Grange Park Nursery
The Nursery and Reception classes form the school Foundation Stage. We plan and work closely together using Cornerstones themes. For more information please see long term plan on the school website.
Grange Park Nursery
The Nursery and Reception classes form the school Foundation Stage. In the Nursery we strive to ensure the children's early years’ experience is happy, active, exciting, fun and secure and also supports their development and learning needs.
Staff:
- Zoe Meredith - Foundation Stage Lead, Deputy Head and Lead Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Gail Rance -Foundation Stage Co-Ordinator and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Danielle Lambert - Nursery Manager
- Hayley Steadman - Senior Nursery Assistant
- Anne-Marie Hellowell- Nursery Assistant
- Vanessa Butler - Nursery Assistant
- Julie Evans - Nursery Assistant and Speech and Language Teacher
- Sarah Halhead - Nursery Assistant and Lunchtime Supervisor
- Zoe James - Nursery Assistant and Lunchtime Supervisor
We offer five morning or afternoon sessions a week.
Session times are, Morning 8:45 -11:45am and Afternoon 12:30 - 3:30pm.
30-Hour Offer. If you are a working family, you may be entitled to 30 hours free childcare per week. At Grange Park, we can offer a few 30-hour places. From September 2024, this now includes Rising 3’s for working parents who meet the criteria. Please see the school website for more information. Children access the 30-hour funding will need a packed lunch or will need to order a school lunch (via parent pay). School lunches cost £2.70 a day.
Rising 3s. We take children the term after their third birthday although we can offer places to children a term earlier if they meet the government criteria for two-year-old funding.
Admission to the Nursery takes place three times a year: September, January and April. If you would like to arrange a visit to see our nursery provision you can do so by emailing info@grangepark.org.uk or ringing the school office (01952 387490). Likewise, admissions forms can be obtained in the same way as well as being available via the main school office.
Once you have completed your forms, they are passed to nursery manager. The nursery manager will then contact you during the term before your child is due to start with regards to spaces. Having completed the forms doesn’t guarantee a space will be available.
Uniform
Although uniform in nursery is not compulsory, we encourage children to wear uniform as it helps to stop their own clothes from being spoilt. For some children it can help them to recognise when they are going to nursery (different clothes) and we also find supports children to make the transition from nursery to school.
Top Half:
- A yellow polo shirt (plain or with the Grange Park Logo)
- A red jumper, cardigan or red fleece jacket (plain or with the Grange Park Logo).
- A red and white check summer dress.
Bottom Half:
- Grey or black trousers or leggings, a skirt or pinafore
- Grey or black school shorts.
- Grey or black tights.
- Socks.
Please send your child in clothes suitable for the time of year:
- In the warmer months, a sunhat and sun-cream will be needed.
- In the cooler months, bring a warm hat, gloves and a warm coat.
- For both times of the year waterproofs are often needed (coat and trousers).
If you don't have your own, please let us know and we may be able to support you with this.
Curriculum Offer
We follow the foundation stage curriculum as set out by the DFE. There are seven areas of learning.
Three Prime areas:
- Personal, social and emotional development.
- Physical development.
- Communication and Language.
And Four specific areas of development:
- Literacy.
- Mathematics.
- Understanding the world.
- Expressive arts and design.
The children in Nursery explore six half-termly projects which are planned for through Curriculum Maestro; each week has its own focus text, adult led activities and other learning opportunities. Throughout the week in addition to our child-initiated activities (continuous provision) we also offer a range of adult-led enhanced activities such, Phonics (Little Wandle), Maths (Master the Curriculum), Music (Sound Pots), Outdoor Learning (Welly Wednesday) and Cooking.
PE
We do PE every Friday, so please make sure your children are wearing suitable clothes such as joggers and trainers.
Welly Wednesday (outdoor learning)
Please ensure that your child comes to nursery suitably dressed because we will spend a considerable amount of the session outside. Children will need a pair of wellies, waterproof suits or jackets, a long-sleeved top and trousers. Children will need to bring a spare set of clothes including shoes on these days.
Cooking
Every week, one key worker group has the opportunity to be involved in a food related activity. This could be spreading, chopping, mixing or baking. The children, with their key worker, choose what they want to make for their friends in nursery a week in advance. Parents are asked to support this activity by providing some of the ingredients e.g. a bag of flour.
Parent opportunities
Throughout the year, parents have the opportunity to come into nursery and join their child. This includes ‘stay and play’ craft sessions, book sharing sessions, Christmas sing-along, and Nursery graduation for school leavers. We will notify you in advance of these events.
Visits
Nursery children are invited to take part in two visits a year: one in the Autumn term and one in the Spring Term. The Autumn term Visit is linked to our project ‘Once Upon A Time’ and we visit Wonderland in Telford Town Park. The Spring Term Visit is linked to our project ‘Dangerous Dinosaurs’ and we visit Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur world in Preston-Under-The-Weald Moors.
Parent communication
We use an online learning journey App called Storypark. This enables parents to see their child’s nursery experience as well as being able to message staff. Parents can also upload any home learning experiences which they would like to share with nursery staff and family members.
During the summer term before you child starts in Reception, parents are invited in to talk about their child’s progress with their child’s key worker.
Please let us know if you have arranged for someone different to collect your child. We will not release your child to another person even if your child knows them, unless we have been told by you or they know the ‘safe password’ that you have provided staff with.
If you require any more information or would like to visit the Nursery, please contact the school office. Telephone 01952 387490, Email: Info.grangepark@taw.org.uk