Tysoe Nursery celebrates 20th birthday

The nursery opened its doors in April 2004 following the refurbishment of the village’s fire station which was decommissioned in 1998. It was established as a charity offering year-round children’s services, including the main nursery, for the local community and surrounding villages.

Tysoe nursery continues to take inspiration from its old fire station setting and has two separate rooms dedicated to distinct age groups, ‘Sparks’ for 18 months to three years and ‘Flames’ three to five years. Holiday camps cater for children up to aged eight.

Yvonne Dillon, nursery manager, who has been looking after children for over 17 years at TCG, comments: “We are excited to be celebrating our twentieth birthday this year which is such a huge achievement. Many of the little ones that joined us in 2004 will now be in their twenties. It’s a huge testament to the care, love and support provided by staff here that many fondly remember their time at the nursery.

“The Tysoe Children’s Group has changed a lot over the last two decades. Originally, we had just one room in the nursery for children aged three and up, with a maximum of twenty at any time. But as times change so has demand for childcare facilities especially for younger children. We opened our second room in January 2018 to accommodate younger children from 18 months,” explains Yvonne.

"Likewise, when TCG first opened we offered other supporting services such as before and after school clubs, a walking bus and holiday camps as there was no other provision for these options in the area. Recently, we’ve worked with the Tysoe Primary School to relocate the before and after school club to their premises as government funding for school wraparound care comes into place.

“In 2018 the nursery named its two rooms ’Flames’ and ‘Sparks’, ably led by Jo and Sarah respectively, and in 2021, we opened our dedicated sensory room and more recently the nursery has also benefited from an interior refurbishment post-covid with new equipment and learning resources,” comments Yvonne.

Children aged three and above also take part in regular forest school sessions held at Badgers Wood with leader, Sarah, where they can explore the woodland area and take part in bug hunting, bone digging and campfires. Younger children are outside in rain or shine exploring the nursery’s immediate outdoor environment nestled in Warwickshire hills.

Tysoe Children’s Group will be hosting a celebratory event for all children, past and present, their families, staff and wider local community at the Old Fire Station, Tysoe on 7th July 2024. Follow the nursery via Instagram and Facebook (@tysoechildrensgroup) for further updates or check its website tysoechildrensgroup.co.uk.

“We’ve now cared for hundreds of children from the local area thanks to our dedicated staff and we continue to nurture and ignite curiosity and kindness in future generations, that’s the heart of Tysoe Children’s Group, “ concludes Yvonne.