Frequently asked questions

St George’s Nursery is a warm, nurturing community where children are encouraged to be curious, confident and joyful learners. What makes us special is the way we blend high‑quality early education with a deep commitment to emotional wellbeing and play.

We believe children learn best when they feel secure and inspired. Our teachers and practitioners build strong, caring relationships with every child, creating an environment where they feel known, valued and supported from the moment they arrive.

Play sits at the heart of everything we do, and our learning spaces - indoors and outdoors - give children countless opportunities to explore, imagine and discover. Whether they are experimenting with early STEM concepts, listening to stories, building dens in the Fantastical Forest, or solving problems with their friends, children are encouraged to think creatively and follow their natural curiosity.

Our specialist teachers add richness to the week with music, ballet, PE and library sessions, while our strong links with the Junior School mean that children feel part of the wider St George’s community from the start.

Together, these elements create a nursery experience that nurtures the whole child - academically, socially and emotionally - and gives them the confidence to take their next steps with excitement and ease.

From April 20^th 2026, we can take girls and boys from 2 years old or from the day of their second birthday in our Little Dragons Nursery. They will then progress to our St George's Preschool class before joining Primary 1.

2 years old is a perfect age to join our nursery. We focus on children learning through play, outdoor learning and laying a solid foundation in pre-literacy, writing and numeracy skills.

• Warm welcomes and relationship-building time to help children feel safe, settled, and connected with their key adult.

• Indoor play and exploration including sensory activities, construction, imaginative play, books, music and creative materials.

• Outdoor play every day, giving children space to move, investigate, and develop confidence in the natural environment.

• Small-group nurture time such as songs, stories, or simple games that support language and social development.

• Snack and mealtime routines where children develop independence and enjoy eating together.

• Quiet rest time or an afternoon nap depending on each child’s needs.

• Further play and discovery following children’s interests through carefully planned activities and free exploration.

Our 2-year-old provision offers a nurturing and thoughtfully designed start to each child’s early learning journey.

Grounded in Scotland’s national early years guidance, including Realising the Ambition: Being Me, Pre-Birth to Three, and the wider Early Years Framework, our approach recognises that two-year-olds are at a unique and important stage of development. Our approach is carefully tailored to support their growing sense of self, early communication and emerging independence within a secure and caring environment.

Children learn through play, exploration and warm, responsive relationships. Our experienced staff take time to truly get to know each child, creating an environment where they feel safe, confident and ready to explore.

Our curriculum is shaped by:

• Strong, relationship-based care, ensuring every child feels known and valued

• Rich play experiences that support language, physical development and curiosity

• Gentle, individualised transitions that respect each child’s needs and routines

As children grow, they are gradually supported to develop their communication, confidence and independence, preparing them for the next stage of nursery life.

Yes, the nap time is after lunch for no more than 1 hour.

Ratios for 2-year-olds are 1:5.

By the time children move from Nursery into Preschool, we aim for them to feel secure in themselves, able to communicate their ideas, manage everyday routines, and approach new experiences with resilience and enthusiasm - foundations that are widely recognised as key to a successful start in school. As children move into their pre-school year, we gently introduce experiences that help them feel increasingly ready for Primary 1. This includes opportunities for more sustained focus during small group times, developing early reading and number awareness, and growing independence in following routines and organising themselves. Importantly, these skills are developed in ways that remain engaging, meaningful and appropriate for each child.

Our transition programme in the summer term is designed to ensure children feel confident and familiar with their next step. This includes parent information events, an assessment morning, and opportunities to spend time in the Junior School. Children build relationships with Primary 1 staff, explore the learning environment, and take part in shared experiences throughout the year - so that moving on feels like a natural and exciting progression for the whole family.

Each nursery day follows a gentle structure that gives children security while still allowing lots of time for free play and exploration. Mornings and afternoons each have a planned focus, delivered through play‑based activities that match the developmental needs of the children in the room.

Children enjoy a rich variety of specialist experiences throughout the week, including music, ballet, PE and library sessions. Every nursery room also has a dedicated outdoor day, when children spend extended time exploring our Fantastical Forest.

