so different from the main nursery. There's very little stuff,   

We ask that parents/carers contact the main school site to ask questions or pass on messages/information. The school admin officer will then notify the cottage staff, at specific times of the day, so that they are not distracted by the phone and con give all their attention to the children.

Currently, all family groups rotate around all our nursery sites, to give all children the opportunity to experience the specialness of the cottage. 

However, having children based there permanently is something we might consider one day, so please do speak to us if this is something you'd be interested in. 

Our cottage is an outdoor nature school and as the name suggests, our focus is predominantly on learning outside, in and with nature. However, in really bad weather, we spend quite a bit of time inside our cosy cottage to keep children's spirits high and ensure that nobody is cold to the point of becoming wet and miserable. Well-being is crucial if children (and the adults) are to enjoy their time at the cottage, so being sensible about the weather is something we take very seriously.  

Each family group spend 3 or 4 weeks at the cottage on a rota. This means they usually have 2 residentials there during the school year.  

As an adult, spending time outdoors may not be your cup of tea, but believe it or not, most children love it! From years of experience, working outdoors with young children, we believe that as long as they are dressed appropriately for the weather, they absolutely love the freedom that being outside provides. 

If, however, children hear parents talk about the weather and how cold or wet and miserable it is, they tend to adopt a similar attitude to it, which then inhibits the opportunities for learning. This is why we ask all our families to show a very positive attitude to our work outdoors and excite their children about the day ahead, no matter how they're feeling.