Arundel and South Downs MP Andrew Griffith joined the Mayor of Arundel, The Reverend Cannon David Twinley, nursery owner Sam Lovegrove, and school governors from Arundel C of E Primary School on Friday to officially open a new forest school nursery in Jarvis Road.
Three Little Birds is the third ‘Little Birds’ nursery to open, hence its name. The nursery is located in the grounds of Arundel C of E Primary School and is a long-awaited addition for the school who conceived the idea 8 years ago.
The special guests gathered on Friday afternoon (13th October) and shared their story of the journey they had been on to bring a new nursery into the community of Arundel. Andrew Griffith then joined Sam Lovegrove to cut the ribbon and declare the new early years setting officially open.
Andrew was given a tour of the new site by owner Sam where he saw the new purpose-built cabin-style building, an enclosed woodland area for the forest school, and a well-equipped outdoor play area. He joined some of the ‘sparrows’ making mud pies in the outdoor play kitchen.
Sam Lovegrove described her early-years ethos of embedding outdoor play and nature into a fun learning experience for every child they care for. She has carefully chosen every item the children play with to create a place where the children typically spend longer playing outside than they do inside. The other Little Birds nursery schools are located at Amberley Museum and Fittleworth.
Andrew Simpson, headteacher of Arundel C of E Primary School, Dr Andrew Mott, a long-serving Governor of the school, and Sue Hines, Chair of Governors, spoke of their pride at finally getting the nursery open and bringing the children into their school’s family.
Andrew Griffith also spoke to some of the parents whose children are already attending the nursery school and he heard first-hand of what it means to them to have a nursery that meets their needs.
Any parent who is interested to find out more should email [email protected] to arrange a tour.
Andrew Griffith said:
“It was an honour to be invited to cut the ribbon to officially open Three Little Birds. It is a wonderful setting where the children are so happy playing, climbing and making ‘food’ in the mud kitchen. I wish Sam Lovegrove every success with her newest school, and credit must also go to the tenacious primary school team who made it all happen.”
