Our natural
approach
to learning

About us

Treetops first opened in 2018 and now has three settings in Mulbarton, Easton and Hethersett. Treetops Nursery offers nursery settings that encourage heuristic play and that incorporate concepts such as ‘Neutrals and Naturals‘ as well as the ‘Curiosity Approach‘. Andrew and his team help inspire childrens’ imaginations by encouraging simple yet effective learning and development through the exploration of their own surroundings.  

Our values

Provide a warm, natural, home from home environment

We do this by creating a beautiful, engaging and stimulating setting for our children. We use lots of natural colours, textures and themes inside, as well as encouraging lots of outdoor play. You won’t find any distracting, garish colours in our nursery - we choose muted tones and tactile sensory resources which our children love to explore.

Every child is unique, we encourage, and celebrate individuality

We form strong partnerships and listen to the opinions and wishes of all our parents/carers and children. We champion an inclusive learning environment and will support the differing needs of all. We encourage families to share their unique cultures and traditions and strive to foster a sense of community in all of our children.

We believe in child-led play, freedom & self expression

We are there to support, guide and encourage our children and we believe that children blossom when given an environment where they can choose, try and learn for themselves. This helps to build confidence and promotes independence, enabling children to become self-motivated learners and individuals.

Advocates of a healthy early years

As early years practitioners we have an integral role in shaping the choices our children make around health and wellbeing. We aim to build strong foundations with regard to healthy eating and physical activity which will benefit the children long-term. As such we provide free healthy snacks to all.

Children thrive when they're having fun

When children are having fun, learning comes naturally and easily. Children are much more likely to remember their experiences when they're enjoying themselves and this learning will stay with them as they develop and grow. When children enjoy their play this promotes a healthy desire to learn both now and later in life.

Our settings

At Treetops Nursery we believe that children learn best in a natural and neutral environment. We create tranquil spaces for children to develop by using calming colours, textures and themes in our nurseries with heuristic resources which aren’t garish, distracting or over stimulating.

Treetops bug hotel wooden imaginative play
Treetops tuff tray construction site
Treetops imaginative temple play themed day

Neutrals & naturals

The overstimulation situation

There is lots of research which states that bright walls and plastic toys can overstimulate children and promote crankiness, tiredness and can cause children upset and anger during play.

Of course, stimulation is key to developing little brains and building paramount connections which help them learn and develop. At Treetops we use natural materials and open-ended resources, bringing different elements, textures, feels and smells, promoting a sense of curiosity and wonder and explorative play, where children are focussed and engaged throughout the whole of their sessions.

Our Nursery is designed to follow children’s interest and learning pathways throughout their sessions, within each area of the room there are extension baskets where children can extend and develop play ideas using sustained shared thinking with peers. We follow the ‘Curiosity Approach’ and encourage children to explore and investigate all areas of the room.

Treetops garden imagination bus
Treetops Nursery Mulbarton garden
Treetops garden construction site

A curiosity approach

Creating a world of magic & wonder

The Curiosity Approach is about creating a world of magic and wonder; a place to tinker and explore whilst in a welcoming and safe environment. We promote this throughout Treetops Nursery, creating a special place where children are the centre of everything, following their hearts and minds with a sense of incredible awe and wonder.

The Curiosity Approach is based on theories taken from a whole host of pedagogies, including Reggio, Steiner and Montessori.

We believe the Curiosity Approach is essential to early years development because it is the very foundation of learning. It is this that drives children in their early years to explore, do, and think for themselves.

In particular, The Curiosity Approach is about developing: independent thinking, strong non-verbal communication skills, language and verbal communication skills, problem-solving and becoming a lifelong learner.

Treetops is a great nursery. Me, my husband and our son visited to choose a place for when he turned 3. As soon as we walked through the door there was a positive "good vibe". All of the activities and areas set out for the children looked fun and engaging.

We didn't look at any more nurseries as we were very happy with Treetops and their ethos. We made the decision to start my son earlier than after his 3rd birthday as the benefits of him attending would be huge.

My son initially struggled being away from home but his key worker Kerry used her knowledge and experience and made this transition very personal to my son. She gave him reassurance and encouragement and he made good progress to settling in. Now when he attends nursery he is very excited and runs in the door.

We are very grateful for the opportunities that are on offer for the children at treetops. Lots of opportunities to explore and learn and develop skills. My son has returned to nursery without nappies and still learning to know when he needs the toilet. The team at treetops have been very supportive with his toileting needs and he has continued to stay dry at nursery which has been so positive for him and us as parents.

We would highly recommend treetops to other parents looking for a nursery place for their children. We look forward to seeing all the progress our son will make this year!

J

My son joined Treetops this week, however my daughter also attended the setting between 2019 and 2020 before starting school. Treetops Mulbarton is a really special place. The staff put such tremendous effort and care into everything they do, and this is reflected in how happy my children have been there. 

Upon first visiting the setting in 2019 it was really clear how carefully thought out and considered the activities, learning opportunities and overall setup are. The staff always go above and beyond with every topic they cover; I always remember how excited my daughter was when it was "people that help us" week, and a real fire engine and firemen paid a visit to the setting - she still talks about it now! The overall approach to everything is so thorough.   

Communication with parents is excellent, I always know exactly what they've been up to, what they're learning, and areas they are excelling in or might perhaps need support with. Nothing is ever assumed and I receive regular updates through newsletters, Tapestry and social media which really helps our family feel part of the setting. During the pandemic, quite amazingly, we received daily, thorough activity ideas to help keep the children entertained and learning at home. 

Since my son has just started, the settling sessions and approach of the staff have been professional, welcoming and informative. His key person, Lisa, in particular has been fantastic. Her calm and supportive approach has really helped my son make the transition from his previous nursery and I already feel there is a strong understanding of his likes and dislikes.   
 
I feel very fortunate to have found this setting for my children. 

Rachael

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Discover a world of learning through heuristic play. Get in contact to book your visit and meet our team of childcare professionals.