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BOOK A VISIT

Please complete the form below with your details and we can call you back to arrange a visit.

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This form collects your name, email, contact number and child’s age so we can contact you with application information for the waterfront nursery. Read our privacy policy to find out how we collect, store and use your data.

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ABOUT US


​​At the Waterfront Nursery, our purpose built nursery houses three playrooms supporting children’s development from birth to five years

OUTDOOR PLAY
Our location on the waterfront, allows children to explore the outdoors in our large secure outdoor play area, as well as the regular use of our turtle stroller buses and regular supervised walks to the beach and surrounding areas. 
We are constantly developing and improving our outdoor learning pedagogy and we are in the process of creating an outdoor satellite branch of the nursery.  This will offer opportunities for blended learning with children spending half of their week outdoors.
HEALTHY EATING
Healthy eating is a big part of our ethos. We understand that a balanced diet is important to your child’s growth and development. Our lunch and snack menus are taken from NHS guidelines for Early Years, Setting the Table. Children are encouraged to learn about healthy foods by helping to prepare snacks in their playrooms.
We cater to as many dietary needs and preferences as possible, please speak to a member of our team if your child has any particular needs.
You can access our rolling snack and lunch menus here.
LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Fun and engaging activities help support the key learning experiences which are part of the national curriculums. At Waterfront Nursery children take part in dance, sports, performance, and cookery experiences within the nursery and also with students from Edinburgh College.
We are registered with The Care Inspectorate and have been inspected by HMIE. We are proud to offer government funded pre-school places and are registered as a partner nursery with the Edinburgh Council. Click here to find out your options for using your government subsidised hours.


APPLYING FOR ​A PLACE

We advise all parents and guardians to book a visit with us. Our staff can give you a tour of the nursery and answer any questions regarding your child. 
At this time we are restricting access to the nursery to staff and essential personnel only.  You are able to see a video tour of each playroom on our website and we are happy to arrange a video call using one of the different platforms available such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams.  This will give you an opportunity to ask any questions to one of the team members in the playroom.
To apply for a place at the Waterfront Nursery download our Application Form and send the completed Form to waterfrontnursery@edinburghcollege.ac.uk.
For information on nursery fees please download our Fees Document.
We are committed to providing the highest quality childcare and early education, helping ensure your child gets the best start in life.
We aim to:
Offer a secure and stimulating environment where each child valued as an individual
Encourage positive attitudes and respect for cultures and religions
Work in partnership with parents
Develop links with the local community




Our Rooms

We have 5 playrooms, dedicated to guiding children through every stage of their development from 0-5 years.

0 - 2 years

On our ground floor we have two 0-2 playrooms. The children in this age group are encouraged to mix freely, however we do have a separate safe space for children under 1. This is to ensure we can meet all of their needs for tummy time, cruising and starting to take their first steps.
We aim to follow a natural approach throughout the nursery to give our children lots of sensory and real life experiences. The 0-2 playrooms are light and bright with a separate area for sleeping. These playrooms are staffed on a 1:3 ratio.

2 - 3 years

Further along the corridor, we have two 2-3 year old playrooms. These rooms are busy and active just like the little people who play and learn there. We have lots of different experiences available daily for the children to explore and as all of our ground floor playrooms open directly onto the garden, the children have access to the outdoors all day. These rooms are staffed on a 1:5 ratio.
Downstairs we also have an area which is used for mealtimes to make them an enjoyable and social experience for our younger children.

3 - 5 years

Upstairs the entire floor is dedicated to our pre and ante preschool children. We have a beautiful, open plan space for the children to learn and explore in. We are able to incorporate all eight areas of the curriculum and give children the autonomy and confidence to play a major role in their learning.
We operate a focus group approach in our 3-5 playrooms. Each week a different group of children will be the focus children for that week. All team members will be focusing on that group and working towards achieving their personal targets and next steps.
We feel that this allows our team to really get to know all of the children in our care and helps everyone to be aware of where each individual child is in their learning. This also allows us to involve the children much more in planning for their learning. We watch out for WOW moments for all of the children and continue to record and develop these all year.

Outdoor Play

Outdoor play is very important to us at Waterfront and the preschool children have the opportunity to be outside as much as they want to be. During the day there are a minimum of 2 staff outside at all times to support free flow play as much as possible.

