WELCOME TO NURSERY
We are accepting children for September 2026 nursery places. September 2026 nursery places are available for children who turn 3 between 1st September 2025 to 31st August 2026. We also take children who have their 3rd birthday throughout the school year.
Join us at St Thomas’ Early Years, where we cherish the unique qualities of each child. Together, we will promote individual growth and development, nurturing a positive attitude towards learning that lasts a lifetime.
We warmly welcome you to be part of our vibrant nursery community, where your child’s journey of discovery and joy begins!
GROW
PLAY
CREATE
THINK
EXPLORE
At St Thomas’ Early Years, our children are at the heart of everything we do. We understand that the early years are a crucial time for exploration and discovery, and our nursery is designed to foster an environment where every child can thrive.
Our diverse curriculum is anchored by our Early Years Five principles: grow, create, explore, think, and play.
Grow – Our children grow into confident, powerful and independent learners
Play – Play underpins learning and all aspects of children's development
Create – Our Children’s natural curiosity, willingness to try things out and sense of adventure are creative qualities that will flourish given the right support.
Think – Children develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.
Explore - Children investigate and experience things, and 'have a go!
Nursery session times
8.30am – 11.30am | Nursery AM
12.30pm – 3.30pm | Nursery PM
8:30am – 3:30pm | Nursery 30 hours entitlement
Children attending Nursery are also able to access our extended provisions
For queries around hours, attendance patterns and funding please contact our office: info@stthomasceacademy.com
We believe that education should be exciting, engaging, and enjoyable. Through flexible planning, we provide children with ample time for sustained involvement in self-chosen activities. Our dedicated staff engage in high-quality interactions that facilitate and extend children’s creativity and critical thinking skills, encouraging them to become active participants in their own learning journey.
At St Thomas’ Early Years, we promote awe and wonder through a rich variety of experiences and interactions. Our love of high-quality texts nurtures a language-rich environment that encourages the development of specific, key vocabulary across all areas of learning. Moreover, we capitalise on ‘teachable moments’—those magical instances when curiosity sparks exploration. Our skilled practitioners are adept at recognising these opportunities, engaging with children through communication, modelling language, and guiding their learning during both planned activities and child-initiated play.
We take great care to ensure that all seven areas of learning and development are treated with equal importance, allowing children to make meaningful connections in their learning. Our cross-curricular planning is informed by children’s interests and needs, ensuring a holistic approach to their education. From exploring key figures in history to engaging with artists and developing foundational skills in Early Geography, Science, and Computing, our curriculum lays a strong foundation for each child's future learning.
We also understand the importance of collaborative learning. Children in the early years benefit from working together, as our practitioners expertly guide their interactions, ensuring a rich and supportive experience. Enabling environments are carefully crafted to provide high-quality play, allowing children to invent their own narratives while exploring their interests.
Take a look around our nursery
Registration
Registration forms can be collected from our school office or accessed via the link below.
For further information please contact the school office:
01902 558963
As part of our nursery admission process, we ask every family to take part in a home visit and two stay and play sessions, all completed before the child’s agreed start date. The home visit allows staff to meet children in a familiar and comfortable environment, helping us gain an early understanding of their interests, routines, and developmental needs while building positive relationships with parents. Following this, one stay and play session is held in nursery with parents present, enabling families to experience our setting and supporting a smooth transition. A second stay and play session is then completed with the child attending independently, giving them the opportunity to explore the environment and form early bonds with staff. These steps are essential in ensuring a calm, secure, and well supported start for every child joining our nursery.
Celebrating the Grand Opening of Our New Nursery at St Thomas’
We are delighted to celebrate the official opening of our brand new Nursery at St Thomas’. This exciting development marks a significant milestone for our school, providing a purpose built space where our youngest learners can thrive and grow as they begin their educational journey in a nurturing environment.
We were honoured to be joined by the Mayor, Craig Collingswood, who shared a heartfelt and encouraging speech about the importance of Early Years education and the positive impact this new Nursery will have on families in our community. Followed with the ribbon cutting ceremony, led by the inspirational Shonette Bason.
Following the opening, we hosted a MAT EYFS network meeting led by Shonette, who brought her usual energy, passion and expertise to the session.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who joined us to mark this very special occasion. Your support helped make the day a true celebration of what we can achieve together. This new Nursery will not only benefit our school but will also serve as a lasting investment in the future of our children and community as we continue to create futures together.
