OUTSTANDING PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION

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Download our prospectus or arrange a visit to view St Mary’s Kindergarten. See the amazing facilities and the range of activities available, from French to Forest School all provided within our purpose-built Kindergarten building and nine acres of beautiful grounds.

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Children can start at St Mary’s Kindergarten in the term they turn three. We are open for 51 weeks of the year. The only week we are closed is the week between Christmas and New Year.

During their time at the nursery, we introduce children to learning and give them a solid preparation for starting school, both academically and socially, so they can make the most of all the opportunities school life brings.

We have a high ratio of staff to children and specialist teachers run sessions such as French, Music and Ballet.

Children have the opportunity to go on trips, such as to the local church and Jimmy’s Farm, and they take part in events including the Kindergarten and Infant Sports Day, Nativity performance and Prize Giving.

We also hold a number of events for the whole family of those at St Mary’s to enjoy, such as fireworks night and outdoor theatre productions.

The children have access to all the Lower School facilities including the Forest School area, outdoor classroom, Library, Dance Studio, School Hall, playing fields and sports courts, all set in nine acres of land.

“Pupils of all ages demonstrate outstanding communication skills”

From ISI inspection report 2023 - rated 'excellent'

Fees

2023/24

MAIN KINDERGARTEN SESSIONS

Core Day (inc cooked lunch) 8:30am-3:30pm £60.50*
Extended Stay 1 3:30pm-4:30pm £8.50
Extended Stay 2** (inc tea) 3:30pm-6:00pm £15.00
Early Start (inc breakfast) 7:30am- 8:30am £8.50

* A booking of five Core Days per week attracts a reduction in the Core Day fee. Please ask for further details.

** a minimum of 48 hours’ notice is required.

At St Mary’s we offer 15 hours free entitlement, which is based on 38 weeks childcare. For those taking year-round childcare this will be split across the 51 weeks. We hope this will enable you to budget your childcare costs more effectively. Free entitlement can be taken during afternoon sessions. St Mary’s Kindergarten does not offer the extended 30-hour entitlement.

St Mary’s continues to deal with all approved providers of Childcare Vouchers for existing Scheme members and we are able to accept payment via the Government’s Tax-Free Childcare Scheme.

Starting at the Kindergarten

Children can start at St Mary’s Kindergarten at the start of the term they turn three.

Before children even begin at our Kindergarten we spend time getting to know them. This helps them become familiar with us and helps the children settle in smoothly.

We find it helpful to discuss children’s learning experiences before they join us to ensure we understand their needs, ensuring that together we’re giving them the best possible pre-school education.

We assign children a Key Person who is responsible for their individual learning journey, and for monitoring their progress and wellbeing.

For children to gain the best out of pre-school education we recommend they join us for a minimum of two core days per week. This provides continuity and helps children develop relationships with staff and peers, giving them the opportunity to fully embrace the learning environment.

The Kindergarten day

The core day is 8.30am-3.30pm. The day begins with a group activity such as story time or ‘show and tell’, which the children love. They then move on to a variety of carefully selected outdoor learning activities, which are chosen to support your son or daughter’s learning development.

The afternoon provides lively sessions such as Forest School, ballet, PE or music, before ending the day with a final group activity.

Children are given a healthy snack of milk or water and fruit or vegetables in the morning and afternoon, and at lunchtime they enjoy a hot meal served at tables where the children sit with the Kindergarten Practitioners. It’s a perfect way to encourage good table manners and social skills.

Children can join us from 7.30am where a buffet breakfast is offered. Extended stays until either 4.30pm or 6pm are also available. Tea is served to those staying until 6pm.

The Kindergarten curriculum

St Mary’s Kindergarten follows the Early Learning Goals as set out in the ‘Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage’ document, published by the Department for Education including the Seven Areas of Learning and Development:

Three Prime Areas:

  • Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)
  • Physical Development (PD)
  • Communication and Language (C&L)

Four Specific Areas:

  • Literacy (L)
  • Mathematics (M)
  • Understanding of the World (UW)
  • Expressive Arts and Design (EA&D)

At St Mary’s Kindergarten we understand that the Characteristics of Learning and the prime and specific Areas of Learning are interconnected. The prime areas are fundamental to provide an essential foundation to enable development of the ‘whole child’ and the specific areas help to reinforce, enhance and progress these. We aim to deliver all the areas with a balance between adult led and child initiated activities depending on the needs and the interests of the children.

A complete education

Children take part in an activities such as ballet, Forest School, music, PE or cooking, often led by a specialist teacher, all included in the fees. These activities are designed to stimulate their bodies as well as their minds, and to help develop their personalities and build their characters.

As well as the well-equipped Kindergarten building, the children have access to a multi-sensory play area, the school hall, Dance Studio and Library. They are also able to enjoy the nine acres of grounds at the school, which includes sports courts, playing fields, Forest School area, secret garden and outdoor classroom.

Kindergarten children have the opportunity to go on trips, such as to the local church and Jimmy’s Farm, and take part in events including Prize Giving, Remembrance Day service and Mothering Sunday service.

We also hold a number of events for the whole family of those at St Mary’s to enjoy, such as Fireworks night, our Summer Fete and outdoor theatre productions.

“Children in the EYFS and pupils in the lower school make excellent progress.”

From ISI inspection report 2023 - rated 'excellent'

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