WELCOME
Polbeth Nursery is a non-denominational nursery mainly serving the communities of Polbeth and West Calder. The nursery is purpose built and sits within its own large enclosed grounds. The nursery comprises three large rooms and a sensory room in which the children can enjoy a variety of free flow play, from role play, construction, art and model making and ‘messy’ activities, such as water and sand play.
We strive to provide the children a “home from home” through a very open, warm and natural environment. The children are able to both play and rest. A quiet room allows the children to participate in more calming activities such as drawing, knitting, sewing and reading. Should they want to have a lie down, this space is very peaceful to allow for rest and some down time. Our sensory room allows for children to engage in sensory activities and provides a calming enviroment should they become upset or need time to reflect.
There are a wide variety of resources available to the children, including I.T, loose part play, block play, science experiments, woodwork, and much more! The nursery also has a separate kitchen/dining room where the children eat a healthy snack and, when in season, make soups and snacks from the fruits and vegetables grown in our garden.
We have a large outdoor play area, where we have several types of physical/climbing equipment, which the children love. They enjoy lots of outdoor activities, and also get involved in planting herbs and vegetables etc. As we have an undercover verandah, the children are able to play outdoors in all weathers, allowing them to benefit from fresh air and physical play all year round. The outdoor area is open throughout the entire nursery day for the children to come and go as they please.
POLBETH NURSERY VALUES, VISION AND AIMS
Children, parents and staff worked together to establish our nursery values.
Our Vision Statement:
At Polbeth Nursery we aim to provide a nurturing and inclusive learning community for all our families. We are committed to delivering a welcoming, caring, secure and stimulating environment for all. Children experience and enjoy the essential and special nature of being indoors and outdoors by engaging their curiosity and imagination through creative play.
Our Aims:
Culture and Ethos
* To promote a safe and nurturing environment where children are encouraged to manage their own risk.
Partnerships
* To provide an inclusive community where children are respected and motivated to take responsibility for their own learning.
Vision and Leadership
* To promote healthy and active choices through play-based learning, developing essential life skills.
Learning and Teaching
* To offer an environment where children are challenged and supported to achieve their full potential.
#Buildingforsuccess
THE NURSERY CURRICULUM
To help us achieve our aims for learning we use Curriculum for Excellence, GIRFEC, the Scottish Government ‘Building the Ambition’ document and their self-evaluation guide “How Good is our Early Learning and Childcare” and Pre birth – 3 for our two year olds.
We aim to ensure that every child should experience a broad education which develops skills for learning, for life and work, with a real focus on literacy and numeracy and promotes an active and healthy lifestyle. Briefly, there are eight main areas of learning:-
- Expressive Arts
- Literacy and English
- Technologies
- Religious and Moral Education
- Social Studies
- Health & Well Being
- Science
- Numeracy and Mathematics
The staff observe the children and interact with them in a way that supports and extends their learning. Each child is treated as an individual and our curriculum is child centred.
You are invited to ask staff about this at any time, and there are regular opportunities, daily to speak to staff and parents’ evenings to find out more.
Children learn through play. They listen, observe, talk, explore, investigate and experiment in order to learn about the world. Our secure, stimulating environment means that this happens – and it’s FUN!
At St Mary’s and Polbeth Nursery we endeavour to promote an inclusive learning community where children are challenged and supported to achieve their full potential and become all that they possibly can be. The children will embark on a journey to become independent, self-motivated, responsible and resilient citizens who will have a zest for life.
Our curriculum reflects our absolute commitment to providing strong literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing through the promotion of curiosity and investigation in the world around them, both within the classroom environment and in outdoor learning opportunities. We aim to equip our learners to become contributing adults, providing skills and confidence to embrace modern life.
We will provide strong pastoral care in collaboration with our partners to ensure that every child has the building blocks to overcome barriers. We pledge to work in close collaboration with parents to facilitate their children’s learning. Within a positive culture we will ensure all children feel valued and that their curriculum allows them to learn and achieve.
