Month: September 2026

Reigate St Mary’s Nursery to welcome babies from six months

Reigate St Mary’s Nursery to welcome babies from six months with new year-round provision

Reigate St Mary’s is expanding its Nursery from Spring 2027, welcoming children from six months and introducing year-round care. Set within the school’s 15-acre green site in Reigate, the expanded provision will combine flexible care with a nurturing, school-based environment. Eligible families will also be able to access 15 and 30 funded hours.

Reigate St Mary’s is expanding its established Nursery from Spring 2027, welcoming children from six months old and introducing year-round care for local families.

The new provision will extend the school’s much-loved Nursery to younger children for the first time, while giving parents the option of year-round care as well as a term time offering.

Set within Reigate St Mary’s 15-acre green site in the heart of Reigate, the expanded Nursery will provide a nurturing environment for babies and young children, with plenty of space to play, explore and spend time outdoors as they grow.

The changes have been designed to give families greater flexibility, particularly those looking to combine high-quality early education with care that works around busy working lives. Eligible families will also be able to access 15 and 30 funded hours.

While the provision is expanding, the approach will remain very much that of Reigate St Mary’s: children will be known individually, cared for by an experienced team and gradually introduced to the wider opportunities of school life as they get older.

Reigate St Mary’s Nursery to welcome babies from six months with new year-round provisionNick Oakden, Head of Reigate St Mary’s, said:

“We have been welcoming young children and their families to Reigate St Mary’s for many years, so it is really exciting to be able to extend that care to babies from six months old. We want to give families the flexibility they need, but without losing the warmth, individual attention and sense of community that parents value about our Nursery. Children will have the time and space to grow in confidence, explore and learn, while becoming part of school life naturally as they get older.”

For older Nursery children, the school’s extensive grounds become an increasingly important part of their experience, with outdoor learning and Forest School providing opportunities to explore the natural environment and develop confidence and independence.

Children can continue from Nursery into Reigate St Mary’s School, providing families who choose it with a natural progression into Reception and beyond.

The expanded Nursery will open from Spring 2027, with places available for babies and children from six months old. Families interested in finding out more are invited to join Reigate St Mary’s at its next Early Years Open House on Saturday 10 October, where they can meet the team and explore the Nursery and school.

Places can be booked by visiting www.reigatestmarys.org/admissions/visit-rsm

Alternatively, parents can contact the Admissions team for more information or to arrange a visit. [email protected]

St Christopher’s Nursery to offer year-round care.

St Christopher’s Nursery in Epsom will offer year-round care from January 2027 for children aged 2+, open around 46 weeks a year from 7.30am–6pm. Eligible families can access 15 and 30 funded hours.

St Christopher’s School & Nursery in Epsom is extending its nursery provision from January 2027, offering year-round care for children from the age of two.

The established and much-loved Nursery will be open for around 46 weeks of the year, including throughout much of the school holidays, giving local families greater flexibility while continuing to provide the same nurturing, school-based education for which St Christopher’s is known.

With extended hours available from 7.30am to 6pm, the change has been introduced in response to the needs of local families, particularly working parents looking for high-quality early years education alongside care that fits more easily around family life.

Children can join St Christopher’s Nursery from the age of two, with 15 and 30 funded hours available for eligible families. From January, the year-round provision will give parents the option of continuity of care beyond the traditional school terms.

As part of St Christopher’s School, Nursery children benefit from being part of the wider school community from the outset. They enjoy a broad range of experiences and specialist facilities, while the Nursery places a strong emphasis on developing confidence, independence and the skills children need as they prepare for school.

St Christopher's School & Nursery in Epsom will offer year-round care from January 2027Bronia Grehan, Head of St Christopher’s, said:

“We know how much families value the education and care their children receive in our Nursery, but we also know that family life and working patterns have changed. Extending our provision throughout the year means we can give parents the flexibility they need without changing what makes St Christopher’s Nursery special. For the children, it will still be the same familiar, happy environment, with the same emphasis on knowing each child really well and giving them the confidence and independence to thrive. We’re very excited to be able to offer that to more local families.”

St Christopher’s is part of the Reigate Grammar School Group and has close links with nearby Chinthurst School in Tadworth.

The new year-round Nursery provision will begin in January 2027.

