St Mary's Primary School, Lochee

- Nursery -

Photographs and information about St Mary's Nursery
St Mary's Secret Garden

Head Teacher - Mr N J Marra

Depute Head Teacher - Mrs Kathleen Gowans

Depute Head Teacher - Mrs Nicola Munro

Nursery Teacher - Mrs Gillian Lamont

Nursery Nurse - Mrs Moira Clark

Nursery Nurse - Mrs Maureen Wiltosz

Present Roll - 20* places in both morning and afternoon sessions.
*Please note that one place in each session is set aside for a child with special educational needs, who will be fully integrated in the Nursery.

St Mary’s Nursery class offers two sessions, one in the morning from 9.00 am to 11.30 am and one in the afternoon from 12.45 pm to 3.15 pm.

Both these sessions are free of charge.

For details of our catchment area, criteria for admission, and other useful information please go to our Handbook page where you can download a copy of our current Nursery School Handbook. A report by HM Inspectorate of Education is also available to download from our School Reports page.

The aims of our Nursery are:

To plan and provide a comfortable, secure, caring and stimulating learning environment where children can happily learn through play.

To work in partnership with parents for the benefit of each child, so that we can provide continuity from home to school.

To provide routine from adults who are aware of children’s needs.

To extend children’s experiences by providing a wide variety of equipment and materials to ensure progression.

To help children become independent and to make their own choices and decisions, building up each child’s confidence and self-esteem through praise and encouragement.

To encourage awareness of the natural environment both inside and outdoors.

To allow many opportunities for the development of language through listening, conversation and talk.

The Staff also ensure that we recognise and encourage the full potential of all, regardless of race, religion, disability or gender.

Our class consists of a large, bright, double room which is organised into three distinct working areas, providing a wide range of activities to enrich the children’s experiences, while ensuring their development in all key areas.

The home corner is a wonderful place for make-believe, dressing up and trying out different roles. It provides scope for developing imagination, language, sharing,co-operation and mathematics eg setting the table and sequencing the making of a cup of tea. There are opportunities to enter a world represented in miniature - the farm, doll’s house, railway, road set etc. Through this play children work through their own experiences, widen vocabulary and share ideas with others.

The Secret Garden situated at the rear of the school allows “hands on” experiences for young gardeners. The Staff raise awareness of life-cycles, growth patterns and seasonal changes. A log pile attracts creepy-crawlies and the children are encouraged to look at the butterflies, ladybirds, spiders and the different birds which visit this area.
Sensory areas within the garden, provide the children with opportunities to use all the senses to increase their knowledge and understanding of the world, and to wonder at its beauty.

Our Nursery school is well equipped with toys and games to develop concentration, co-ordination and observation of similarities and differences - all vital skills and concepts.
Important skills of fine motor co-ordination, perception of shape and structure are developed through this play involving science, maths, technology and problem solving.
Children can test out their own ideas through direct experience. They are developing imagination and problem solving skills, planning, discussing, sharing ideas - the finished product providing a great sense of achievement.

On-going snacks are available during both the morning and afternoon sessions. The children are expected to “help” themselves in the pouring of juice and milk and in the preparation of snacks eg toast, sandwiches, fruit, vegetables and cereal.
Snack time is more than just eating! It provides many opportunities for sensory, social and cultural experiences as well as developing language, mathematical and scientific skills and understanding. The children are encouraged to take an active part in the making of pizzas, cakes, bread, pancakes and biscuits.
To cover the cost of snacks a donation of 75p per week is requested. Free milk is provided by the Nursery.

Looking at books and sharing stories with each other and adults are highly valued activities in school. Enjoyment of books is important for the development of language and imagination which leads your child to want to read. These are the exciting beginnings of reading.
Just as children want to read for themselves, they also want to write. They make marks and symbols and tell us what they say. Children have many opportunities in Nursery to develop this emergent writing and to use many writing tools.

Nursery Education is free, but weekly contributions to the Nursery Fund are greatly appreciated in order to help us buy and replace materials, books and other items.
Once a year, a sponsored event is held. Monies raised are used to make a donation to a local children’s charity as well as pay for larger pieces of equipment for both indoors and outdoors. Our Secret Garden and Outdoor Play Area are two of the major developments which have been bought and paid for largely from Nursery Parents’ fundraising.

Your child’s progress will be continually assessed by Staff, by observation in all areas of the curriculum and you will be kept informed of progress and development. Any matters of concern can be discussed in private. Please do not hesitate to discuss any worries with Mrs Gowans or any member of the Nursery Staff.
Parents/Carers will also be invited to Nursery from time to time to discuss your child’s progress. In addition, parents of pre-school children will be invited to a Parents’ Evening and at this meeting, we will share your child’s profile with you. If more information is sought about your child’s progress than the school can provide, the different ways in which assessment can be processed, will be discussed.

The Nursery also receives support from other agencies within the community when this is required. The Speech Therapist, the Educational Psychologist, School Doctor, Pre-School Home Visiting Teacher and the Community Policeman are all available. The Dental Hygienist and the Orthoptist pay a visit to the Nursery once a year.

We are confident that your child will have a happy time at St Mary’s Nursery. Please remember, if you have any problem, no matter how small, do not hesitate to contact us.