Early Years’ Service:

We cater for children from 3months to 5 years of age. We have four age related units for children to confidently reach their full potential; baby room, wobbler room, toddlers and early education unit.

We provide a warm, safe, caring, stimulating, healthy and happy environment for children. Parents and children will be treated with great respect and understanding and will be encouraged and helped to reach their full potential. We believe in parental engagement to best support the child’s development, we do this by; weekly coffee mornings, daily feedback to parents, yearly parent/practitioner meetings, informative workshops, home child parent programmes and various nursery events throughout the year.

We provide children with a healthy, nutritious snack and encourage family style dining in the early years’ setting. Children attending the full day session are provided with a hot meal throughout the day.

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What we offer:

Sessional care Morning 8.45am – 12.15pm Afternoon 12.45pm – 4.15pm

Full day care (limited places) 8.45am – 3.30pm

ECCE Scheme Morning 8.45am – 11.45am Afternoon 12.45pm – 3.45pm

Our Curriculum

Aistear, a journey …

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‘Aistear is the curriculum framework for children from birth to six years in Ireland. It provides information for adults to help them plan for and provide enjoyable and challenging learning experiences, so that all children can grow and develop as competent and confident learners within loving relationships with others. Aistear describes the types of learning (dispositions, values and attitudes, skills, knowledge, and understanding) that are important for children in their early years, and offers ideas and suggestions as to how this learning might be nurtured. Through the Aistear framework we aim to encourage; active learning through play, problem solving, effective and meaningful communication.’

Baby Room (3mths – 1years of age):

We cater for babies from three months onwards in this unit. The babies each have their own sleep area, nappy change, quiet and feeding area. Each child has their own individual routine in this room. The rooms are designed to be open for children to communicate freely with children, staff and parents passing by.

Wobbler Room (1 – 2 years of age):

The wobbler rooms are designed to be open for children to freely communicate with children, staff and parents passing to nourish their curious minds. The children are learning skills in sharing, turn taking, and encouraging repetition in their routine enables them to master skills but also allows exploring, risk taking, facilitating sensory play, promoting speech and language.

Toddlers (2 – 3 years of age):

We have three purpose built rooms in this unit; Art room, playroom, classroom. The children spend a total of one hour in each room, before transitioning to the next room. Changing rooms prepares the children for transitions and provides change and new challenges. All rooms lead out onto our garden. Each room has a set purpose;

  • Art room: art activities and sensory play i.e. water play, sand play, playdough, chalkboard, colouring, and cutting.

  • Play room: home corner, quiet area, construction area, opportunity for circle time.

  • Class room: snack room/eating area, exposure to table top activities and puzzle time.

Early Ed (3 -5 years of age):

In September 2018 we welcomed the ECCE programme. We are delighted to say that we have a tailor made two year compulsory programme for children age applicable to the scheme. There are three rooms in each year, mirroring the toddler unit i.e. art room, playroom and class room. The children spend a total of one hour in each room before moving onto the next.

ECCE Year 1:

We have developed an introductory to Montessori equipment within the classroom. Focused learning for this age group would be; independence skills, enhancing hygiene skills, table top activities, strengthening cognitive development and classroom management in general.

ECCE Year 2:

Focused learning mirrors that of year one but in more depth whilst specifically focusing on literacy and numeracy, language development, mastering problem solving. Elements of a comprehensive Montessori programme have been developed for the 4 – 5 year olds.

We heavily focus on the child’s ‘transition to school’ ensuring they have the best possible start in the primary school. This transition includes; parent/practitioner meetings, completion of ‘transition to school’ checklist, meeting and visits to the junior infant classrooms in term 3, practitioner and teacher meetings for a in-depth child handover prior to the child commencing junior infants.

Programmes that we offer to the Early Years:

  • ICE – integrated care and education

  • Chatter Matters (Language programme for parent and child)

  • Presto music programme from babies to preschool children

  • Parent child home programme

  • Hygiene programme

  • Access to speech and language services*, play therapy

Parent Child Home Programme

The Parent-Child Home Programme (PCHP) is 'learning through play experience' for parents and their preschool children. It is designed to strengthen the natural bond between parent and child and to encourage a love of learning. It employs a non-directive approach and encourages the parent as the child’s first and best teacher. This programme prepares children for later success in school. PCHP employs specially trained local women as Home Visitors, to model verbal interaction for the parent and child. The Home Visitor meets the family twice a week, in their own home, for two short (1/2 hour) visits, during the (primary) school year.