A PRIMARY school has branched out to ensure all its pupils reach great heights.

The Ferns Primary Academy in Farnworth has opened a nursery for three-year-olds to ensure they are ready to hit the ground running when they move up into school.

Debra Murphy, headteacher of the Plodder Lane school, said: “Children were starting school with such low levels, they were nowhere near the standard they should have been.

“Through The Ferns nursery we can reach them early before they start school.

“The nursery has been long overdue.”

The school has invested £13,000 into opening the facility, which is part of the main school.

A total of 15 children attend in the morning and the same amount in the afternoon and new teachers have also been recruited.

Mrs Murphy added: “We knew there was a need for a nursery and parents had also asked.

“The numbers we have are perfect and it is the three-year-olds we wanted to target, but in the future we may expand to take on two-year-olds.

“The children have settled in so well.

“They have all got the school uniform and they can attend our breakfast club and after school club, which we provide as part of our wraparound care – the ‘big Ferns’ looked after the ones who turned up to the breakfast club.”

She added that a nursery would help with the transition of the children from nursery to school and its opening was the latest exciting development for the school.

Money has been invested in the buildings and children will soon enjoy breaktime playing in a brand new playground.

Mrs Murphy says the move is part of the school’s efforts to become “outstanding”.