Nursery/ playgroups..

[brandy]

hiya guys just wondering.. my lil boy will be two in april and starting to think about playgroups and nursieries.. and that leads to the school he will be going to .. when he starts in a few years.. *groans* do not even know where to start! so any advice on playgroups and nursieries? have heard that the school nursery take applications at 2 1/2 and if you place them in nursery at said schools then you will get a place?
can anyone help with info?

[katarina]

It depends where you live. If you live in Wick, the Norlin Playgroup at the North School is excellent. If you go along to mother and toddlers group first, you will get an idea of what is to come....

[Julia]

Norlin no longer have a mother and toddler group, I personally wouldn't recommend it as a playgroup, the Hillhead or Academy playgroups are much better!

Enrollments will probably be advertised in the local paper and usually take place in Feb or March

The North School Nursery however is excellent.

[postman pat]

My daughter goes to the playbox playgroup, the one beside the Hillhead school and I would make this one of your 1st choices, there are always several activities for the children to be doing and the play leaders are fantastic with all the kids. you can contact them on 606446. Hope this is of some help.
They also run a parent and toddler group as well as a 2 1/2 group but you would have to speak to the leaders for more details on this. :D

[Lou18]

I done a few work placements in Nurseries when I was younger and found the Three Bears Nursery at Miller Academy to be brilliant. My younger brothers and sisters went to Mount Pleasant Nursery and absolutely loved it. Both should have an open day coming up shortly.

For playgroups, the Gaelic Nursey at Mount Pleasant specialises in pre-nursery kids and it is an absolutely fantasic place - we used to have trouble getting my little sister to come home!

[Lucy]

The Health Visitors in Wick will be able to help you out. They have a list of all the Mother & Toddler, Playgroups and Nurseries in Wick. Just ask and they will let you have the list.

[girnigoe]

[quote="Karma Queen"]Norlin no longer have a mother and toddler group,


I didnt realise this. I thought I had my child on the waiting list!!!!

Do you know how long this has been for and why?

Also Brandy, you dont enrol your child for nursery until the year before they go to school, the enrolment dates are in the Groat in February (usually). It also doesnt matter which nursery you put your child to. It doesnt have to be the same one as the school you will eventually put your child to.

I dont think I have heard of a child not getting in to the school nearest them - that only becomes a problem if you wish your child to go to a school outwith your catchment area.

I would also heartily recommend the North School Nursery :D

Though I would also not recommend the Play Group :(

[brandy]

thanks guys.. we live closest to the south school .. but not sure about the school itself as its performance levels havent been the best.. i thought it would be best to see which schools are available and look at each one in turn and then make my decision.

[spiggie]

I would recommend Norlin Playgroup :D , the playleaders are excellent. I have heard good recommendations about the hill head as a primary school though.

[TNCP]

Norlin Playgroup do not run a Parent and Toddler group.

They do however run a 2.5 to 3 year old group on a Monday and Wednesday Afternoon 1.30 to 3.oo.

There is a healthy waiting list for places at present so they must be doing something right.

Whenever places become available parents are informed on a first come first served basis so anyone on the waiting list needs to be patient.

Anyone with any concerns regarding Norlin can contact the Play Leaders or Committee at any time. They are always willing to listen.

[Buzz]

I would highly recomend Norlin Playgroup as both Play leaders are qualified nursery nurses. The afternoon groups are 2 - 3 years and they dont have to be toilet trained. I also find that the staff are very helpful :D

[dawncw]

I think it all depends on where you live which school your child goes to, its called a catchment area, only if other schools have space will they consider taking a child from another area. And i dont believe that there is anything wrong with the south schools performance level, its the childs own intelligence and his/her ability to listen and learn that counts, the teachers are friendly, caring and dedicated to giving children the education they deserve, so if the south school would be the school that is closest then id recommend it as being the nursery you put him too that way he'd be with the kids he's already met in nursery and not have the trouble of having to make new ones at a new school.

[nova]

both my children went to norlin playgroup, they loved it. The playleaders were brilliant. I would recommend it to anyone. My second child was very shy and they spent a lot of time working with her, by the end of the year she was a different child

[brandy]

dawn i think you should read the reports by the council before you say that.. the schools academics are not the best that is why i want to look into other schools and see what they are like.. what the south school was like for you is not necessarilly what they are today

[pepples]

OH i see a debate on the horizon here!
do u have a copy or a web link to these reports brandy? my brothers looking for schools for his young girl, would be quite interesting to see these statistics.
Thanks

[brandy]

they are on here actually.. all the schools havent been done yet but i know the south school has..
heres the link to the education pages
http://www.caithness.org/community/education/index.htm

[pepples]

thanks for the link but its a bit hard to compare the schools in wick when it is only the south school that has a report about it. And it was in 2001 so i would say the main problems about computer use will have improved by now. Does it really matter which school it is that ur child goes to, they are all run by the same authority so the criteria and standards will be the same.

[brandy]

thats why im waiting to look at the other schools... and looking into it now.. my lil boy is just coming two so will be a while yet i just want to get all the info afore hand.. so i can make an informed choice.. there are several reasons i do not like the south school but as they Are personal choice reasons i do not think i will post them as it will def cause a debate/war on here which i do not want to do! *sighs* im tired of all the cat fights.. so im REALLY TRYING not to start arguments *grins*

[nancypotter45]

Both my children attend South Primary School. My daugter is at nursery at present and it is brilliant. The staff are so good with the children. My daughter was very wary and shy at first but the staff have really helped her to come on - in leaps and bounds. My son is in P7 and has been at South since Nursery and is not lacking in any educational skills or confidence, he is more than ready to start High School as is my daughter ready for P1. I think it is unfair to criticise any playgroup/nursery/school when you have not even visited or attended an Open Day.

[allie]

Both my children attended South School and upon joining the 1st year at high school, both were ahead of children from other schools in maths (only Lybster primary were at the same level)
The South School nursery is a lovely friendly nursery where all the children have a great time. They are always doing interesting things, going on outings etc. The staff are warm and friendly, the same as the South School itself.

All the town primaries are much about the same when it comes to levels of teaching, discipline etc. They all seem to be doing fine.
There are guidelines which have to be followed and if a school was failing its pupils, it would obviously be investigated.

Any school would let you visit to have a look around and I'm sure any questions you wanted to ask would be answered.

Remember though, if you live near to the South School (which you do) Do you not think it would be in your childs best interest to attend that nursey and school when the time comes. It's good to go to the same school as the other children in the area, it's a good basis for forging long lasting friendships.

The Amherst playgroup take children from the age of 2 and a half . It was always a good playgroup.

[friendlymel]

it would be nice to hear what the dads say about this and what they think after all they are his children as well.