In the afternoons, our practitioners lead fun clubs and activities such as drama, gardening, art and cookery, giving children the chance to follow their interests and try new things. Children play outdoors every day, and we encourage warm, waterproof clothing so they can enjoy the fresh air in all weathers.

Being an integral part of the whole of St George’s School gives our nursery children access to extra facilities out-with the nursery’s dedicated wing. Throughout the day, children have plenty of space to move around indoors as well as outside. Our excellent environment both inside and outside the classrooms allows us to take advantage of outdoor learning, and our girls and boys are guaranteed to spend more of their time outside than children in most other nurseries.

• We offer specialist nursery accommodation housed within a wing of the Junior School

• Facilities split across six playrooms over two floors with immediate access to spacious outdoor purpose-built play areas and landscaped garden.
• Outstanding outdoor play areas with stimulating adventure playgroup equipment. In addition, we also make regular use of our extensive school outdoor areas such as our fantastical forest, wild woods, secret garden and fort, Junior School playground and school playing fields.
• Use of whole school facilities: music centre with auditorium, purpose-built gymnasium, specialist music and art rooms, library, general-purpose hall for dance, PE and ballet.
• Use of the St George’s Centre – our family whole school dining facilities where we encourage good table manners and healthy eating.

As a private nursery as part of a school, children enjoy sessions with our primary trained and specialist teaching staff, all included as part of the nursery fees. This is a special advantage of being part of our nursery, as it provides access for nursery children to teaching and coaching that they would not experience in a stand-alone setting. It also provides familiar faces when the children transition into P1.

Yes. We provide a broad and balanced nursery curriculum through a team of dedicated early-years practitioners who meet the needs of all our individual children.

We have an experienced nursery teacher who ensures there is a strong focus on high standards, assessment and learning across all early level curricular areas.

Outstanding outdoor play areas allow us also to take advantage of outdoor learning in our Fantastical Forest, playground and our secret garden.

Our 2‑year‑old provision is designed to offer a nurturing, developmentally responsive start to each child’s learning journey. Grounded in Scotland’s national early years guidance, including Realising the Ambition: Being Me, Pre-Birth to Three, and the wider Early Years Framework, our approach recognises that 2‑year‑olds are a distinct and special stage of development with unique needs, capacities, and rhythms.

The children’s experiences are planned in consultation with them and their parents, building on advice from Scottish Government national guidelines: ‘Curriculum for Excellence 3-18’ and ‘Building the Ambition’.

We recommend you apply as early as possible to secure your child’s place at our Little Dragons Nursery.

Yes, once your child has turned two, they can join at any stage of the nursery year. Our team are skilled in helping children to settle into the nursery life and routines at whatever stage they join.

For term time booking options, drop-off and collection times, please refer to the sessions outlined in our pricing structure. During the school holidays, our Holiday Club (including nursery-aged children) runs from 8.00am – 5.00pm.

• Breakfast, a morning snack and lunch during term-time are all included in the fees

• Lunch is served in the kitchen within the Nursery for 2 year olds. 3-5 years go to the St George's Centre for lunch.

• Tea can be booked for an additional fee if staying until 5pm or beyond in afterschool care (or packed tea can be provided by the family).

• During holiday club pupils bring their own lunch, snack is provided by school. No tea offered to any children because of the 5pm finish.

Families provide nappies and wipes.

No, we will work with families to understand their child's stage of independence and development when using the bathroom and look to work in partnership with families on each child’s developmental journey in this area, promoting good toileting and hygiene habits from the outset.

We take all dietary requirements and allergies extremely seriously. Information shared on personal and medical forms is carefully recorded and communicated to the whole nursery team. We work closely with families to ensure we fully understand each child’s needs, and we tailor meals, snacks, and routines accordingly.

Clear systems - such as allergy-safe food preparation, labelled dietary plans, and staff briefings - ensure that every child is cared for safely and consistently.

We have a long-serving and expert nursery team, including teachers and practitioners; the average length of service in the team is over 8 years and staff turnover is low.

All our practitioners are registered with the Scottish Social Services Council and benefit from regular training and professional development provided by the school and external bodies. Furthermore, all nursery staff are Sign Along trained, which is a tool to help support those with ASN and help develop early language skills.