Prospectus

Please click on the link to view our prospectus which includes information about St Mary’s sessions, fees, admissions, snacks and various other information.

Prospectus

Inductions

When a child starts at St Mary’s they are allocated a Key Person (see section on Staff in About Us). A settling in plan is agreed and parents may wish to stay with their child for the first session or two whilst their child gets used to the new environment. At subsequent sessions parents are welcome to stay for as long as they feel appropriate to ensure their child settles. An ‘All About Me’ form is completed so that we have detailed knowledge of the child from the first day. Each child has a basket in which personal possessions and messages between staff and parents are kept. We have recently introduced family photo books which are a collection of photos of people, places and objects familiar to the child. Children can access these photo books whenever they want to and share the pictures with friends or staff. We have found this to be very successful and popular with the children.

Tapestry Online Learning Journal

You can view your child’s Tapestry Online Learning Journal by clicking on the following link: https://tapestryjournal.com/
Login details will have been communicated to you.

User guides for the iPhone and android apps and the Learning Journal can be viewed by clicking here.

The following Parents’ Guide to Tapestry has been sent to all parents: Parents Guide to Tapestry

Early Years Foundation Stage

For information on the Early Years Foundation Stage, how your child will be learning and what you can do as a parent/carer to help your child’s learning, please read the Parents’ Guide To The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.

Early Years Foundation Stage: What To Expect, When?

The Department for Education and 4Children have put together a free booklet called What to expect, when? A parents’ guide. It aims to help parents know what to expect during their child’s first five years by focusing on the seven areas of learning and development covered in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The booklet can be viewed by clicking here.

Display Board

The following posters are on our display board in our Pre-School building. However, as parents/carers are not usually in the building, please see the links below to view these posters:

Equality of Opportunity
Information Sharing
Uncollected child
Making a complaint
Safeguarding Children display board
Bruising In Children Who Are Not Independently Mobile Leaflet
Keeping Children Safe In Education

Transition to Primary School

Transitioning onto school or another setting is an extremely important period in a young child’s life. We aim to make this as smooth as possible for our families.

At the end of a child’s time at St Mary’s, parents are invited to download their child’s Learning Journey from their Tapestry account to enjoy for years to come. We complete an Early Years Passport with parents and Progress Tracker for all children and this is handed to the receiving school, along with any other relevant information. In addition we invite Reception teachers to visit the children in our setting.

For those children who have additional support, our SENCo will arrange a transition meeting with parents, inviting all agencies who have been involved. If considered appropriate additional play sessions with the new setting will be arranged and their dedicated support worker will accompany children.

“X has settled in well to school life. (She) has made good friendships and will actively join in with other children’s play. (She) is enthusiastic about learning and will often put her hand up to answer a question. She is able to access the resources she would like to use and will ask for adult support if she requires it. Well done X” (X’s First Term Report, Reception Teacher, Newdigate School)

How Can You Help Me Prepare For Big School?

How can you help me prepare for big school

Phonics information For Parents

Information on how phonics is taught when children start Reception

Primary Schools – September 2025

St Mary’s children left the Pre-School in July 2025 to attend the following primary schools:
- North Downs, Brockham/Betchworth (5)
- St Paul’s, Dorking (3)
- St John’s, Dorking (0)
- St Joseph’s, Dorking (1)
- Newdigate (6)
- Powell Corderoy (3)
- Scott Broadwood, Capel (1)
- St Martins, Dorking (1)
- Fox Grove, Leatherhead (1)
- The Greville, Epsom (1)
- Holbrook, Horsham (1)
- Holmesdale, Reigate (1)
- St Giles, Ashtead (1)

Primary Schools – September 2024

St Mary’s children left the Pre-School in July 2024 to attend the following primary schools:
- North Downs, Brockham/Betchworth (8)
- St Paul’s, Dorking (3)
- St John’s, Dorking (3)
- Newdigate (6)
- Powell Corderoy (1)
- Scott Broadwood, Capel (2)
- Warnham (1)
- St Martins (4)
- West Hill, Leatherhead (2)

Trustee Committee

For further opportunities to be involved, St Mary’s has a very friendly committee. There are plenty of committee roles for those wishing to be an integral part of the Pre-School.

2026/2027 Trustees:

- Kim Oakley
- Mark Treliving
- Louise Harrington
-Tina Hillson
- Pippa Bennett