Welcome to Our Lady of Lourdes Early Years Foundation Unit including our nursery and reception classes. At Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School and Nursery we aim to provide our early years children an exciting and challenging curriculum where children learn through play. Our intention is that every child should be enabled to develop in a secure and supportive environment so that they will be inspired to learn about the world around them. Children mature at their own pace, but we help and support each child to be ready for the start of year 1. 

Our Early Years Foundation unit consists of three classes: a nursery class, a mixed nursery and reception class and a reception class. Every class has direct access to an outdoor space because we know the importance of exciting learners through carefully planned inside and outside environments.  Our teachers plan a curriculum that enhances children’s interests and builds upon them. Children choose freely where they would like to play whilst adults support the play by firing children’s imagination and developing their language. Children also have the opportunity to be led by adults in learning including phonics or other areas of the early years curriculum to enable the child to progress in their knowledge and understanding. 

Our wider school grounds are extensive and we take the opportunity to enable children to develop across all the areas of learning within our school environment. We also take the opportunity to use our school specialists in sport and music to develop children’s physical development and speech and language skills. We invite visitors into school to broaden our children’s experience and encourage our children to have outside trips to develop their understanding of the world around them. 

We value our relationships with parents and carers and share information about children's learning through our communication channel, Class Dojo. We encourage parents to tell us about their child’s development through conversations and through Class Dojo because we know the important role parents play as their child’s first educator. 

We are proud of our Early Years Foundation Unit that offers a supportive and nurturing learning environment for children from 2-years old until 5 years old. Our close school family enables children to transition well into year 1 building upon the play-based and adult led learning of those important foundation years.

Welcome to Our Lady of Lourdes Nursery. Our nurturing and skilled staff have a wide range of experience in supporting children to enjoy their learning in nursery. Children flourish in our stimulating environment supported by caring professionals who want the best for every child. Our nursery is very much part of the main school with one class of nursery age children working alongside  a mixed class of nursery and reception aged children.  These classes work directly with the Early Years Lead as part of the Early Years Foundation Unit, so that nursery children are included in as many school events as possible. The Early Years Foundation Unit  is situated in the main building with all classes located next to each other and each with access to an outside area. 

Our nursery sessions run in the morning and the afternoon from 8.45 until 11.45 am and from 12.15-3.15pm. We are open from Monday to Friday during term time offering 35 paces in the morning and 35 places in the afternoon. We recommend that children attend five consecutive sessions and offer both 15 hour and 30 hour places. We have a lunch club that children can attend from 11.45-12.15. Our nursery provision gives priority to 3-4 year olds according to our Nursery Admissions Policy, but we will also accommodate 2-year olds if space allows.

We prioritise places for 3-4 year old children and places are allocated based on our Admissions Policy. However, where spaces are available we will also accommodate 2-year old children. 

Please complete the online application form to register your interest. 

 All 3- and 4-year-olds are eligible to access up to 15 hours Universal Early Years Funded Entitlement (EYFE) a week (up to a maximum of 570 hours per year)

Eligible working parents can apply for EYFE for Working Families, providing access to up to 30 hours free child care  per week for children from 9 months old. 

Some 2-year-olds can access a maximum of 15 hours of EYFE per week (or up to 570 hours per year) if their families meet specific criteria under the Local Authority (LA) Issued Free Childcare for 2-year-olds.

To find out whether you are eligible please follow this link: Childcare Choices

Those not eligible or requiring additional hours are charged £18.00 per 3 hour session for those in the term after their third birthday. For two year old children and those that are just three are charged £24.50 per three hour session. 

We offer a lunch club for children each day where children can either order a school dinner or bring a packed lunch. Children are supervised by Early Years Foundation Unit Staff. There is an additional charge for this service of £5.00 per day. 

We provide a healthy snack as part of each session. Our menu is designed to encourage children to make a healthy choice and also try new foods. Snack is £1.50 per week, although children may bring their own snack if it follows our Healthy Eating Policy. 

Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School and Nursery provides a very successful Morning and After School care club for nursery and primary school children. Our clubs have a maximum of 40 places and parents can book a day in advance if places are available.  Southend Local Authority have commented favourably in regard to our wrap-around childcare. Staff on site have first aid and safeguarding training, with the addition of key workers receiving food preparation/hygiene and training. 

BREAKFAST CLUB 

To support parents who have work commitments, there is a Breakfast Club from 7.15am every day until school starts. The cost of the club includes breakfast as well as childcare.

Parents need to book Breakfast Club in advance via School Money to ensure there is space for their child.  Child Care Vouchers can be used. Please speak to the school office for details. 

For nursery children, the cost per day is £8.00 and £12.00 (for 3–4-year-olds or 2-year-olds)

AFTER-SCHOOL CLUB

To support parents who have work commitments, there is an after-school club which runs daily with the choice of booking 3 sessions as below; 

Nursery children attending from 3.15-4.15, without tea, at a price of £7.00

Nursery children attending with tea at a price of £16.00

You are required to register online via School Money to secure your place. Child Care Vouchers can be used. Please speak to the school office for details.