Iverna Gardens

FAQs

What time are the sessions?
We have one morning session followed by lunch bunch activities, which runs 5 days a week.

  • Morning is 8.50am-11.50am (Victoria Road morning is from 9am-12pm)
  • Lunch Bunch is 12pm-3pm 
  • Late pick-ups till 4pm are available.

How many children in the school?
There are up to 36 children in the morning session at Iverna Gardens and 16 at Victoria Road. This sounds like a lot but you would rarely know when going into the classroom. The children are, on the whole, independent and engaged, so the atmosphere is one of calm business. We also have a free flow system o the garden so there are usually 7 children outside at any one time.

Morning or afternoon?
We prefer the younger children (under three) to start in the afternoon. It is a quieter session, with a ratio of 1:3 or 4 rather than 1:7. The atmosphere is much cosier and more intimate. It is a lovely session for the children to become familiar with the classroom and find their feet, ready for moving into the morning in the September after they start. Attached is a document with more information about the benefits of the afternoon session.

I’m worried about my child’s nap if they start in the afternoon
This is a common worry as sleep is so important and once you are in a good sleep routine the idea of altering it feels worrying. Most children will adapt to a change in routine quite easily. Usually families move the child’s lunch earlier (to around 11:00am) and put their child down for a nap at 11:30-1pm. If the nap ends up being shorter than usual then put them down in the evening half an hour earlier. The benefits of starting in the afternoon session make the change of routine well worth it!

Do you do full days?
Once your child is potty trained and in the morning session, you can sign them up to stay until 3pm. 

I am interested what do I do now?
The first step is to register which you can do from our website here:
We operate on a first come first served basis. About a year in advance we will offer you a place in the school, if we have one available. You can always email to find out where you are on the waiting list.