Nursery School Organisation

Our Nursery School is for 2, 3 and 4 year old children.

All together we are able to have 120 full time equivalent (FTE) children. This means that depending on uptake of either, part-time or full-time children we can have between 120 -240 children on our roll. 

Some children come to the morning sessions, some 'bunch' their sessions into 2-3 days and some are here all day so the total roll is not all here at the same time. Our children move from the Nursery School in the school (academic) year that they turn 5 years old. They go to a wide variety of local primary schools.

Our classrooms are called Shelters. This was the name given to the rooms by our founder Margaret McMillan as when the school was first built the rooms were completely open on one side as she believed that playing outside and access to the open air was really good for children. Today each shelter has large doors or folding windows that open up onto the garden. They are atmospheric and characterful learning spaces.

Every child belongs to a shelter (their class base). Our 2, 3 and 4 year olds are in mixed age classes because, like a family, the differently aged children can learn a lot from each other and show a lot of care for one another. Each Shelter can have between 15 and 20 full- time two, three and four year old children, up to 16 part time children. Children go into which ever shelter has a space when they enter the school and they stay in the same shelter until they are old enough to move to primary school.

All the shelters open onto a large garden play area (staffed by each shelter) so there is the opportunity for children to ‘free flow’ throughout all the shelters and the garden. The garden play space is open, no matter what the weather and children are allowed to play inside or outside throughout the nursery.

Shelters 1, 2, 3 and 4 are staffed by qualified teachers, early years practitioners, and teaching assistants. Every child has a key person (known here, as a Family Worker) to support their learning and development. All our staff are very experienced and staff turnover is very low.

Shelters 1, 2, 3 and 4 are open 5 days a week for 38 weeks of the year. We follow the same term dates as primary and secondary schools.

School Times – for part-time (15 hour) places:

• Morning session: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (5 mornings per week) OR
• 'Bunched' hours session: Two days of 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and one morning session, 9:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

School Times – for full-time (30 hour) places

• School Day: 9:00 a.m. – 3.00pm
• Or with the additional ‘Early Start’*: 8.45 a.m. – 3.30pm
• Your child will have 5 x 6 hour sessions per week to make up their 30 hours.

*An Additional ‘Early Start’ can be purchased to allow your child to start at 8:30 a.m. These additional hours are not available on an ad-hoc basis but need to be a regular arrangement for the duration of the school year.

In addition to the school times, we also offer Extended Day ‘Wrap around care’ for families needing extra hours in the term time or school holidays.

About the staff:

The Nursery School is led by a qualified Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher, both of whom have considerable teaching experience.

All shelter staff are qualified professionals. Teachers have completed a recognised degree course plus teaching qualification, specialising in young children, and early years practitioners have completed the equivalent of a two-year full time examination course at a college of further education or NVQ3 course in Early Years and Childcare. The vast majority of our teaching assistants are all trained to at least NVQ2. Working together, they form a balanced experienced team to meet your child's needs.  There is a program of continual professional development within the Nursery School for all staff and staff are encouraged and supported to gain further relevant qualifications where applicable.