WELCOME Welcome and thank you for your enquiry into St George’s Nursery Schools. St. George’s Nursery School first began in 1994 in the City Centre of Leicester. The founders wanted better quality childcare for their own children than was currently being provided in the Leicester area. They envisioned a nursery that went further than ordinary childcare; a nursery that would set children up for school; a nursery that would develop their educational, social, physical and emotional skills as well as their confidence; and so St George’s was born! St George’s became popular in Leicester and they soon developed a reputation for excellent quality childcare and have since opened four additional sites to meet demand. What is right for your child? Childcare is undoubtedly a great responsibility and you want only the best for your child. At St George’s we aim to provide a
quality and professional service that is completely child-centered and genuinely cares about your child’s interests and respects their individuality. We couldn’t deliver this service to you without our fantastic long serving team of staff who are warm and welcoming and who make every day for your child one to remember. Great emphasis is placed on the selection of our staff teams, who are appropriately qualified and are trained to recognise the development needs of your child and to create a challenging and stimulating environment Your child’s early years are the most important of their life. During these formative years, children can benefit emotionally, socially and intellectually from interacting with others, hence building a solid foundation for their future lives. At St George’s we want to ensure that your child positively benefits from being in our care and also benefits from the relationship between home and nursery.
Input from parents concerning the care of their child is welcomed at St George’s. We recognize you as your child’s first educator therefore value your support and interaction with your child’s nursery experience. All of our nurseries have been thoughtfully converted to incorporate an excellent range of facilities including air-conditioning and CCTV. Each room has been carefully designed for separate age groups providing activities appropriate to their age and stage of development. We ensure that children at St. George’s are learning, safe but above all happy. From the minute you bring your child into the nursery to the moment you collect them you can be confident that, at St. George’s, they will be in a nurturing environment, full of stimulating and educational experiences.
• Ensure the best standards of childcare and education. • Provide parents with peace of mind. • Maintain close communications with parents from day one. • Provide the best facilities for your child. • Ensure your child feels happy, safe and loved whilst away from home. • Provide excellent standards of safety and security. • Give your child the best start in life.
“St George’s provide safe, reliable care for my child which to me is worth every penny I pay” ~Tracy Brooks
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ST. GEORGE’S NURSERY SCHOOL STRIVES TO:
SAFEGUARDING Safeguarding children is a priority at St George’s Nurseries and all of our staff team are fully trained. All of our Managers are highly qualified to deal with any safeguarding issues and to support the staff team. Your child’s well being whilst with us is our top priority. All parents are required to have their own secure password which must be used when your child is being collected from the nursery by anyone other then the parent. Each of our sites has CCTV and a restricted entry system so no one can enter the building without access from a member of staff. All our nurseries are inspected by OFSTED and our inspection reports are available at the nursery or by logging onto the Ofsted website.
Our staff teams are committed to providing the highest standard of care and education and take great pride in their roles and their settings. From the minute they walk through the door until they go home the team ensure that the environment for your child is a happy and exciting one. They are passionate about what they do; they will nurture and build a strong caring relationship not only with your child but with you also. The nursery staff receive detailed induction and ongoing training such as health and safety, first aid and safeguarding children, to name but a few. Each of our nurseries has a fully trained designated Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO). St George’s has an extensive safe recruitment policy and employment is subject to rigorous checks and clearances.
KEY PERSON At St George’s we recognise that leaving your child for the first time is not always easy, we therefore encourage parents to arrange both home visits and pre-visits to the nursery. The home visit will be undertaken by your child’s key person; and it is from these visits that the relationship will begin to form. These home visits enable you and your child to share any information such as dietary requirements, your child’s routines at home, your child’s first language and anything else that may assist with ensuring your child settles well into nursery life. This in turn starts the process of positive relationships from the very beginning. The Key person will be responsible for ensuring that introduction to the nursery goes as smoothly as possible. They will be responsible for monitoring and recording your child’s progress, covering all aspects of learning and development. This information is recorded in your child’s Learning Journey and is available to you at all times. Your child’s key person will also keep you informed on a daily basis of your child’s wellbeing and development.
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PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS
IT IS OUR BELIEF THAT LEARNING SHOULD BE AN ENJOYABLE PART OF THEIR CHILDHOOD. ABOVE ALL, YOUR CHILD’S HAPPINESS WHILST AWAY FROM HOME IS OUR FIRST PRIORITY.
