Nursery
The years leading up to your child’s fifth birthday are their most formative and important. Our warm and welcoming location, “Branksomewood”, is our ‘home away from home’. Nestled within the trees we offer a friendly and supportive environment where children flourish.
Our Nursery is bright and appealing, equipped with a spacious classroom, a soft-surface all-weather playground, climbing equipment, Forest School and a mud kitchen: all the resources required to meet the needs of young inquiring minds. With small class sizes, we tailor our approach to their individual needs, ensuring they actively enjoy every session.
Children learn in a warm, safe and exciting environment and they are encouraged to develop in confidence by taking risks with their learning, increasing their self-belief, and developing their independence through a better understanding of their skills and ability. Learning in our Nursery is approached through a play-based curriculum, nurturing each and every child to ensure they develop into happy learners.
Our Nursery provides an enhanced educational journey that prepares children for a successful school experience. We foster a love of lifelong learning and encourage the development of their character throughout their time with us. By the time our children progress to Reception, they have developed a genuine love for learning that continues to grow.
As we are an all-through school, our Nursery children benefit from using the school's fantastic facilities whilst being taught by specialist teachers.
Nursery Curriculum
We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage, there are seven areas of learning;
Three Prime areas:
Communication and Language
Physical Development
Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
These underpin four specific areas:
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design.
Our planning for educational programmes will include activities and experiences for children within these areas. Every child will have “next steps” for learning which are shared with parents so that we can work in partnership.
Wonderful activities are provided in Nursery which including forest school, music and sports lessons. Children that stay for lunch are taken to the school's Dining Hall for a wholesome cooked meal.
Why not come along and experience for yourself all the benefits that our Nursery has to offer.
To arrange a visit, please contact the Admissions Team directly on 01252 850121 or at admissions@st-nicholasschool.co.uk.
Nursery Sessions
The Nursery is open to children 50 weeks a year, from 7.30am - 6.00pm during term time and 8.00am - 6.00pm outside of term time.
We offer morning sessions (with or without lunch), afternoon sessions (with or without lunch) and full days whilst also offering additional before/after school provision.
Term time sessions
7.30am – 8.00am | Breakfast Club (£5.00)
8.00am – 8.45am | Early Birds (£7.50)
8.45am - 11.45am | AM Session (*funding applies)
11.45am - 12.45pm | Lunch (£10.00 + lunch cost)
12.45pm - 3.45pm | PM Session (*funding applies)
3.45pm – 6.00pm | Aftercare / Club (£3.00 / h)
*We offer parents 15 hours Early Years Funding per week during term time.
Outside term time sessions
8.00am – 1.00pm | AM Session (£40.00)
1.00pm – 6.00pm | PM Session (£40.00)
8.00am – 6.00pm | All Day (£75.00)
Toddler Group
Do you have a little one aged 18 months to 3 years?
St Nicholas' School offer a Toddler Group, biweekly, on Friday mornings 9.15am - 10.15am (term time only) in our Nursery within Branksomewood, providing a gentle and informal introduction to school life for both children and parents.
Refreshments are provided and booking is essential.
To see available sessions and book a place for your child, please complete the following online form.