At Llanrhidian Primary School we understand that starting Nursery is a big step for you and your child. Like all Parents/Carers, you may have questions and queries that you would like to ask about what to expect when your child starts Nursery.
Here are some frequently asked questions about Nursery that we hope you will find useful. If there are any further questions that you still have, please feel free to use our 'Contact form' on the previous page to ask us directly - no question is to small!
What are these Pods?
Across our school we have 4 Pods. These enable flexibility of learning as the pupils move through the school. Your child's pod will be made up of two co-horts of nursery pupils, and is called Pod Pili Pala. You can see what activities they get up to by visiting the pod page on this website, or following us on Twitter @Llanrhidianp. For more information about our school structure and our innovative curriculum, please click here
What will my child be doing in Nursery?
Nursery is the first step in your child's formal educational journey. Although not statutory, our aim in Nursery is to provide children with lots of learning experiences and opportunities to develop their curiosity and creativity, whilst developing personal and social skills that will allow them to make friends and work with others. Our job is to build on the great work you will have already done at home up until the point they start with us!
Our first aim in Nursery is to settle your child in to school life and get them used to various routines. Each day your child will become more and more used to the expectations that we have of how they behave, learn and use the classroom environment and we ask for all Parents/Carers to support us with this.
Within the pods there are a wide variety of different areas for children to access and play in, whilst our staff will organise structured tasks for your child to take part in in small groups. We follow the New Curriculum for Wales at our Nursery and will constantly monitor your child's progress whilst they are at school.
What time does School start/finish for nursery?
Morning Nursery: 8.50am til 11.40am
Afternoon Nursery: 12:55pm til 3:20pm
What should my child wear?
It is the expectation that uniform is worn by all pupils, including our nursery pupils. This allows children to feel a sense of pride in their school and helps to reduce the possibility of expensive/branded clothing to be brought in which is not practical for Nursery. Our uniform consists of:
- Blue jumper/cardigan and blue polo shirt - If you want this to have the school logo on, our branded uniform is available from Bergoni
If your child is known to have an occasional wetting accident, we would ask that you also provide spare underwear in their school bag.
Where will my child be based?
Your child will be based in the area around Pod Pili Pala. Areas include a quiet space, a number of outdoor environments, a covered tunnel and access to an indoor workshop. All areas are filled with resources and equipment appropriate to your child's age and development. This includes creative areas, writing areas, sand, water, painting, books, IT area, as well as accessible toilets.
Children will carry out outdoor learning activities whilst at school, which may involve them getting messy! For outdoor tasks, we ask that children are provided with waterproof clothing (jacket and trousers - not all in one suits due to toileting) for them to be able to get involved. We work outdoors in all seasons and weathers and therefore it is important that your child has the right equipment to keep them warm and dry. We do have a number of waterproof clothing available in school for children to use should you be unable to provide any for your child.
Will my child need to bring anything with them?
Everything your child needs for their learning will be provided for them. During the day you child will have fruit time. We do ask Parents/Carers to provide the fruit for their child. This should not be any small fruits (grapes, cherries) or berries which could become a choke hazard. We would recommend for hygiene purposes you send in the fruit in a container clearly labelled with your child's name.
Your child will also have access to water throughout the day and we ask that children bring a water bottle with them. Water bottles must be wide necked and have a mouthpiece which can be covered with a lid/retracted to prevent contamination. Recycled bottles (e.g. old pop bottles) are not permitted. Squash and juice is also not allowed. School water bottles can be purchased from the School office for £2.00
It is also likely that your child will bring home lots of lovely things from Nursery, so we ask that a small book bag (available from the office from £5.50) is provided for your child. Please do not send in large/bulky back packs as space for storing these is limited.
How will my child be able to use the toilet?
At school we have Nursery appropriate toilets in the Classroom, which are easily accessible for use by our Nursery pupils. These include small toilets and sinks at Nursery pupil height. Children are able to access toilets whenever they need to.
Should your child have an accident whilst in school we will do our best to sort them out and clean them up. However, should your child mess themselves to the point where they need to be washed (in a shower or bath) then someone will be contacted to collect the child in order to maintain the dignity and wellbeing of the child.
For further information about our School please look around our Website, or visit the 'School Prospectus' page where you can find more in depth information about the day to day running of the school. Likewise, should you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us via the Nursery contact form which you can find on the previous page.
We look forward to welcoming you and your child to our Nursery!