We believe parental involvement is vital to your child’s education, learning and development. A close relationship with parents is important to help achieve a happy and relaxed environment. That is why at St George’s we welcome parents input from day one. We encourage you to stay at some of the pre-visits, as this will help your child to settle into nursery life. We also welcome you to attend stay and play sessions where you can experience all the fun that your child experiences on a daily basis. A positive partnership can only be achieved through regular contact and we take every opportunity to achieve this. Both the key person and the Manager are available daily; and to keep you informed, we publish regular newsletters, use social media, parental surveys and parents’ evenings. We also encourage parents to contribute by discussing any developments at home with the key person as this has a positive influence on your child’s development.
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OUR TEAM
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EARLY YEAR’S FOUNDATION STAGE At St George’s, we follow the Early Years Foundations Stage (EYFS), a government framework for learning, development and care of children from birth to five. Its purpose is to provide all children with the best possible learning opportunities and experiences to help each child reach their full potential. This will ensure your child is ready for school when they leave St George’s Nursery School. THE EYFS IS GROUPED INTO THREE PRIME AREAS AND FOUR SPECIFIC AREAS OF LEARNING, AS FOLLOWS: PRIME AREAS: • Communication and Language • Physical Development • Personal, social and Emotional SPECIFIC AREAS: • Literacy • Mathematics • Understanding of the World • Expressive Arts and Design
Children are encouraged to learn with enjoyment and challenge through the provision of well-planned play experiences. When your child starts at St George’s, a Base Line assessment will be carried out within the first 6 weeks of attendance. This provides your child’s key person with a starting point on which to base your child’s future learning. At St George’s each child will have an individual learning journey. The staff team will record and monitor your child’s development and progress in each of the areas. This folder is based in your child’s room and is available to you at all times. We hope that during your time with us you will also contribute to your child’s learning journey as parents. You will also be provided with a formal written report twice yearly on your child’s progress. A copy of the EYFS can be downloaded from www.gov.uk
“Staff spend time getting to know the children, their likes, dislikes and preferences which means they are fully informed and prepared to offer support or challenge necessary for individuals” – Ofsted Inspector
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ENCOURAGED TO LEARN
BABIES Our baby units offer a safe, caring environment and are filled with bright, soft toys and sensory equipment to encourage development. Babies’ senses will be stimulated by our black, white and red areas and by participating in water play, music and singing and a variety of tactile/messy play. A large part of their day will be spent cuddling and interacting with the caring nursery staff to strengthen those all-important attachments. We aim to follow the home routines of each baby in our care, which include feeding habits, sleep patterns and any other specific needs. The baby unit has a separate sleep area and nappy changing facilities. A daily written report is provided, consisting of such information as, feeds, nappy changes and sleep times.
“Both children have excelled in a way I couldn’t have imagined! They seem miles ahead of their peers at different nurseries. The way the nursery teaches them has also given me the confidence to trust them to do tasks i would not have thought of ordinarily (like pouring their own drinks, carrying their plates etc) The nursery is teaching our children responsibility for themselves and the environment around them. Its wonderful” ~Louisa Hibble
For this age group, the day becomes more structured, and is split between free play and more organised adult-led activities. The activities are designed to help children to develop their social skills such as independence and co-operation, also language and intellectual skills. At St George’s we take a balanced approach allowing a degree of freedom and free-play. We encourage activities such as painting, drawing, sand and water play, craftwork, cooking, music and movement, singing and nature study to help the children to express themselves. We provide a music and movement programme of creative and inspiring pre-school dance classes that can be adapted to all abilities. This is on offer to children aged 18 months and upwards. Participation in this programme stimulates the imagination, gives children a head start in encountering new physical and emotional experiences and in developing social interaction. We work with parents to help the children with toilet training and personal hygiene such as the importance of washing hands and brushing teeth after lunch. There is a time to rest for those children who need a nap or just a quite period after lunch. When your child turns two, the key person carries out a development check and this assessment will look at the 3 prime areas of learning. This check will identify if any additional support is needed.
“My children moved to St George’s from another nursery and I wish we had moved sooner. My eldest has come on leaps and bounds in pre-school since moving. My twins have settled well since my return to work” ~ Adele Kennedy
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TODDLERS 2 - 3 YEARS
PRE-SCHOOL 3 - 5 YEARS “You care about each and every child and make everyone feel a part of the nursery. It’s not about having flash and the latest gadgets for us, its knowing our children are happy and content with staff. Children don’t understand the value of money but they do understand love and consistency”
A child’s cognitive development is greatest before the age of six and, it is therefore important that, favourable conditions are offered and emphasized during these impressionable years. As the child moves through the group rooms, to the pre-school, they experience a wide variety of activities helping to prepare them for their move to school. Children are introduced to more formal activities such as reading, writing, and mathematics. They are encouraged to use and have fun with computers. The children also enjoy extra-curricular dance lessons, which help develop their balance and coordination whilst ensuring they get regular activity for a healthy body and mind. Our nurseries work on building strong links with local schools to enable your child to make an easier transition into the school environment. In this room, the foundations for future learning are formed, by encouraging children to develop a positive attitude towards learning and independence. This enables children to confidently approach a major change in their lives when starting school.