Babies

Meet the team (l-r):
Babies are settled into the Starfish room over a two to three week period, building a bond with staff and we create an individual plan for each family.
The Starfish Room is calm and comforting with lots of interesting and exciting activities provided each day including our dedicated sensory room was designed by our staff and children. Babies will start their journey on the Pre-Birth to Three: Supporting Our Youngest Children initiative.

Tweenies

Meet the team (l-r):
Children in the Seahorse room are gradually introduced to different experiences such as moving from high chairs to sitting with their friends at a table for lunch.
The Seahorse team support the children’s developing gross motor skills by providing lots of encouragement and structured activities to encourage pulling up, cruising and walking.

Tweenies +

Meet the team (l-r):
Our Sea Turtles are very busy learning and having fun in our bright and welcoming playroom.
We have lots of different activities going on including playdough making, baking, sand and water play and lots of singing and dancing. We have a calm and quiet area where children can rest or sleep if they choose to.

Toddlers

Meet the team (l-r):
Penguins are our oldest children on the lower floor of the nursery.
They are always busy learning new skills and sharing their experiences with their friends and teachers. Their playroom opens onto the secure garden offering plenty of opportunities to get outside.

Juniors

Meet the team (l-r):
Dolphins are getting to the independent stage and like lots of opportunities to “do it myself”.
We support the children’s developments and celebrate their achievements as they learn various self-help skills such as toileting, serving food and water and getting ready for going outside to play.

Ante-PreSchool

Meet the team (l-r):
The Otter room is the start of a child’s journey to school under the Curriculum for Excellence framework.
Children have the choice of free play and are encouraged to choose what they would like to learn about through questions and mind mapping. We encourage independence and respect the children’s rights to choose where and how they learn.

PreSchool

Meet the team (l-r):
A child’s final step in their nursery journey is the Orca room which ensures they are ready for the transition to school.
The Orca children help out with lots of things around the nursery and help to make lots of decisions about their learning environment. We provide structured group activities as well as one to one time with key workers, and offer a variety of experiences such as the Nativity Play and Graduation as well as lots of fun and learning.

Outdoors

Meet the team (l-r):

We have a large secure garden which is accessible for all children to explore and learn in. Our excellent location allows us to make the most of the surrounding area. We regularly take the children on local walks to the beach, wooded areas and Bookbug sessions at the library. Our six seater turtle buses and double and triple buggies ensure all of our children experience the outdoors no matter what age they are.


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Our Promise

We aim to give the best value childcare for your family. Our fees include a two course, nutritious hot lunch and morning and afternoon snacks for children attending for the full day. Children attending for the morning session receive morning snack and lunch and children attending afternoon sessions receive afternoon snack.

As a parent of the Waterfront Nursery you will have access to an individual online learning journal for your child. Children under 2 will receive daily sheets which detail sleep, food and nappies for the day. Older children will receive this information as part of a verbal handover and details of lunches will be available on the lunch board for pre-schoolers.

Parents are also invited to be involved in the nursery as part of our parents’ committee where we ask for feedback on the nursery and any ideas for development of our service. We run stay and play events and are always happy to welcome parents and carers to share important parts of their culture with the children.

We provide support for children with additional support needs. Please feel free to contact our Additional Support for Learning Co-ordinator, Vicki Shiels to discuss your child’s needs and how we can help. We regularly work with many external agencies and other professionals as part of the Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) approach.

10% reduction is available on session fees for second and subsequent children from the same family attending simultaneously.

Please note a minimum of 2 sessions a week must be booked.

STUDENTS

We welcome college students, staff and families as well as the public. We are one of the only private nurseries in Edinburgh who offer term time only contracts to students, allowing parents to apply for funding without paying for non-funded student holidays. Students can also sign up for extra childcare during student holidays, on a pay as you go basis, depending on availability.

Contact us

If you wish to book a nursery visit or you want to know more, please get in touch.
t: 0131 297 8800
e: waterfrontnursery@edinburghcollege.ac.uk
The Waterfront Nursery @ Edinburgh College
350 West Granton Road, Edinburgh, EH5 1QE
Opening Hours Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 6.00 pm
Morning Session | 8.00 am to 1.00 pm (includes snack and lunch)
Afternoon Session | 1.00pm to 6.00 pm (snack)
HOW TO FIND US
Waterfront Nursery is located at Edinburgh College, Granton Campus.
It is easily accessible by car, and is serviced by the following Lothian Buses:
8, 14, 16, 24, 32, 38, 47.