The History of Orchard
1991
Orchard Nursery opened in 1991 in the rural location of Barton le Clay, Bedfordshire, providing early years education for two to five-year oldโs. The nursery offered an extended day, primarily for working mothers and offering an age appropriate curriculum developed by the National Childrenโs Bureau. At the time, Orchard produced early learning goals formulated for the age group, taking best practice from the educational philosophies of Highscope, Steiner, Montessori and Te Whariki to provide a holistic approach and test the theory that an excellent nursery education lays the foundation for academic success and a lifelong love of learning.
1996
1996 saw the opening of the Sharpenhoe Road site, providing education for three to five year oldโs in a large detached house with walled gardens. The Old Road site was converted to a baby unit for the provision of care and education for under threeโs.
2001 - 2010
Orchard nursery registered with the DfE as a school with its very first Reception Year and acquired the site in Higham Road. Following extensive refurbishments, the move to the new premises was completed in February 2002. In April 2002 Sharpenhoe Road also underwent considerable changes and welcomed the under three children to a very inviting and welcoming environment.
In 2006 the outdoor changing rooms were converted to provide additional classrooms and facilities.
Following considerable requests from parents, Orchard formed a Year 3 in 2009, followed by a Year 4 class the following year.
2013 - 2017
The Higham Road site was purchased from the local authority in 2013, and an exciting programme of planned improvements began, starting with the resurfacing of the old school drive.
At the end of the Summer term of 2016 the school and nursery holiday club moved to Sharpenhoe Road whilst the school experienced a complete reconfiguration. The changes made allowed the under-three children to move onto the main school site, and by early 2017 Years R, 1, 2 and 3 moved into new classrooms.
2018 - Present Day
Once again, in 2018, the end of the Summer term saw considerable development work start to take place at the school. The driveway was reconfigured to create more space for parents and staff. The addition of new fencing kept the school grounds safe, but most exciting of all, a first floor of three new classrooms were built on the flat roof of the main building.
Work continued in 2019, where developments created an open plan environment for the nursery classes, with the addition of new flooring to create a seamless flow through the school.
For 2023 and beyond further improvements are planned.
