Pine Class at Sefton Park

Pine Class is our Ofsted Outstanding nursery, welcoming children from the age of 3 into a warm, play-based environment where their curiosity and confidence can flourish.

As a state nursery, we offer government-funded places for children aged 3 and over. Every 3- and 4-year-old can receive 15 hours of funded early education a week, regardless of their parents' earnings or how many hours they work. Families who meet the working-parent eligibility criteria can access 30 hours instead, and additional paid hours are available to suit your family's needs.

For details about funding options, hours, and how to apply, visit our Nursery Applications page.

Learning Through Choice & Exploration

Our Pine Class environment is designed to engage and inspire your child. From our art room to our garden, children are free to explore and settle wherever their interests take them.

Our art room is a studio-like space full of light, with easels for painting and large open tables for mark-making, crafting, and modelling, and a constant supply of materials and resources for children to choose from.

The middle room is where much of the socialising happens. It has our home corner for imaginative play, a cosy reading nook, and the snack table where children gather.

The main room is home to our block area, small-world toys, Montessori resources, and our hand-crafted study boxes, designed to build skills, introduce ideas, and follow the questions children bring us about the world.

Our Nursery garden gives children space to climb, dig, run, and watch the seasons change, in all weathers. They build strength and confidence, take measured risks, and investigate the natural world first-hand.

For most of the year, our garden is also home to two goats – always a pair of siblings – from a local farm. They live in their own enclosed area, where children can feed them armfuls of ivy (a goat's favourite snack!). When the goats come out for supervised time, the children are usually there to meet them. The goats return to the farm over the school holidays, enjoying the school terms alongside the children. For some children, a morning visit to the goats is the first thing they do, a great routine to settle into the day.

To read more about how children learn across our Early Years, from Nursery through Reception, see Welcome to Our Early Years.

The Role of Our Team

Our qualified teachers and teaching assistants support your child's learning, helping them ask questions and follow their curiosity. Just as importantly, we look after your child's wellbeing, helping them feel settled, build confidence, and really enjoy their days at nursery.

What Parents Say

"Our son flourished during his time in Pine Class and made so many wonderful friends. The excellent teacher engagement and varied resources allowed him to excel in playful learning – we are so glad we chose it."
– Nursery parent

"Both of my children have thrived in Pine. It is a nurturing environment that also manages to gently challenge and introduce children to the wonderful world of learning. You really feel part of the community, and there are goats! I couldn't recommend it more highly."
– Nursery parent

A Day in Nursery

A typical day includes arrival and free play, circle time with songs and stories, child-led exploration, phonics with Crispin the crow, lunch and outdoor play, small-group activities, and story time. Woven through it is a gentle introduction to the early skills children need for English and Maths, without it ever feeling like a lesson.

This rhythm provides security and predictability while remaining flexible enough to follow children's interests and needs. If your child is deeply engaged in an activity or investigation, we protect that time rather than interrupting for the sake of a schedule.

Visit Pine Class

No description quite captures our Nursery. The best way to know if Pine Class is right for your child is to come and see us. Walk through the rooms, watch the children at play, and meet the team who will look after them.

We hold Nursery tours throughout the year, usually on the last Friday of the month. To find out about upcoming tours or to book a visit, see our Prospective Parents & Carers page.