FKS - Greswold Nursery
Our Nursery has places for up to sixty children in a morning or afternoon session or two and a half days.
- Morning Nursery - 08:30 to 11:30
- Afternoon Nursery - 12:30 to 15:30
- Two and a half full days - Monday 08:30-11.30 and 12:30-3:30, Tuesday 08:30-11.30 and 12:30-3:30, Wednesday 08:30-11:30. Please note there is a care charge if you wish your child to remain in school between 11:30 and 12:30.
- Two and a half full days - Thursday 08:30-11.30 and 12:30-3:30, Friday 08:30-11.30 and 12:30-3:30, Wednesday 11:30-3:30. Please note there is a care charge if you wish your child to remain in school between 11:30 and 12:30.
We also offer a wrap-around facility and 30 hours provision via our own child care provision, Greswold Greyhounds Childcare. Visit their section of the website for more details.
Greswold’s Nursery facility is open-plan with different areas for the children to enjoy and learn in. Each Nursery class is staffed by its own teacher and two teaching assistants. The children become part of a ‘home group’ for discussions and small group teaching. Children spend time enjoying different play and learning activities which are designed to develop their social and academic skills.
Our Nursery staff value the importance of play in children’s development in the early years. The timetable is planned for each day taking into account the seven areas of learning:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development (Making relationships, Self-confidence and self-awareness, Managing feelings and behaviour)
- Communication and Language (Listening and attention, Understanding, Speaking)
- Physical Development (Moving and handling, Health and self-care)
- Literacy (Reading, Writing)
- Mathematics (Numbers, Shape, space and measure)
- Understanding the World (People and communities, The world, Technology)
- Expressive Arts and Design (Exploring & using media and materials, Being imaginative)
The learning environment is arranged to cover a wide range of activities, using a variety of equipment to provide your child with opportunities to develop competencies, skills and concepts across all areas of learning. Children are active learners and we believe that learning through play is fun and having fun is conducive to successful learning! We encourage the children to enjoy and explore some of the following:
• Imaginative and role play - these are encouraged in our imaginative play areas, both inside and outdoors. This will not always be a home corner; it may be a hospital, café or shop depending upon the theme.
• Music and movement - singing, story-telling, rhymes, percussion and drama are a regular part of our day.
• Cooking – Nursery has its own kitchen so the children can enjoy making a variety of different recipes.
• ICT - Nursery has its own computers, iPads and two interactive screens which promote the use of information technology through play.
We want your child to make a good start at Greswold and will try hard to manage their start as effectively as possible. Our staff will meet with parents before their child starts to find out about them so their needs can be met effectively. There are formal meetings for parents in September to develop the partnership between school and home. The meetings also give plenty of practical advice for parents to help support their children at home. Parents can, of course, speak to staff at the end of a session on an informal basis or can arrange a meeting via the Office.
Special events
Throughout the year there is a variety of special events the children enjoy. The children take part in a harvest festival and also put on a nativity at Christmas. Parents are invited to enjoy both of these events to watch their child shine. In the Spring, Nursery and Reception get together for a Mother's Day assembly to which parents are invited. During the Summer term we enjoy an educational visit off site and there is also our traditional sports day. Nursery also joins in celebrating some national events such as Comic Relief or World Book Day which sometimes includes fancy dress.
Assessment and feedback
The children’s progress throughout Nursery is regularly monitored via ongoing observations. We currently use Tapestry to collate assessment information and use to feed this information back to parents. In addition to the meetings in September, there is a formal meeting for parents in the Spring term and an informal opportunity to speak to the class teachers at the end of the year. A formal report is issued at the end of the Summer term.
Transition to Reception
Our FKS staff plan together and use a two-year cycle of topics which are shared across Nursery and Reception to ensure continuity and progression. At the end of the academic year the children meet their new teacher for September and have a chance to visit their new classroom for a morning or afternoon. Staff also meet to share information and ensure your child has the best start they can in Reception.
Lunchtime
We offer the facility for your child to eat a packed lunch brought from home or a school lunch can be provided by the kitchen. The children will be looked after in our wrap around facility by Greyhound staff. The arrangements are as follows:
• The morning Nursery children who take up this facility should be collected at 12:30 pm (instead of 11:30 pm).
• The afternoon Nursery children who take up this facility should be brought in at 11:30 am (instead of 12:30 pm).
• A booking form will be supplied for completion half-termly in advance.
• Fees are paid half-termly in advance, through ParentPay. We regret that these fees have to be non-returnable.
• All lunches should be sent in a named container which will be stored on a wire storage trolley. Please note that we are unable to keep the food refrigerated so bear this in mind when choosing the food to be sent. Please also send a drink in an appropriate child friendly container. If you send yoghurts etc. please send a spoon. We are keen to promote healthy eating within the school, so sandwiches, fruit and vegetables are ideal foods to include in your child’s lunchbox. Please avoid sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks. We have a strict policy regarding nuts due to children having severe allergies so please do not give your child any nut products including peanut butter, Nutella, mixed nuts etc.
Visiting Greswold’s Nursery
If you are interested in choosing Greswold as your child’s nursery, we have an open day during the Autumn term when you can view our school and facilities. Visiting Greswold may be possible on other dates by prior arrangement with the School Office. If your child takes up a place at Greswold, you will be informed of the dates of subsequent meetings.
Useful skills
To ensure that your child has the basic skills to make them independent and to thrive at school, here are some of the things that will aid your child’s development:
• Approach the teacher to ask for help when necessary.
• Answer questions and respond confidently.
• Go to the toilet and wash hands afterwards.
• Eat lunch without help, using a knife and fork, where appropriate.
• Put on a coat and gloves.
• Remove and put on socks and shoes.