Early Years, Ballyclare Nursery School

Ballyclare Nursery School is situated not far from the centre of Ballyclare in a housing estate off the Doagh Road. It was built in 1976 the enclosed veranda being added on several years later.

 

Ballyclare is a thriving market town, which is expanding rapidly with a number of privately owned housing developments having been built in recent years. The demand for places has always been a problem as the school caters for a wide area both in the town and in the out-lying rural areas. The number of children on rolls is now 156 making it one of the largest nursery schools in the Province.

 

The school operates six classes on a daily basis, all of which are part-time. Three classes run from 9:00 - 11:30 am and another three classes run from 12:30 - 3:00 pm. The staff consists of a Principal, two full-time Schoolteachers and two part-time Schoolteachers. There are three Nursery Assistants, a Classroom Assistant and a part-time Secretary who is also an experienced Classroom Assistant in the afternoons. We also have a General Assistant and a Building Supervisor (Caretaker).

 

They accommodate students from Stranmillis University College, colleges of Further Education and we provide Work Experience for a number of Post Primary schools.

 

The Policy of our school is that each child is accepted as a unique individual. By sharing in the relationship already established with parents, an attempt is made to create a safe, secure, stimulating and above all a happy environment. This will provide opportunities for our children to develop self-confidence and concentration and social skills.

 

It is the policy of Ballyclare Nursery School, when planning the curriculum, to take into consideration the differing skills, previous experiences and individual needs of the children.

 

The curriculum is planned and evaluated by the staff who are qualified school teachers and Nursery Nurses (NVQ Level 3 and B Tech). The curriculum signifies the process of learning and Nursery Education is thought of in terms of activities and experiences rather than knowledge to be acquired and facts to be stored. The ethos of the curriculum is that learning can be fun and the child is encouraged to build strong relationships, become independent, increase his/her concentration span and gain a high self-esteem. All the available space and appropriate resources are used to ensure a variety of learning experiences for the child.