About the Infants

Nursery Class

The Nursery is part of the Infant Department and has recently been expanded to provide three beautifully equipped classrooms, which cater for a maximum of 15 children at any one session. Staffed by a qualified and experienced Nursery Teacher, two Nursery Nurses, and Teaching Assistants, the Nursery Class has an enviable staff/pupil ratio.

Children generally join the nursery in the September of the academic year in which they will be 4 and then transfer in the following September to the Reception Class.

The Nursery Unit prides itself on providing the highest standard of early childhood education with a strong emphasis on learning through play.

We believe that the foundations for happy and creative learning are fostered at Sancton Wood Nursery. The staff are dedicated to enhancing the children's learning through structured play both indoors and outdoors. Our Nursery staff are committed to helping each child to fulfil their full potential and are keen to extend the children's experiences in all areas of learning. We encourage curiosity and creativity and place great importance on communication and language skills.

Regular liaison between Nursery staff and the Reception teacher provides a strong thread of continuity with the Reception Class where the children continue with The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.

We are able to offer flexibility in the number and choice of sessions, in order to fit in with parents' needs by offering places for mornings, afternoons, full days as well as some morning-plus-lunchtime places.

A minimum attendance of 5 sessions is required. There is provision for children to stay later at the Baby Unicorns' Late Stay Club until 5 pm.

The School participates in the Nursery Voucher system whereby part of the child's sessions at nursery are funded by the County Council. Children are eligible for six terms of funding for 5 sessions per week from the age of three.

As part of our healthy eating policy in the nursery, the children bring a piece of fruit each day to share at snack-time. Water is always available to the children.

Various trips are organised which enable parents to be involved - e.g. to the nearby Botanic Gardens, the Technology Museum, Wimpole Home Farm, the Folk Museum etc.

We always take part in several charity events during the year - e.g. the Barnardo's Big Toddle, Comic Relief Day, Children in Need, SOS Children's Villages, Milton Children's Hospice.

Although the nursery children have a separate playtime from the rest of the Infant School, they do play twice weekly with the Reception children. There are also occasions when they are able to take part in or watch whole school events e.g. Mother's Day Assembly, Public Speaking, Bookweek events, Sports Day etc. This helps to foster the feeling of belonging to the school family from an early age.