St Gabriel's Nursery

Nursery

St Gabriel’s CofE Academy is proud to offer its own Nursery Class, accepting children from their third birthday. In our Nursery, we aim to provide a nurturing and purposeful environment, which will help your child settle happily into school life as they prepare to start Reception. 

Our Nursery

St Gabriel’s Nursery is a pre-school nursery open for 38 weeks a year, following the school’s term dates including closure for teacher training days.  We offer morning sessions from 8:30am to 11:30am and/or afternoon sessions from 12:30pm to 3:30pm.  There is an optional unfunded lunch hour available from 11:30am to 12:30pm and this is chargeable separately.

We are delighted that this provision is closely linked with our school, enabling us to have great transition between Nursery and Reception which ensures we are able to give our future pupils a great start in a school environment with a dedicated Nursery Teacher.  Unfortunately, Nursery pupils are not given priority when applying for Reception.  Applications for Reception classes will be considered in line with the schools’ Admission Policy.

Staffing 

Early Years Funding

We accept the 15 or 30 hours Early Years Educational Entitlement funding and require that children attend a minimum of 15 hours (5 sessions) per week.  This EYEE funding can only be used against nursery sessions and cannot be used for lunch hour payments or food.  We also accept childcare vouchers, including the Government’s Tax-Free Childcare scheme.

Please be aware that EYEE funding becomes available from the start of the school term after your child’s 3rd birthday. EYEE funding is available until your child reaches statutory school age or starts school reception class, whichever is the earliest. Applications for EYEE funding must be made the term before you want the place to start. For further information, please see the leaflet below which outlines the process in more detail.

EYEE Funding 

Applying for a Place

If you are interested in applying for a Nursery place, please contact the school office in the first instance via email childcare@stgabrielscofeacademy.org with your name, your child’s name, your child’s date of birth, your email address and a contact phone number.  You will then be added to our wait list and your date of expressed interest will be recorded. You will receive email confirmation that you have been added to the wait list. Please note that the wait list does not guarantee you a place in the Nursery; it is simply an expression of interest. In order to be considered for a place, you must submit an application form within the specified application window.

Children included on our Nursery Wait List will be invited to an Open Event or a Nursery Tour approximately 1-3 months’ before your child’s relevant application window. During the event or tour you will be able to meet the nursery team, view our nursery setting and discuss your session requirements in more detail.

To apply for a place at St Gabriel’s Nursery, you must apply using our application form within the specified application window. Details of the application process, application dates and the application form can be found in the Nursery Admissions Policy below. Once we have received your application form, we will write to you to confirm safe receipt. Any application forms received before the opening date or after the deadline will not be considered. All offers will be made in writing, and processing dates and offer week dates are detailed in the Nursery Admissions Policy below.

Nursery Admissions Policy 2024-25 New starter forms will be sent out to you with an offer of a place. Enrolment and funding forms should also be completed and returned within 15 days of the offer being made.

A one-off £30 registration fee will be payable when your child joins our Nursery.