Our History

The Peter Pan Centre began its journey as a playgroup established in 1969, founded by two local mums, Pat Edge and Mary Thomas. Inspired by their own experiences raising children with special needs, they created a safe and welcoming space where children could play and parents—mainly mums—could connect, enjoy a cup of coffee, and build lasting friendships. Pat even launched a volunteer transport service to help families get to and from the group.

By the 1980s the playgroup had evolved into the Peter Pan Nursery, based at the Orme Centre in Newcastle-under-Lyme. It was officially registered with Ofsted and Social Services, and continued to place strong emphasis on family support, offering a dedicated Parents Room for socialising and support.

In 2011, we moved into our current purpose-built home on Hoon Avenue, adjacent to Merryfields Special School. Three years later, in 2014, we rebranded as the Peter Pan Centre to reflect our evolving mission. Unlike traditional nurseries, we are a specialist development centre, focused solely on helping children with special educational needs gain essential early skills for a stronger future.

Today, we’re proud to have a dedicated team of around 12 staff members and ambitious plans for growth. Our commitment remains the same: to support children and families, just as Pat and Mary envisioned all those years ago.