Nursery School

Welcome to Homerton Nursery School

Homerton Nursery School

We have 3 classrooms each with up to 24 children a session with a qualified teacher and a nursery nurse or level 3 practitioner. Often there is also a teaching assistant particularly working with a child or children with additional needs.

Each of our classrooms back on to a large and well resourced outdoor garden. During the session, after an initial time of being in their classrooms with their key people, the children may move freely between indoors and outside. We highly value outdoor play and ensure that there are as many opportunities to learn outdoors as there are in our classrooms.

We offer the 15/30 hour free educational entitlement across 5 morning sessions, all day or for 2 1/2 days either at the beginning or end of the week. If you wish to extend these hours you can buy into our Owlets provision.

A typical day in the nursery

8.45 – 9.15     Children arrive with their parents/carers, settle their children and talk to the teachers.

Parents help their children hang up their coats, find their name card and add it to the board. They sign their child in and help settle them to play.

After all the children have arrived and settled the door is opened for free-flow play between the indoors and outdoors……

Starting in the nursery

IMG_1913

New Parents’ Evening

For children starting in September New parents’ evenings are held in June, at these we will advise you of which classroom your child will be in, and give you your child’s starting date. You will be offered a home visit before your child starts if you would like one. We have a gradual admissions process to allow time for home visits and for children to settle securely, please see below for details.

New Children Drop-Ins

During a week in July, before children start in September, new children and their parents may drop in and play for a short while to begin to get to know us.

Home Visits

Your child’s key staff can come to visit you and your child at home for about 15-20 minutes during the first week of the autumn term. This is to give your child a chance to get to know the staff  before starting nursery to help with the settling in process. We will give your child an All About Me booklet at this time for you to complete together at home. It’s also a time for you to share any information or concerns with us.

The first three days… and beyond…

We have a gradual admissions procedure over the first few weeks of term. Children begin nursery in groups of up to approximately 8 children at a time and stay for just an hour on their first day. We ask you to stay with your child for this time, helping them to feel safe and secure, talking to us, and getting to know our routines.

After the first day, your child’s time is increased according to their needs. Some children need a longer settling in period and we are flexible in our approach. We have a great deal of experience in settling children and work together with you to achieve a smooth start.
Some children starting will have been to playgroup before, others not, but for all of them Homerton will be a new experience. New situations can be challenging and fun, but exhausting. You may even find they don’t want to talk with you about all the lovely things they’ve done. This is entirely normal, so try not to ask them too many questions. Staff are always willing to talk with you about how your child is managing, so do have a quick word with them at the beginning or end of the session. If you feel you need more time, you can ask for a separate appointment.

Starting lunches and Afternoon Owlets or Late Owlets

Children may start to stay for extended times from when they are settled in their Nursery class. Before then we familiarise them with any new rooms and staff, and known adults help them to settle.

Parents may wish to help their child settle into extended sessions by visiting Owlets together.

Translate »