Penbridge Infant School, on Lincoln Road, has opened a Little Thinkers Nursery for children aged 9 months to 5-years-old.
The nursery, part of Thinking Schools Academy Trust, was funded by the Government’s Schools Based Nurseries Programme, funding the conversion of available classroom spaces into bright and engaging learning and play environment for babies and toddlers.
Sonia Nickerson, who leads on Little Thinkers across Thinking Schools Academy Trust, marked the official opening with a ribbon-cutting and special guests, including Stephen Morgan MP at the event and later a visit from the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth.
Ms Nickerson said: “Today is a moment filled with pride, excitement, and huge achievement. As we look around Little Thinkers at Penbridge, this space isn’t just filled with people, it is filled with passion, excitement and a shared belief in what early years education can truly achieve.
“We’re opening a whole new community where children feel safe, valued, and inspired. A community where families feel welcome and supported. We believe in the importance of creating an all-through education for our children across Thinking Schools Academy Trust, providing opportunities for our children to go from nursery through to primary, and then onto secondary school.”
Children had the opportunity to meet ‘Sparky’, the mascot for the group of nurseries who promotes the nursery’s motto of ‘Lighting Up Learning’ and encouraging learning through play.
Penbridge Infant School was one of the first schools to benefit from the first round of funding for school-based nurseries, with 300 primary schools across England selected to receive a share of £37 million in capital funding to create or expand childcare places.
This initiative aims to support the expansion of 30 hours a week of government-funded childcare for working parents, targeting the delivery of 3,000 new nurseries nationally.
Attending the event, Stuart Gardner, Chief Executive Officer of Thinking Schools Academy Trust, praised the school-based team and expertise from professional services across Thinking Solutions for Education to make a vision a reality.
He said: “I’ve seen these spaces previously and the transformation the team has made through funding and support of the government, so the school can take children from birth and all the way through their educational journey is exciting. We all know the power of those early years in defining children’s journey. Well done to everyone involved.”
Following a tour of the space, Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth South said it was good to see government funding benefiting families in Portsmouth.
He said: “The expansion of Penbridge Infant School’s nursery with the new Little Thinkers Nursery is a major milestone for local families and their children, made possible by funding from the School Based Nursery programme.
“Thank you to everyone for their hard work over the last several months. I know what a difference children’s school-based nurseries will make to children’s lives and to their families and I was delighted to see an application from Penbridge [for the funding].
“We know there are real challenges in this community and the work that the team do to drive good quality early education will improve outcomes. I know that you will share my vision that every child, whatever their background, can succeed and thrive in life. The key to that is that every child gets the best start in life.”
The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, said:
“It’s been wonderful to visit Penbridge Infant School to see their brand-new Little Thinkers nursery space in action. The team have done an amazing job in creating such a warm, inviting space which the children seem to absolutely love. High quality education from the early years is so important and it’s brilliant to see a further expansion of this for the Fratton area and the wider city of Portsmouth. I’m confident this new nursery will be pivotal in supporting local families for years to come, while also showcasing why every child deserves the best start in life, regardless of their background”.
