Business Details
Trusted Childcare & Early Years Education in Preston, Blackburn & Skelmersdale
At Rosy Apple Childcare, we are dedicated to providing high-quality early years education and childcare across Preston, Blackburn, and Skelmersdale. With over three decades of combined experience, our team of qualified professionals draws inspiration from the Reggio Emilia Approach and Scandinavian Forest School methodologies to create nurturing, stimulating environments where children thrive. Each of our nurseries offers purpose-designed indoor and outdoor spaces that encourage exploration, creativity, and learning through play.We prioritise child-led development, ensuring every child feels secure, valued, and empowered to reach their full potential. Our commitment to excellence is evidenced by our accreditations, including the NDNA E-Quality Award and Millies Mark for paediatric first aid, while our partnerships with local communities and families reinforce our trusted reputation in early years care.
Services
Day Nursery
Forest School
Nursery in the Park
Urban Forest School
Barn Party Hire
Highlights and features
- Experienced and qualified staff in early years care and education
- Forest School learning across all settings to promote outdoor exploration
- Reggio Emilia Approach philosophy for child-centred, creative development
- Secure entrances and authorised collection systems for child safety
- Strong community links with outreach workers and health visitors
Associations and certifications
- NDNA E-Quality Award
- Lancashire Quality Award
- Millies Mark
- Lancashire STEP into Quality Award
Services
Day Nursery
Our day nurseries provide full-daycare for children aged 3 months to 5 years, following the Reggio Emilia Approach. Qualified staff create tailored learning journeys through photographs, written records, and continuous communication with parents. Each nursery features age-specific rooms with key carers ensuring smooth transitions between groups, alongside purpose-designed outdoor spaces that promote physical development and imaginative play.
Forest School
Forest School sessions develop resilience and risk-awareness through nature-based learning. Children engage in activities like potion-making, construction, and bug-hunting across diverse outdoor environments. Our trained practitioners facilitate accelerated learning in natural settings, using seasonal changes and sensory experiences to enhance communication skills, health, and personal development for preschool-aged children.
Nursery in the Park
Located in Skelmersdale, this nursery combines Reggio Emilia principles with multi-sensory resources and weather-proof outdoor facilities. It offers funded childcare for 2-4 year olds, holiday care for children up to 8 years, and a pick-up/drop-off service for local schools. The facility holds the Millies Mark award for paediatric first aid excellence and features a sensory room for calming activities.
Urban Forest School
Situated in Preston city centre, our Urban Forest School integrates natural learning with urban accessibility. Children develop numeracy, literacy, and creativity through structured outdoor activities. The nursery accepts funded places for 2-4 year olds and provides 51-week annual operation with wheelchair-accessible facilities, combining Reggio Emilia philosophy with Forest School leadership training.
Barn Party Hire
Our rural barn venue in Blackburn offers indoor/outdoor party spaces for up to 22 children. Packages include use of picnic tables, kitchen facilities, and outdoor play areas. Additional options feature disco hire and flexible decoration access. Parents must provide supervision and food, with staff available for support during rain-or-shine events at Ramsgraeve Hall Farm.
People
Sharon Alexander
Nursery Owner / Managing Director
Founder of Rosy Apple Childcare with over 30 years' experience in childcare. Former children's nurse and behaviour advisor, Sharon established Little Achievers Day Nursery in Preston. She specialises in Forest School and Reggio Emilia approaches, balancing leadership with raising three children who attended her nurseries.
Wendy Reith
Quality Assurance Manager
With 18 years in early years education, Wendy holds Level 4 qualifications in Children's Care and Learning. She transitioned from Senior Practitioner to Quality Assurance Manager, focusing on Reggio Emilia principles and brain development research. A mother of one, she supports staff and children's development across all settings.
Jonny Alexander
Business Development and Finance Manager
Jonny oversees financial operations and strategic growth. With extensive childcare sector experience, he manages the Barn Party venue bookings and coordinates operational logistics across multiple nursery locations in Lancashire.
Emma Advertised
Lead Practitioner 0-3 years
Specialising in infant and toddler care, Emma leads the 0-3 age group at Little Achievers Day Nursery. She implements key carer systems to ensure consistent support for young children's early development and transition processes within the nursery environment.
Gina Nursery
Forest School Leader
Gina leads Forest School activities at Urban Forest School, combining outdoor learning with curriculum requirements. Her expertise in natural environment education helps children develop resilience and spatial awareness through structured outdoor challenges and seasonal learning experiences.
Questions
What age groups do your nurseries accept?
We care for children from 3 months to 5 years old, with funded places available for 2-4 year olds.
Do you offer flexible childcare hours?
Yes, we operate 7:30am-6pm Mon-Fri for 51 weeks annually, with options to spread funded hours across the year.
What educational approaches do you use?
We combine the Reggio Emilia Approach with Forest School methodologies to promote child-led learning and outdoor exploration.
Are your staff qualified in childcare?
All team members are fully qualified in early years care, with specialist Forest School leaders and paediatric first aid certifications.
Do you provide party venue hire?
Yes, our rural barn venue accommodates parties for 18-22 children with indoor/outdoor facilities and optional disco hire.
What safety measures are in place?
Secure entrances restrict access to authorised personnel only, with strict child collection protocols and CCTV monitoring across all sites.
Reviews (4)
Victoria Gilbody
Sep 30, 2021
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Perfect place for my little boys childcare, staff are amazing and really helpful. Wouldn't go anywhere else. My son loves it
Rachel Whitehead
Aug 14, 2021
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I could not be happy with the care my little boy he’s Receive from the LAFSN the gone Above & Beyond to make him settle in to nursary so well . I can go to work and not worry about him because I know he’s having lots of fun .
Zainab Nakhuda
Jan 16, 2020
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My daughter has been attending since she was 11months old she now gets 30 hours so is in every day of the week...she absolutely loves waking up and seeing her friends (which include the staff team too) weekends have started to prove difficult as she gets ready but there’s no nursery to go to 🙈 thank you to all at LAUFSN and the management team for making and creating such a lovely environment for the children 💕
Demi O'Connor
Jun 28, 2019
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Both my children attend little achievers and they love the time they spend there, the staff are always making the effort to ensure good relations with parents which personally i find very important! On arrival i always look at the activities set for the day and they do a great job of making the activities fun as well as boosting there development … :) i also really like the fact they do extra important activities such as swimming, my son is 3 years old and has already been going for 3 terms, his confidence grows each time and he as already had awards and certificates :) all round a brilliant
