Holmsdale Manor is an unusual, family run nursery with extensive facilities in Ibstock, Leicestershire. The original owners, Janet and Andrew, started the nursery for their daughter Katie, who was one of the first children in the nursery and now works here, after teaching early years and key stage one in schools. Prior to opening the nursery, Janet worked as an infant school teacher.

We have been involved in lots of research projects and award schemes, including completing the Gold level of the Green Tree Schools Award (Woodland Trust) and Level 4 of the Royal Horticultural Society School Gardening Awards.

We have an extremely highly qualified and long standing staff team, which includes qualified teachers, Early Years Professionals/Early Years Teachers (EYPs/EYTs) and many staff with degrees and Masters level qualifications. Three of our staff have been here for over 30 years!

Holmsdale has expanded steadily since we opened in 1986, but our aim has always been to provide high quality care and education in a homely setting.

We believe that following your child's interests and learning through play, both inside and outside, is the best way to motivate your child to enjoy and achieve.

We offer a fantastic range of outdoor facilities and learning experiences. Click here to learn more.

We take children from babies  through to pre-school. In addition we cater for children before and after school, taking them to and collecting them from school. We also run a popular Holiday Club.

We have a strong focus on the health and well being of children in our care. For example, lunch is prepared on site by our excellent cook using fresh ingredients, sometimes grown by the children! We've been finalists in the nursery food section of the national Nursery World Awards, and awarded the "Most Active Setting" accolade by Leicestershire and Rutland Sport, demonstrating our commitment to health and wellbeing.

We are proud to be an 'eco-nursery' and we work hard to minimise our effect on the environment and promote 'reducing, reusing and recycling'. For instance, we have our milk delivered in reusable glass bottles and are constantly working on reducing use of single use plastics. Children enjoy taking part in recycling as well as reusing materials for a range of crafts.

At Holmsdale we constantly strive to improve and are proud to:

• Have extremely well qualified and long-standing staff who we invest heavily in training further so that they can provide the best possible environment for your child.

• Have been awarded the highest possible quality level by the County Council.

• Be the first nursery in the UK to be awarded the highest level Forest School quality mark.

• Have achieved the Gold Level of the Woodland Trust's Green Tree Schools Award.

• Have achieved Level 4 of the RHS School Gardening Awards, and are working towards the final Level 5.

• Take part in the local Forest School cluster group.

• Offer Forest School training courses, based in Leicestershire, to adults. Click here for the courses, and our range of other oudoor learning courses.

• Be one of few settings in Leicestershire with qualified Forest School leaders as well as having a Forest School trainer.

• Have been involved in research projects including the REAL Project (Sheffield University literacy research) and Maths research carried out by Loughborough University, as well as Maths research by Loughborough University

• Have successfully completed the 'Healthy Tots' Accreditation Programme, reaccredited 4 times, most recently in 2019.

• Have been awarded Silver in the 'Eco-Schools' Project.

 

 

Children from Ibstock and many surrounding villages attend Holmsdale. Consequently we feed a wide range of local primary schools and have established good links with them. The local villages that Holmsdale Manor Nursery serves include Market Bosworth, Ashby, Congerstone, Twycross, Newton Burgoland, Snarestone, Measham, Barlestone, Desford, Heather, Packington , Ravenstone, Ellistown and Hugglescote.