~Lorraine Barratt
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All of our nurseries have an enclosed and secure outdoor play area for older children and a separate outdoor area for younger children, where they can play safely. Children laugh and squeal with delight as they make “mud pies” in our well-resourced mud kitchens, or as they build dens and play hide and seek. They enjoy splashing in muddy puddles or just putting their feet up and relaxing with a good book. We like our children to have fun in the outdoors therefore clothing must be provided for all weathers. Children are frequently taken on Nursery outings. These may include having a yummy picnic time at the park, brushing up on our reading at the library and broadening our knowledge of the world at the museum or at a show. Safety is always a priority, and risk assessments are carried out before every outing and a qualified first aider is always present.
“I really appreciate the flexibility and helpfulness of the care provided. The staff are amazing, warm, welcoming and my children love them all” ~Louisa Hibble
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OUTDOORS…
ST GEORGE’S BANQUET Our fully qualified cooks prepare fresh meals daily on the premises. The meals are varied, offering a healthy and well-balanced nutritional diet. Fresh fruit and vegetables are offered every day in order to provide children with the best start in life. A healthy diet provides a healthy body and mind. We offer a scrumptious Summer and Winter menu to vary your child’s diet further. We introduce your child to many different foods and taste experiences, something that’s important from a young age. Mealtimes are used as an opportunity to develop good social skills and our staff teams enjoy having their meal with the children displaying excellent practice and social skills. The older children are encouraged to serve their own meals and drinks, thus encouraging independence. If your child has specific dietary requirements or allergies, we cater for them on an individual basis. A vegetarian option is available daily. Weekly menus are displayed on the Parent’s notice board. Young babies have a slightly different menu choice at times to older children within the setting and this will depend on what stage your baby is at within the weaning process.
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“Children enjoy a healthy diet, through a varied menu. The children learn to set the table and eat together enjoying nutritious home cooked meals. Meals are well presented and smell delicious. Parents requests and special dietary needs are taken into account”.
– Ofsted Inspector
FEES FUNDING At St. George’s Nursery School all three and four year olds are entitled to the Government funded 15 hours of free nursery education during school term time.
VOUCHERS We accept all Child Care Vouchers from recognised providers. St. George’s Nursery School can work in partnership with your employer to provide a work place nursery or child care vouchers. Both the employer and the employee can benefit greatly without any large financial outlay. For more information, please visit our website.
OFSTED All our nurseries are inspected under The Childrens’ Act by OFSTED. Our inspection reports are available at the nursery or by logging onto the OFSTED website.
“I like the friendly approachable attitude of the staff. The creative learning my child partakes in and the amount of outdoor play” ~Mary Golding
AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS & PLAY SCHEME St George’s provides care during out of school hours and school holidays for children aged between 4 to 10years. The After school Club is great for bridging the gap between school and your working needs. Your child will be able to take part in arts and crafts, outdoor play as well as getting on with their homework. Our play schemes are available during school holidays. They are a fantastic way for your child to discover new interests and have the opportunity to meet and form new friendships joining in with a variety of activities and planned trips out. You can pre book days to suit your individual needs.
“I feel St George’s is of an exceptional standard and I’m happy to pay for that” ~Emma Towers
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ST GEORGE’S NURSERY IS POPULAR WITH PARENTS WHO WANT THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF CHILDCARE AND EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
Speak to us Today!
www.stgeorgesnursery.com
AYLESTONE SITE Grace House, 2 Grace Road, Leicester LE2 8AD Tel: 0116 283 3383 Email: Aylestone@stgeorgesnursery.com
CITY SITE St. George’s House, William Street, Leicester LE1 1RW Tel: 0116 251 7755 Email: City@stgeorgesnursery.com
ENDERBY SITE 24 Warren Park Way, Enderby, Leicester LE19 4SA Tel: 0116 284 9700 Email: Enderby@stgeorgesnursery.com
OADBY SITE 33-37 Wigston Road, Oadby Leicester LE2 5QF Tel: 0116 271 6161 Email: Oadby@stgeorgesnursery.com
NARBOROUGH SITE 50 Leicester Road, Narborough, Leicester LE19 2DF Tel: 0116 286 5170 Email: Narborough@stgeorgesnursery.com