RATHCOOLE PRIMARY SCHOOL
NURSERY UNIT


Rathcoole Primary School Nursery Unit is a purpose built double unit nursery opened in 1995. It was funded by the Government initiative 'Making Belfast Work' in recognition of the absence of any nursery school provision in the local estate.

The unit 'provides an exciting, challenging and much needed expansion to the educational provision of the main school' (Mr P Hutchinson, Principal). Although physically separate from the school the nursery unit is seen to be very much part of Rathcoole Primary School. The school has a happy and caring ethos.


There are 52 children in the nursery, all of whom enjoy a full time session.

The unit is staffed by two teachers Mrs McGeagh and Mrs Spratt and two nursery assistants Mrs Woods and Mrs Wallace.

The unit aims to:

- provide opportunities for the child to grow in self confidence, experience success and develop a good self image;
- provide opportunities for the child to deepen and lengthen his concentration, develop cognitively and achieve a work attitude towards play so that skills and concepts are learned through experience and interest;
- provide opportunities for the child to explore a wide range of materials creatively, allowing him to express himself appropriately;
- provide opportunities for the child to share in the wonder and excitement created by books, stories and rhyme;
- provide opportunities for the child to practice and understand social skills and to be able to communicate his thoughts and feeling to adults and his peers ;
- involve parents, thus bridging the gap between home and school allowing each child the opportunity of reaching his full potential. The nursery unit recognises that it should meet the needs of the community and should not exist in a vacuum.


We believe nursery school is the child's first step along the journey that is 'school life'. From the outset we aim to create a secure, stimulating and enjoyable learning environment with a broad, well balanced nursery curriculum of experiences and activities that will meet each child's general developmental needs.