ESMS ABOUT OUR NURSERY

WELCOME TO
ESMS NURSERY

ESMS Nursery is a happy place to
be, with highly qualified practitioners
who nurture children as individuals
and offer extraordinary opportunities
to help them discover their unique
potential.
The teaching ethos in the Nursery
is creative and hands-on. We
nurture each child’s natural curiosity,
creativity and critical thinking through
play based opportunities, encouraging
the children to have fun, become
increasingly independent and to think
for themselves.
ESMS Nursery is in partnership
with the City of Edinburgh Council,
which gives parents, who are eligible,
the opportunity to benefit from
1140 hours of Early Learning and
Childcare (ELC) funding a year.
This equates to 30 hours of funded
childcare a week, during term time,
from 8.15am - 2.45pm Monday –
Friday and includes a hot lunch in our
bespoke early years dining facility.

ABOUT ESMS
ESMS is a family of independent
schools for children, aged 3-18
years, in Edinburgh. We are
a vibrant community where
extraordinary opportunities
and inspirational teachers help
children to discover their individual
talents and infinite potential.
The ESMS model combines a
co-educational junior school and
sixth form with single sex but
closely twinned senior schools,
giving children the best of both
worlds.

VALUES THAT LAST A LIFETIME
Our nine values are at the heart of
everything we do. They help shape the
characters of our children and create
the happy and positive environment of
which we are so proud.
INTEGRITY
RESPONSIBILITY
GRACE
ENTHUSIASM
APPRECIATION
CONFIDENCE
COMMITMENT
RESPECT
KINDNESS

SPECIALIST STAFF
In addition to our experienced,
highly qualified classroom teachers,
we also have specialist staff for
Music, Digital Learning, PE and
Forest Kindergarten. This approach
allows us to gently introduce
children to a range of new
experiences which are then built
upon as they move through school.
SECTOR LEADING
WELLBEING PROGRAMME
When children feel happy, safe and
secure they are far more likely
to thrive emotionally, socially and
academically. That’s why the ESMS
model gives equal prominence
to Wellbeing, Curriculum and
Activities and why we go the extra
mile to make sure all our children
feel nurtured and cared for. As an
attachment led Nursery, we keep
our staff and child ratios small so
that we can take the time to build
strong emotional connections with
every child to help them flourish.
“Fun outdoor play area bung-full of interesting and
irresistible bits and pieces.”
Good Schools Guide

OUTDOOR LEARNING
Outdoor Learning is an important
part of life at ESMS. Our extensive
programme includes Forest
Kindergarten sessions, led by
trained staff, and wellie walks
around our beautiful school
grounds. While the children are
having fun exploring the natural
world around them, they are also
developing confidence, learning how
to assess risk and building essential
life skills, from problem solving and
resilience to teamwork.
HEALTHY FOOD
Hot meals are served in our new
family style dining rooms where
children eat and chat around a table,
just as they would at home. Our
menus encourage healthy eating and
staff join the children at mealtimes
to encourage good manners and a
positive relationship with food.
PREPARATION FOR
SCHOOL
We believe that children who are
taught by qualified teachers from
a young age will have an easier
transition into school. At ESMS we
start getting children ready from
the moment they join our Nursery.
Each of our Nursery rooms for
four year olds has its own qualified
teacher who makes sure that
whilst the children are having fun
and making friends, they are also
developing the necessary physical,
academic and social skills they
will need for school. This means
that they won’t have to undergo
a formal assessment to get into
Primary 1.

NURSERY HOURS
8.15am - 2.45pm
WRAPAROUND CARE
Early Birds starts at 7.45am
After School Care is available until 6pm
HOLIDAY CLUB
Holiday Club is available Monday to
Friday, for Nursery children, outside
term time. We offer flexible sessions to
fit your needs:
Full day: 8.15am - 6pm
Morning: 8.15am - 1.15pm
Afternoon: 1pm - 6pm

“My son started at ESMS Nursery in August last year and
we have been absolutely delighted with it. He is excited
to go there every morning and talks so happily about his
teachers and the friends he has made. We have been blown
away by how caring and conscientious the staff are. We
know our little boy is in safe hands, with people who truly
care about his safety, wellbeing and development. I honestly
couldn’t recommend ESMS more.”
ESMS Nursery Parent
Contact us now to book your
personal tour or to find out more:
jsadmissions@esms.org.uk
0131 311 1115
esms.org.uk