Early Years at Forward As One
At Forward As One, we believe that the earliest years of a child’s education lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning, curiosity, and confidence.
Our school's Early Years settings are places where every child is valued, nurtured, and inspired to discover the joy of learning in a safe and stimulating environment.
From the moment our youngest children step through the door, they begin an exciting journey of exploration and growth - one filled with care, creativity, and community.
Our Vision for Early Years
We are committed to ensuring that every child experiences:
-
A warm, welcoming environment where they feel secure and valued.
-
High-quality teaching and care led by passionate, skilled Early Years practitioners.
-
Opportunities to explore, imagine, and learn through play in carefully designed indoor and outdoor spaces.
-
Strong partnerships with parents and carers, built on trust, communication, and shared goals for every child’s success.
Learning and Development
Our approach to Early Years education is grounded in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, ensuring a balance of play-based learning, structured opportunities, and individual support.
We focus on developing the prime areas of learning - communication and language, physical development, and personal, social and emotional development, while nurturing curiosity, creativity, and independence across all areas of the curriculum.
Every setting is unique, but all share the same commitment: to help every child thrive - socially, emotionally, and academically.
Investing in Quality Spaces
Five FA1 schools are proud to have grown and enhanced their Nursery settings in 2024-25, welcoming two-year-olds and three-year-olds into beautifully designed, purpose-built environments.
These new spaces were made possible through a combination of Trust investment and the Department for Education’s School Based Nursery Grant. An investment of up to £150,000 in each school allowed for refurbishment and repurposing of surplus space in:
-
St Chad’s CE Primary, Uppermill
-
Greenhill Primary, Bury
-
Gorsefield Primary, Bury
£300,000 funding from the Department for Education, enabled schools to further expand their Early Years offer at:
-
St John with St Michael CE Primary, Rochdale
-
St George’s CE Primary, Mossley
These developments reflect our deep commitment to supporting families, responding to community needs, and ensuring that more children can access high-quality early education close to home, and don't they look beautiful:
 |
 |
The Difference It Makes
Thanks to this investment, we are now able to:
-
Welcome more children into exceptional early learning environments
-
Support families with greater access to places across Trust schools
-
Offer inspiring, child-led spaces that encourage discovery, imagination, and growth
Every smile, every new word, every step of progress in our Early Years classrooms represents the heart of what we do - helping children to flourish in body, mind, and spirit.
 |
 |
Working Together with Families
We believe that parents and carers are a child’s first and most important educators. Our staff work closely with families to ensure each child’s individual needs are understood, supported, and celebrated.
Regular communication, shared learning journeys, and open-door policies mean that families are truly part of the Forward As One community from the very beginning.
Looking Ahead
Our Early Years provision is growing, evolving, and reaching more families than ever before. As we continue to invest in our schools and staff, we remain dedicated to providing environments where children can dream big, explore freely, and build the strong foundations that will last a lifetime.