Catholic nursery south belfast?

[RayZ]

Hi there, I'm not originally from belfast. I'm just working through the nursery application forms, but I don't know where to put down as our first choice. The only catholic nurseries I've even heard of are the Holy Rosary Nursery or the Bethlehem nursery. Does anyone have any experience of them? Or know of any others I should consider?

Obviously we want the best for our pfb, ideally a great nursery that will lead to a great primary!

Have you considered what primary school you might be using? Is there a nursery school attached to them. I thought I had the application book to hand but I must have got rid of it in the pre Christmas panic clear out!. My youngest is just finishing nursery school, she'll be P1 in September. I always looked for the nursery school with the best hours (9- 1.30), the one I liked the teachers at and the ones that had a solid curriculum following early years. Sort of more of a pre school environment than anything.

My kids have all went to Catholic nursery schools but tbh apart the odd statue of Mary and being taught to bless yourself that's been it religion wise.

I'm assuming you live in the parish? If you've visited any of them Id just go with your gut. I had a quick flick at the BELB site and they're very similar sounding to the nursery schools my kids have went to. I'd also have a look on the BELB website at the primary school you might think of using, see if the nursery your child will go to will have any difference to the criteria of primary school places.

Also and I'm sure you've been told this, but just in case, nursery education is very over subscribed in Belfast, make sure you put down six choices on your form, not just your top one or two.

Thank you justupthebend I didn't know that - was just going to put down the 2 we were recommended and hope for the best.

Yes we are in the parish for both, but I'm sure there are a lot of applicants.

Feel like I've left it too late and will be rushing to get it done when it's so important and should've been researched ages ago.

None of my friends in Belfast have children so this is really unknown territory to us.

Thank you so much for your help.

No bother at all, applying for school places is a bloody nightmare. It's hard when it's your first and you don't really know the best thing to do. My eldest will be doing the transfer tests at the end of this year and we've started looking at "big schools" now that really is confusing :). Hope all goes well.

Oh I'll probably be back here for the big school transfers too!

It's just all confusing. We are going to see forge nursery tomorrow and will post the forms after that.

Do they take any consideration about distance / transport links etc? I don't drive which will make a lot of the drop offs and pick ups hard to negotiate (while working full time!).

No, they don't take transport difficulties into consideration at all as far as I'm aware. The nursery school mine go to run a breakfast club that starts at 8.30 but places are very limited and I'm not sure how many nursery schools run one.