Greenbank Pre School is located in the purpose-built nursery hall in Greenbank Church under the leadership of Mrs Kate Humphrey (MA PGCE). Our experienced staff are committed to quality provision for the individual child. There are 28 places available morning and afternoon with 3 staff and one parent helper on a rota system.
Children can enjoy playing and learning with friends in bright modern airy accommodation with two gardens, one grass covered with a play house and one all weather surfaced. At Greenbank we offer a nutritious organic snack (£2/week) and believe in promoting a healthy and positive outlook.
In
the 1970s Greenbank Church opened a playgroup in one of
its halls in response to the growing need for such facilities
in the area. In 1999 the playgroup went into partnership
with The City of Edinburgh and 2003 it changed its name
to Greenbank Pre School.
Our excellent HMIe inspection report is available for carers to view.
Please
click here to access our most recent report.
Children can gain a funded place once they are three at the start of a term. We have two large adjoining open plan rooms and two garden areas. Each child has a key worker who is responsible for keeping an accurate developmental profile of your child. The profiles are shared with parents and are a compilation of observations made in the 5 curricular areas.
As we are part of the non-profit making sector the staff are aided by a management committee.
- To provide a safe, stimulating environment in which all children can feel welcome, happy and secure, regardless of race, colour, ethnic or religious background.
- To ensure that the children at Pre School have a challenging educational experience, which includes experiences and outcomes in Expressive Arts, Health and Wellbeing, Literacy and English, Numeracy and Mathematics, Religious and Moral Education, Sciences, Social Studies and Technologies.
- To provide a varied daily programme of activities along Early Education Guidelines underpinned by Curriculum for Excellence, to ensure quality of learning amidst a positive culture that promotes good stewardship of our environment.
- To develop in the children a clear sense of right and wrong by praising good behaviour and encouraging responsible citizenship, successful learning, confident individuals and effective contributors.
- To value each member of our centre by encouraging positive attitudes towards others and develop confidence and self-esteem and foster wisdom, justice, compassion and integrity.
- To ensure that staff and parent helpers work as an effective and efficient team.
- To liaise with local school, agencies and the community.
- Committed to on-going self-evaluation and improvement of centre through discussion, reflection and Continuing Professional Development.
At Greenbank Pre School we want to promote a positive view of our world and how we can help to look after it. We have achieved a Green Flag in the Eco Schools Programme. Eco-Schools is a programme for promoting environmental awareness in a way that links to most, if not all, curriculum subjects. The Eco-Schools process is holistic. It works by involving the whole nursery - children, their families and staff work together with members of the local community. It encourages teamwork and helps create a shared understanding of what it takes to run a centre in a way that respects and enhances the environment.
Where possible we use organic ingredients. We provide a daily healthy snack which is available between 0930-1030. Parents bring £2 each week, which provides a mixture of organic fruit, vegetables, savoury biscuits and ingredients for baking. Organic milk, or water, is provided. Please notify any food allergies to the staff. We have a baking day each week and each child can make something specifically for their own birthday which is shared at snack.
Since 2003 Greenbank Pre School has been developing its own comprehensive policies which cover all aspects of playing and working at Greenbank Pre School. We review our policies regularly and have undertaken during 2008-2011, as stated in the Standards and Quality Improvement Plan 2008-2009, to review and develop our policies. To this end the Management Committee aim to make Pre School policies available via our website, however until they are available electronically, parents can ask staff for a copy if they wish to read any of the 27 policies.
Protecting Children and Young People: Framework for Standards
[PDF, 476KB]
Child protection procedures
[PDF, 823KB]
Greenbank Pre School is in partnership with the City of Edinburgh and all children who are 3 or over receive a “free” place provided they are not also attending another nursery. As a voluntary organisation Greenbank Pre School requires to fundraise to meet the cost of equipment etc. Following suggestions from parents a voluntary payment (currently £40 per term) instead of fundraising is asked for. This is strictly voluntary and confidential, however, and no parent should feel that their child cannot attend the Pre School because of this payment. There is also a small fee payable on enrolment to cover administrative expenses.