The nursery has been transformed from an old barn.The nursery has been transformed from an old barn.
The nursery has been transformed from an old barn.

In Pictures: 11 photos showing an old Worksop barn transform into popular forest nursery

A Worksop forest nursery who encourage active learning and outdoor activities have released photos of the transformation of an old barn to a land of play.

Welbeck Child First was set up in the heart of the Welbeck estate in February 2017.

Child First founder and director Tom Shea, who has worked in childcare for many years, came across the direclit chicken shed on the estate and introduced it to Kerry Fellowes, the now nursery manager.

Kerry said: “[Tom] asked, ‘can you visualise it?’ I said, ‘absolutely’, so we started to be the project manager of it all and develop it.”

The building was transformed from a barn into rooms for the children of ages six months to five years to sleep and play and learn.

Kerry continued: “We then started hiring staff and recruiting children. We started off with one child and six staff, and now we've got 90 children and 20 staff.

“The staff team is amazing. They will follow the children, so it's not that the staff will get an activity for the children, it's that the staff will follow the children around depending on what they want to do.

“It is all about empowering that child and giving them the choice.”

Kerry said: “[Tom] asked, ‘can you visualise it?’ I said, ‘absolutely’, so we started to be the project manager of it all and develop it.”

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