Somerset
Nursery School
Nursery School
Our Nursery School provides two services;
Maintained nursery school education for three and four year olds
Early access to education for two year olds
The Nursery School offers sixty full time equivalent places for two, three and four year olds.
Priority is given to older children who will be turning 4 in the school year. If there are places remaining after children have started, they will then be offered to younger children. These children will start the school term after their third birthday. For example if a child is three in October they can start in January of the following year.
As a maintained Nursery School we receive Government funding for children who are eligible to receive it.
From the term after a child’s third birthday, a child is eligible for 15 hours of nursery school education per week, which equates to a part time place, and is funded by the Government.
You may also be eligible for the Government funded, 30 hours a week (full time), this funding would also be available the term after the child’s third birthday.
For the Government funded 30 hours, parents and carers must qualify and meet the eligibility criteria. Please ask the office for details or visit https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Children who have a full time place will stay for lunch and dinners are charged, per meal, per day.
If you do not qualify for a Government funded place there is an option to pay for a part time or full time place.
Please ask the office for details about our fee paying options.
There is an option to ‘TOP UP’ your child’s funded part time place to a full time place by paying for the additional 15 hours. Please ask the office for details about our fee paying options.
Part time places are allocated to set am or pm sessions, which run five days a week. All children whether full time or part time, are expected to attend every day.
9.15am to 11.45am morning session; or 12.45pm to 3.15pm afternoon session.
Full time sessions are 5 days a week 9.15am to 3.15pm.
Our two year old places are part-time only. Either mornings or afternoons, 5 days a week. 9.15am to 11.45am or 12.45pm to 3.15pm.
Places are offered to the oldest two year olds on our waiting list first and children must be at least two and a half. Parents are also able to pay for their child to attend the Nursery School. Please ask the office for details about our fee paying options.
Each staff member works closely with a group of children and their families; supporting children when they arrive so they begin to build relationships, feel happy and able to be apart from their parent or carer. During the settling in process parents and carers can expect to be at school for at least the first few days, and sometimes longer. Once children are settled, they quickly become familiar with all staff. Your child’s Key Person will be monitoring your child’s progress and meeting with you to make an individual learning plan for your child.
Staff support children’s learning by observing what children know and can do and then, by using their knowledge of the early year’s curriculum, they plan for children’s next steps in learning. Staff will be asking you to share your knowledge of your child; their interests, skills and things they find challenging; so we can quickly begin to plan interesting and exciting activities and experiences which will engage your child. We believe that play based learning is the most effective way for children to develop and practice new skills. There will be a mixture of adult led activities but mostly staff will be joining and supporting children’s independent exploration, and modelling and supporting play and the development of language and skills.
