New St Wilfrid’s Nursery – Questions Raised by Parents
Would there be any consideration for provision during the school holidays? Ie. The Den has looked at putting on summer school, are they still considering this and could the younger ones access this if so?
The school nursery provision will only be in term time. Evo, the sports coaching organisation that works in school, have indicated that they would have provision for nursery age children in the holiday camps that they run on our site. They currently offer a discount for St Wilfrid’s pupils.
How many places will be available? We are signed up for another pre-school so wondered if there would be a guarantee for entry?
We would have 26 places in each session. It is very unlikely that we will be fully subscribed in our first year, and we will be able to confirm places once we have started the application process.
Why don’t the hours match the rest of the school? This means it is a long time waiting for the other children to finish.
The core hours are based on funding for nursery provision of up to 30 hours a week. This works out as 6 hours a day. We may have some flexibility around this to make pick up of siblings easier.
Who will be staffing the nursery?
The nursery will be led by a teacher, with additional support staff. We will be able to confirm who the teacher and the main support staff will be before the summer holiday. Mrs Dalton, our Early Years lead, will be leading on the set-up of the nursery.
Where would the nursery be on the site?
The nursery will be based in the current Reception/Year 1 classroom, with building work planned to adapt the space. There will be additional, enclosed outdoor provision on the playground at the front of school and the nursery children will also have access to the existing early years outdoor area. The nursery will be self-contained, secure from the rest of the school and with a separate entrance.
Will children who have siblings attending the school have priority if the nursery is over subscribed?
We will extend our published admissions policy to cover the nursery. It is very likely that the oversubscription criteria will prioritise children with siblings as for entry into Reception. This will be confirmed and shared over the summer term.
Will children be able to attend the nursery from the term after they turn 3, or will it only be for children due to start school the following September?
Children will be able to start the term after they turn 3. Some children will therefore access the nursery for more than a full year.
Will the focus of the nursery be more on preschool type learning or on free /unstructured play?
Our nursery will take a blended approach, mixing structured learning with plenty of time for free play both indoors and outdoors. We believe children learn best when they can explore, be creative, and follow their own interests, while also getting a gentle introduction to things like early literacy, numbers, and social skills too. Each day will include fun, guided activities as well as lots of child led play, helping the children build confidence, curiosity, and a real love of learning. It will be a warm, supportive space where children can grow at their own pace.
