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Nursery
Nursery
Last modified: Sunday, 20 April 2025, 12:49 AM
Welcome to our Nursery
At Abercarn Primary, The nursery runs half-day sessions running from 9am – 11:30. (Door open at 8:50am)
Children can start at our nursery in the September following their third birthday. However:
- Children born between 1 September and 31 December may be offered an early start from the January following their third birthday, if places are available
- Children born between 1 January and 31 March may be offered an early start from the April following their third birthday, if places are available
- Children born between 1 April and 31 August are not eligible for an early start
Dear Parent/Carer,
On behalf of the Governors, Staff and Pupils at Abercarn Primary School, I would like to extend a warm welcome to you and your child to Abercarn Primary School. We are so pleased to be able to welcome you to our school and to have your child join us as part of our successful, friendly and hardworking team at APS. We are really looking forward to getting to know you and your child!
May I take this opportunity to thank you for choosing Abercarn Primary School for your child's education - I'm sure they will have many enjoyable years with us, learning and growing together! Our motto at Abercarn Primary School is Achieve, Believe, Challenge' and this reflects our ethos of ensuring that every child is provided with every opportunity to reach their full potential.
This website will provide you with lots of helpful information in preparation for what school life will be like for your child when they start school. On this site you will find our Prospectus which will give you a full overview of what life is like at Abercarn Primary School, as well as range of Policies and FAQs which I trust you will find helpful.
Further information specifically about Nursery routines can be found under the FAQ section on the previous Nursery page. Should you have any other questions or queries about starting school please feel free to submit them using the Contact form on the previous page. Likewise, you may wish to keep your questions until your courtesy call/visit with our Nursery staff.
I look forward to welcoming you and your child to our School.
Diolch yn Fawr,
Mr G C Roden
Head Teacher
Meet the Nursery Team
Mrs C Lews
Nursery Manager
Mrs C Bishop
Additional Practitioner
How Will My Child Learn?
Whilst at Abercarn Primary School your child will experience a range of activities. Some will be directed by staff, others freely selected by your child.
Your child will learn to investigate; explore; experiment; question and solve problems through learning experiences that are relevant to their stage of development.
In the Early Years we place a high priority on developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills, to successfully underpin later skills of reading and writing.
Snack Time
Fruit snack is paid a term in advance and will cover the cost of providing fruit every day. We factor in the cost for any absences. If you’d like your child to have fruit provided, please complete the TryBooking form before the deadline. The QR code will be on newsletters and Seesaw. We cannot accept payment after the deadline. If you do miss the deadline and want your child to have fruit, you can send this in every day and staff will ensure your child has it.
The Role of the Adults
We recognise that our role is vital to the progress of all children and is particularly significant in this period of early learning. We will set the expectation for learning by creating emotionally safe environments that support children to begin to express and regulate their feelings and behaviours in positive ways. We will model a joyful approach to learning, and encourage and support children’s natural curiosity, making best use of the teachable moments that occur naturally as we observe or engage in their play.
Learning Outdoors
The Importance of Learning in the Outdoor Classroom
It is widely recognised that children who have experienced good quality outdoor learning develop strong social skills, are able to work in groups effectively and display a higher level of both self-esteem and independence.
At Abercarn Primary School your child will be given every opportunity through the use of the Outdoor Classroom to develop these skills. Many children prefer learning outdoors and fresh air can have a profound effect on the concentration and involvement of children. Remember, the outdoor classroom will be used in all weather and there is no bad weather, only bad clothing!
Please provide a pair of wellies for your child. These wellies will stay in school for your child to wear outside in wet weather.
Authentic & Purposeful Learning
We will provide opportunities for children to engage and experience authentic learning that links to the real world. Real-life experiences can enable children to take the lead in asking questions, identifying problems, taking risks and finding solutions. We will create opportunities for children to apply what they are learning to real-life situations helps them understand the purpose of their learning and can enhance well-being, self-esteem and resilience. It encourages exploration and creativity, and will support children to develop an understanding of the world around us.
Experiences
We will offer the children a wide range experiences, which will be will be hands on, purposeful and meaningful to the child. We will encourage children’s independence, and offer risk, challenge and opportunities to experience success along the learning journey. They will be rooted in real-life, authentic contexts, which will engage them in deep levels of involvement and long periods of uninterrupted active child led learning. The areas of learning and opportunities for learning will include elements of children’s own choices, ideas that emerge from local or current interests and ideas that we will set up for the children to engage with and explore.
They will engage with lots of opportunities to experiment with a range of mark -making instruments and materials lots of this will be displayed around the classroom for the children to see their own work or will be sent home for you to enjoy and spark a discussion. It will also create a connection between home and school
Ready for School
- I can use the toilet independently
- I can wash and dry my own hands
- I can blow my own nose
- I can ask for help if I feel unwell.
- I can put my own coat on and off
- I can put my own shoes on and off
- I can open my own packed lunch
- I can use a knife and fork
- I can sit at a table when I eat.
- I can interact and play games with others
- I try to be a good friend
- I can problem solve
- I have persistence
- I am willing to try
- I am able to turn take and share
- I am confident being away from Mummy and Daddy
- I am able to express my emotions, thoughts and needs.
Nursery Handbook
Whether you’re a parent of pupils already at our school or a parent considering our school for your child, we hope that you’ll be able to find all the answers to your questions on our website or in our Nursery Handbook. You can either download a PDF version of our Nursery Handbook here or request a paper copy from the school office. If you can’t find the information you’re looking for, please get in touch and we’ll do our best to help.
Frequently asked questions
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
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 classroom 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 Developing Pathways curriculum as part of the Curriculum for Wales at our Nursery and will constantly monitor your child’s progress whilst they are at school.
Admissions to our nursery are made through Caerphilly Council. The easiest way is to fill out the online application form, click here
Once your child has been allocated a place in our Nursery, Caerphilly Council will write to you to confirm your child’s place and they will also inform us.
When we have received our complete Nursery admission list at each admission round during the year, we will write to parents to invite you and your child to an information session. This information session will give you the chance to meet key staff as well as receiving important information ahead of your child starting with us. Your child will also have the chance to explore our nursery, play with some of our toys and meet new friends who will be starting at the same time as them.
Ahead of your child starting with us we will also ask you to do three things:
- Complete a Data Collection Form to provide us with information about your child and emergency contact information. You can either do this online or complete a paper form.
- Send us a copy of their Birth Certificate. You can either email a photograph/scan of this to us or bring it into the office for us to copy.
- Complete all for the following consent forms, ICT Consent, GDPR Consent and Photos/Video Consent.
For children starting at the beginning of an academic year in September, we usually stagger their starting days during the first week – meaning your child would attend nursery once as part of a small group for a reduced session between Monday – Thursday and they would then stay for their full session from Friday onwards. This helps us to get to know your child really well and helps them to settle in quickly without feeling overwhelmed.
For children starting in our nursery as an in-year transfer (not at the start of an academic year or as a Rising 3 in January or April), you will receive a notification from Caerphilly Council that your child has been allocated a place.
Our Nursery start school with our other Pupils at 9:00am. Children will start entering school at 8:50am to give them time to put their coats away and settle into class for the day. When they start at 9:00 Children are given free time to play and explore before being brought together for registration.
We do ask that all children are punctual and on time as it is important for children to get in to this routine early. School finishes as 11:30am for Nursery pupils.
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:
- Maroon jumper/cardigan – If you want this to have the school logo on, our official branded uniform is available from Regis in Newbridge and Darren Morgan Sports in Crosskeys.
- Grey Trousers/Skirt – For Nursery pupils, if children are not able to zips and catches on trousers on their own, we would ask that joggers are worn as this can help children when they need to use the toilet
- Light Blue T-Shirt/Blouse
- Shoes – Please do not send your child in shoes with laces if your child is unable to do their laces on their own. Slip-on shoes or shoes with velcro are most suitable for Nursery pupils.
If your child is known to have an occasional wetting accident, we would ask that you also provide spare underwear in their school bag
Our Nursery is located at the front of the school and has its own entrance. As you come to the main School building, the Nursery is directly at the front of the building. You will drop off and collect children here.
Please note if the Nursery gate is locked, you are late, or you are picking up your child during the school day, you will need to report to the School office. Your child will be taken into/collected from Nursery here.
Your child should bring a coat to school, we spend lots of time outside!
They can bring their own water-bottle if they choose but we have plenty of cups for children to drink water when they’re thirsty.
A spare change of underwear can be helpful in case your child has an toileting accident.
In Summer months, please make sure your child wears sun cream and brings a sun hat to school.
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.
Please note that it is the policy of the school that, unless there is a medical reason (evidence will be requested from your GP) why your child cannot use the toilet independently, then your child will not be able to start Nursery until they are fully toilet trained. Likewise, if Parents/Carers state that their child is toilet trained in order to take up the place at school and it becomes evident that a child is not able to use the toilet independently, the Parents will be called and the child will be asked to remain at home until able to do so.
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
Our Nursery is run by a team of high quality and friendly Staff who are all fully qualified and DBS checked. Within our Nursery, we staff to the recommended ratios. Your child will be appropriately supervised at all times when at school, whilst also being given the space to develop their independence too.
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.
We look forward to welcoming you and your child to our Nursery!
At Abercarn Primary, we communicate with parents in a variety of ways.
Text Message: We often send text messages to update parents on school events or various matters.
Telephone: For more urgent issues, we will contact you via telephone.
SeeSaw App: We will upload some of your child’s work to the SeeSaw app. You can also upload images and videos of your child’s work/achievements outside of school to share with us.
School Website/Newsletters: Each week (Friday), we send out a newsletter to update parents on all that’s been taking place in the school.
Child’s Annual Report: At the end of the school year, parents are provided with a written report summarising what their child has covered and achieved during the year.
Young children love it when you chat, play and read with them!
Read together
Reading is a fundamental part of education and reading on a daily basis greatly helps your child in all areas of learning. Reading is also a great opportunity to wind down and relax in between other activities. Picture books introduce your child to new things they may not have seen yet. Try to use the same book because children learn from repetition.
Talk
Switch off the television and talk to your child about everything. When talking to your child you are teaching them what communication is about. Remember to listen to what they are saying and respond.
Imaginative play
Imaginative play is a great way to get children to express their creativity. You could create a scene such as setting up a shop with tins from the cupboard. You could set up a pet shop using soft toys or a farm using animal figures.
Replicate activities
Repeating activities or tasks your child has carried out at nursery can help to reinforce the things they have learnt. You will learn directly from your child what they have enjoyed and things they might like to do more of. You can find what we have been up to in nursery on Seesaw