A brief history of Holmsdale
Holmsdale Manor was born in 1986, a dream brought to life by Janet and Andrew Ward. As a former infant school teacher, Janet had a vision for a nurturing environment where children could thrive. Their own daughter, Katie, was one of the first little ones to attend, and now, as a qualified early years teacher, she continues the family legacy at Holmsdale.
From humble beginnings, the nursery has grown and evolved, expanding its footprint to include over 2 acres of beautiful grounds. Our very own woodland, Grove Wood, is the heart of our Forest School, a pioneering initiative in Leicestershire. It’s a place where children can explore, learn, and simply be themselves.
Holmsdale Manor Nursery was opened in 1986, a dream brought to life by Janet and Andrew Ward. As a former infant school teacher, Janet had a vision for a nurturing environment where children could thrive. Their own daughter, Katie, was one of the first children to attend, and now, as a qualified early years teacher, she continues the family legacy at Holmsdale.
From humble beginnings, the nursery has grown and evolved, expanding its footprint to include over 2 acres of beautiful grounds. Our very own woodland, Grange Wood, is the heart of our Forest School, a pioneering initiative in Leicestershire. It’s a place where children can explore, learn, and simply be themselves.
A brief history of Holmsdale
Our philosophy
"Education should be the lighting of a fire,
not the filling of a pail."
We view a child's parents/carers as their first teachers and aim for the environment we offer and our outstanding staff team to be their second and third teachers. We seek to spark children's interest in the world around them by offering a unique environment with outstanding staff who know each child well and personalise planning to meet their needs.
Our staff team
Our aim has always been to provide high quality care and education in a homely setting and our staff team is important in attaining this goal.
We are proud that our staff team are highly qualified and long-serving.
Our staff team includes qualified teachers, EYTs and EYPs (Early Years Teachers/ Professionals). Many staff hold degrees and post-graduate degrees. We also have staff who hold Forest School Level 2, 3 and 4 qualifications.
We value training and encourage staff to work towards higher qualifications, as well as regularly attending training courses and refresher courses.
We work with colleges and universities as a placement setting and teacher training centre.