Welcome
We are delighted to welcome you and your child to St. Bega’s Nursery.
The happiness and wellbeing of our children is our top priority. We hope that you and your child will have an enjoyable and successful time with us.
Our nursery staff create a happy and caring environment where every child can reach their full potential through well-planned, meaningful, and stimulating play experiences. We aim to inspire curiosity and a love of learning that will last throughout your child’s school life and beyond.
We encourage you to be involved in your child’s learning and to work in partnership with us, ensuring your child thrives and achieves their very best during their time at our school. We look forward to working closely with you.
If you would like any further information about life at St. Bega’s Nursery, please do not hesitate to contact either myself or the school office to arrange an appointment.
‘Love one another as I have loved you’
Our Team
• Head Teacher Mrs Duffield
• Deputy Head Teacher & SENCO Mrs Leonard
• Early Years Teacher & EYFS Lead Mrs Robertson
• EYFS Teaching Assistant Miss Cowan
• EYFS Teaching Assistants
• EYFS Teaching Assistant
• School Business Manager
Admissions
All children are entitled to 15 hours of free nursery provision over 38 weeks — this is known as the universal entitlement. We also offer an additional 15 hours (known as extended entitlement) for eligible working parents.
Extended Entitlement (30 hours)
To check if you qualify and apply, visit: Hartlepool EYFS Portal Or call the Children’s Hub on 01429 284284
Provision Patterns
Universal Entitlement (15 hours)
5 mornings a week
5 afternoons a week
2.5 days a week
Full days: 8:40am – 3:10pm Parents must provide a packed lunch for children staying all day.
Nursery Uniform
We actively encourage all children to wear our nursery uniform, as it fosters a sense of community and belonging.
Our Uniform
• Blue v-neck jumper or cardigan
• Grey skirt or trousers
• White polo shirt
• Black shoes (not trainers)
Lollipops
20 Norfolk Place Berwick Hills Middlesbrough TS3 7PA
Uniform items can be ordered from Lollipops. Online and telephone orders can be delivered to school for collection. Open weekdays 9:00–4:30 and Saturdays 10:00–3:00.
Please label all coats, hats, shoes, and uniform items with your child’s name. For health and safety reasons, jewellery (including earrings) should not be worn.
The Nursery Day
All children are entitled to 15 hours of free nursery provision over 38 weeks — this is known as the universal entitlement. We also offer an additional 15 hours (known as extended entitlement) for eligible working parents.
Morning Sessions Afternoon Sessions Teaching and Learning Opportunities
8.40 – 9.00am 12.15 –12.30pm Welcome, register & prayers
9.00 – 9.15am 12.30 – 12.45pm Adult led input
9.15 – 11.15am 1.00 – 2.45pm Child initiated learning and adult led activities Phonics
11.15 -11.45am 2.45 – 3.15pm Tidy time, story and songs
Wraparound Care
Breakfast Club
7.45am – 8.50am
£2.50 per child, per session or £10.00 per child, per week
After School Club
3.20pm – 5.30pm
£5.50 per child, per session or £25.00 per child, per week
Snacks, Drinks and Lunchtime
Fresh fruit and milk available everyday.
Children should bring a named water bottle from home.
Early Years Foundation Stage
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is based upon four themes, each of which is linked to an important principle:
A Unique Child
Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
Positive Relationships
Children become strong and independent through loving, secure relationships with parents or a key person.
Enabling Environments
The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning.
Learning & Development
Children learn and grow in diverse ways and at varying rates, with all areas of development being equally important and interconnected.
Our Curriculum
Our Curriculum is designed and planned from the Early Years Development Matters and the Statutory framework documents.
The Early Years curriculum is made up of seven areas of learning:
Prime Areas
✔ Communication and Language
✔ Physical Development
✔ Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Specific Areas
✔ Literacy
✔ Mathematics
✔ Understanding the World
✔ Expressive Arts and Design
A high quality early years education is about learning to be independent, confident, strong and curious. It’s about developing children’s natural joy and wonder at the world they live in. It’s about having a positive attitude, forming positive relationships and believing in yourself. Young children learn by doing things for themselves, by exploring and investigating, watching and listening, talking and discussing, creating and communicating.
How can I help my Child?
You are probably doing it already! Finding out what they have done in Nursery, discovering what they like and don’t like, encouraging them to ask questions, listen to others and try out new skills all help to support their learning process. Reading your child stories and helping them to learn nursery rhymes is particularly helpful.
Home/School Links
In nursery we use an App called See-Saw. It is here that nursery will endeavour to add photos and information about the things that we have been learning that week.
We encourage you to share photos and information about what your child enjoys at home, including special celebrations or outings. Your contributions are valued and appreciated. The app is private and secure—only you and nursery staff can see your posts.
Our Learning Environment
✔ Water
✔ Mark making/writing
✔ Fine motor
✔ Home corner
✔ Construction/small world
✔ Reading
✔ Play dough station
✔ Creative (paint and glue)
✔ Number area
✔ Sand
Hours and Home Time
Morning Nursery - 8.40am until 11.40am
Afternoon Nursery - 12.15pm until 3.15pm
30 hour Nursery - 8.40am until 3.10pm
To ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children in our care:
• Prompt Collection: Please collect your child promptly at the end of the session to avoid any distress.
• Security: The nursery door is locked at the end of each session. No child will be allowed to leave without an adult.
• Authorised Collection: Children must be collected by a responsible adult who is known to both the school and the child.
• Alternative Arrangements: If someone else will be collecting your child, please inform a member of staff in advance.
If the person is not known to staff, they must provide a password for verification. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us keep all children safe.
Attendance
Attendance
At St. Bega’s Nursery we believe good attendance is essential for children to feel settled and for them to be able to take full advantage of the learning and development opportunities available. At a young age continuity and consistency are important contributors to a child’s wellbeing and progress. We also believe that regular attendance at nursery can set good practice for statutory schooling.
Family Holidays in Term Time
Nursery education is non-statutory, however, good habit forming starts early and therefore we promote good attendance. This will support them through their school journey.
Accidents
Cuts, bumps and bruises are treated with a cold compress, ice pack, or plaster,if necessary, as well as plenty of TLC. In the case of a serious accident you will be contacted immediately.
All Early Years staff hold a paediatric first aid qualification and will take responsibility until you arrive at school. If your child has received a heavy bump to the head you will be informed of the circumstances by the teacher at the end of the school day or by a phone call.
Illness
To help keep all children safe and comfortable at school:
• Unwell Children: Please do not bring your child to school if they are ill. Children are not happy at school when unwell.
• Infectious Illnesses: If you suspect your child has a contagious illness, inform the school immediately.
• Sickness & Diarrhoea: Children must remain at home for 48 hours after the last episode.
• Prescribed Medication: If your child needs medication during the school day, please contact the school office to discuss procedures.
• Allergies: Notify the school office if your child has any known allergies or food sensitivities.
• Medical Needs: We have procedures for managing medicines, inhalers, and epipens.
If your child requires ongoing prescribed medication for a serious allergy, you may need to complete a Healthcare Plan.
Help Prepare Your Child for Nursery
These are just a few ideas of how you can help to prepare your child for Nursery. You will be doing lots of these already!
✔ Share books and stories.
✔ Go to the public library and share a range of books.
✔ Sing nursery rhymes with your child.
✔ Play turn-taking games such as snakes and ladders; make sure your child learns how to win and lose as well.
✔ Have play opportunities with other children, especially over the summer holidays.
✔ Talk about numbers and teach your child to count objects accurately; you could involve your child in helping around the house by counting out the bowls or spoons needed to lay the table, counting steps up and down the stairs, look at house numbers or numbers on cars or buses as you go for a walk.
✔ Talk about mathematical concepts such as: taller, shorter, heavier, lighter, full, half-full, empty, less than, more than, higher, lower.
✔ Let your child handle money and learn to recognise coins.
✔ Talk about shapes and colours.
✔ Encourage your child to dress and undress themselves, including using buttons and zips and putting on their own shoes.
✔ Encourage your child to use the toilet by themselves, including flushing the chain and washing their hands afterwards. We will be encouraging your child to be as independent as possible with this. Please have a chat with us if your child needs any support in this area.
