We work in partnership with families to support a positive start to nursery for every child.
Starting nursery is an important step for everyone. Building strong, trusting relationships is at the heart of our approach, helping children to feel safe and settled, while families feel confident, informed and supported.
Our aim is for every family to feel welcomed, valued and part of our school community from the very beginning.
Our Transition Provision
When your child is allocated a nursery place, you will be offered an opportunity to meet with a member of the Senior Leadership Team and/or our Nursery Lead Practitioner. This initial meeting allows us to get to know you and your child, share information and begin building a positive relationship.
We also hold a nursery open event for all children and families who are due to start in the upcoming session. This gives you the chance to explore the nursery environment, meet the team and the other children and families who will be starting in the same session.
We understand that there can often be a gap between being offered a place (usually in March) and your child’s start date (August, January or April). During this time, we warmly welcome you to contact us with any questions or to share anything you feel is important. You are also very welcome to visit or get in touch before applying for a nursery place, to help you decide what is right for your family.
As your child’s start date approaches, their keyworker will contact you to check in, gather any updates and talk through what to expect on the first day.
Our transition process is flexible and tailored to each individual child. On day 1, children attend with a parent or carer for a short session (around an hour), where you will meet with the Lead Practitioner, complete key information and help us get to know your child.
What happens next will depend on how your child settles. Some children may begin with shorter sessions, some may stay for lunch, and others may be ready for longer days more quickly. We take a responsive, nurturing approach to ensure each child feels safe, secure and ready.
To support this, we ask families to complete our “What Matters to Me” Home to Nursery booklet together.
This booklet helps us understand your child as an individual – including their routines, interests, communication, health needs and what helps them feel safe and included. It is based on the GIRFEC approach and uses the SHANARRI wellbeing indicators (Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible and Included) to ensure we get a full picture of your child.
You can view a copy of the booklet below:
