Welcome to Maidenhill Nursery Class, we are so delighted that you will be joining us.

Maidenhill Primary School and Nursey Class opened in August 2019 in a purpose-built, state-of-the-art building which offers our children a learning environment that is second-to-none. It serves the Maidenhill catchment located to the south of Newton Mearns. Maidenhill Nursery is non-denominational and we welcome families from all faiths and cultures. Our provision is for children of the ages of 3 – 5 years old in their ante and pre-school years.

throughout their time in our nursery, children have the opportunity to use the school facilities and we work closely with the school staff to support learning and development.  We are part of Mearns Neighbourhood Group which involves the local authority nurseries, family centres and partnership nurseries. We have close connections with our local schools which help to support effective transitions for our children when continuing their learning journey to Primary 1.

At Maidenhill, we work closely with parents from the outset and we would encourage you to voice any questions or concerns you may have as your child moves towards their first days of nursery.

Families can purchase additional hours beyond their entitlement, dependent on availability. Where there are more applications than available spaces, a ballot will be conducted to allocate spaces.  These places are booked for the full academic session and not on a week to week basis.  They are to be paid in advance, in 4 week blocks. Please contact the school office for more information.

If you are interested in enrolling you child in our nursery, or have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office; we will be happy to answer any of your queries.

If your child complains of feeling unwell or has an accident, one of our first aiders will be administer whatever is required. In some cases we use hypo-allergenic plasters to cover wounds.  Please inform us if you do not wish us to do so. 

At Maidenhill, our policy will be to call parents if a pupil suffers a bump to the head or other more serious cuts and grazes. If you are unavailable, we will telephone your emergency contacts. It is imperative that these contact details are kept up to date. You will be given the necessary information to enable you to decide whether you should collect your child from nursery or allow him/her to carry on with his/her day.  All medical incidents dealt with by staff will be recorded. 

If your child has any health issues that we are unaware of then please alert a member of the nursery team or our school office as soon as possible.

We follow NHS guidelines and ask that if your child is suffering from a heavy cold, virus or any kind of contagious condition that you should keep them at home to avoid infecting other children. These guidelines also stipulate that children should be absent from nursery for 48 hours following a bout of sickness or diarrhoea.

When completing your child’s enrolment form you will be asked to give details of any medical conditions/allergies your child has and what medication is taken on a regular basis. This information will be logged on our computer system and shared with relevant staff. It is important you tell us anything we may need to know to help support your child in their learning and accessing the curriculum.

If your child requires medication during the nursery session you should discuss this with the Depute Head Teacher or the Senior Child Development Officer. We can only administer medication prescribed by your child’s GP and with the permission of the Head Teacher. You will be asked to complete a form which authorises designated nursery staff to administer the medication. Medicines will be returned to you at the end of each school term to check expiry dates.

We aim to create an environment where children feel comfortable, relaxed and secure. For many children, starting nursery is their first separation from their main carer.  With this in mind, every child’s transition from home to nursery will be considered individually and the child’s wellbeing remains at the heart of this process. 

Before your child starts with us, you will be invited to an induction evening in the school building, where information about the nursery will be shared with parents and carers. This is usually in May/June before your child is due to start. You will also have the opportunity to meet some of our staff team and other parents.  This event will be repeated for those starting later in the year.  Before your child starts nursery, you will need to complete enrolment forms and this can be done during the induction evening or you can arrange to do this at another time by contacting the school office.

To further support children with this transition, we offer each child a home visit from two members of staff (one from the nursery leadership team and a keyworker) as well as a visit to the nursery which they can have a chance to see the environment. At the home visit you child will have a chance to play with their keyworker and begin forming a relationship while a member of the nursery leadership team has a conversation with you to gather important information about your child to form their care plan.

Settling your child into nursery is very flexible. Most children benefit from a gradual increase in the length of time they spend in nursery each day in order for them to get used to the routine. Though your child’s keyworker will work with you and your child to establish a settling plan that works best for you.