Early Years

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At Our Lady of Sion, your child's happiness is our first priority and he/she will be able to grow as an individual in a stimulating, yet comfortable and secure environment. We work in close partnership with parents to ensure that children are nurtured and able to develop into self-confident and social individuals, who are willing to learn, are kind and caring and who integrate well with their peers. There is an excellent staff/pupil ratio and staff are well qualified, dedicated and experienced. We welcome the West Sussex Early Years Partnership Nursery Education Grant to help you to get the very best education for your child.

Our Nursery and Reception Classes benefit from being situated in a purpose built, state-of-the-art, self-contained unit which ensures good security and is adjacent to the main school building. Both classes have easy access to the outdoor covered play area, which enables children to spend as much time outside as possible all year round.

We ensure that parents are involved in their child's learning, by sending out detailed copies of long-term plans at the beginning of the academic year. Close links between Nursery and Reception ensure a smooth transition to the main school.

We offer a ‘wrap-around' care scheme for children from Reception upwards, providing care from 8.00 am till 5.00pm.

Open Mornings/Evenings
The Junior School and Early Years hold regular open mornings and evenings; at least one in every term. Details can be found on the Open Events page. You are very welcome to visit us for one of these events, when you will have the opportunity to look around the school.

Nursery
Nursery sessions are offered, for children who are three during the term they start in the nursery, from Monday to Friday, from 8.30 until 12.00 noon, or from 12.00 - 3.00pm. A full Nursery day finishes at 3.00 pm. In the Nursery, staff plan and provide a day filled with purposeful activities, where children work both as part of a group and independently. 

Reception Class
Monday to Friday 8.45 a.m. to 3.15 p.m. In the Reception Class the children commence full-time education. We provide a structured learning environment, building on concepts developed in Nursery.

Download the Early Years School Ofsted Report

Early Years (Nursery & Reception)