Families interested in finding out more are invited to visit the school and Nursery and meet the team at their next open events or to contact the school to arrange a private tour

Working Open Morning – Friday 2 October

Nursery Fun Morning – Saturday 10 October

For More Information CLICK HERE

Bus Passes for Disabled People Extended to 24/7 by April 2027

Helen Maguire MP celebrates disabled bus pass win on visit to new Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey centre in Ashtead.
 
Helen Maguire, MP for Epsom & Ewell and Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Primary Care & Cancer, has visited Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey at their new centre in Ashtead to find out more about the services and support available to her constituents living with sight and hearing loss.
 
They also celebrated the recent campaign win after the Government announced that from April 2027, bus passes for disabled people will be extended to 24/7, a change that will have a tangible impact on many of the clients at Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey.
The visit gave the MP an opportunity to meet the team, learn more about the charity’s work across Surrey and see its new centre following its recent move to Ashtead.
 
During her visit, Helen heard about the range of services on offer, including the practical and specialist support available to people who are blind, partially sighted, Deaf, hard of hearing and deaf-blind and the importance of residents knowing who they can ask for advice and support. She also discussed some of the challenges faced by local people with sensory loss, including challenges disabled people are experiencing to maintain employment, due to issues with the Access to Work scheme.
 
Helen Maguire MP Epsom & EwellHelen Maguire MP said:
“It was really valuable to visit Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey and find out more about the support available to my constituents. I was also delighted to see the charity’s new centre here in Ashtead and meet the people who provide such an important service to local residents.
“Sensory loss can have a significant impact on people’s independence and day-to-day lives, so it is important that people know what support is available to them. I’m grateful to the team for taking the time to show me around and explain more about their work.
 
“We’ve also seen some fantastic news for disabled people, after the Government has announced their decision to scrap restrictions on disabled bus passes in England. This is something I’ve long called for, and I’m delighted to see the hard work of campaigners, including my Liberal Democrat colleague Tom Gordon MP, has paid off.”
 
Clare Burgess, CEO from Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey. BusClare Burgess, CEO of Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey, said:
“It was a pleasure to welcome Helen Maguire MP to our new centre in Ashtead and show her around and talk to her about the support we provide to people living with sensory loss and the Deaf community across Surrey. I was so pleased Helen showed such an interest in the issues residents with sensory loss, and other disabled people, face to secure and maintain employment due to the problems with the Access to Work scheme.  
 
“We were also delighted to celebrate with Helen the recently announced changes to free bus travel for disabled people which removes the time restrictions.  Accessible and affordable transport can make such a difference to people’s independence, helping them get out and about, stay connected and access work, volunteering, healthcare, and community activities. We were pleased to share this positive development with Helen and celebrate what it will mean for the people we support.”
 
The new Ashtead centre provides Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey with a new base from which to engage with people locally and deliver its services to communities across Surrey.
 
The charity supports children and adults who are blind, partially sighted, Deaf and hard of hearing, providing information, advice and practical assistance to help people maintain their independence, well-being and connection with their communities.

Surrey Police Back to School Safety Advice

Following a long and hot summer, most children are going back to school this week. With this in mind, Surrey Police thought it would be a good opportunity for them to share with you some top safety tips for your loved one’s return to the classroom.

Quick Tips:

  • If you can, teach your child one emergency contact number and also write it down and put in their school bag.
  • Children should be taught basic road safety such as always walking on the pavement away from the kerb and only crossing at safe places like zebra crossings.
  • If your child gets lost or approached by a stranger on their way home from school, they should always try to go back to school or to a nearby shop and ask to speak to a staff member.
  • When sharing a child’s first day of school on social media, make sure to not share too much detail. Information such as full names, nicknames, school names, teacher names and personal home information, should be strictly avoided. These details could be used by someone with negative motivations to trick your child.

For children at secondary school, Surrey Police have included some more age-specific safety advice below:

  • Keep personal data safe online by activating 2-factor authentication across all messaging accounts, emails and gaming channels.
  • A reminder that screenshots can now make any ‘temporary’ photo or message permanent and shareable. If they are worried about any explicit images of themselves on the internet, ‘Report Remove‘ from Childline can help them confidentially report any images for removal.
  • If a young person is worried about a potential crime taking place within their social group or at school, but they don’t want to call us directly, they can report completely anonymously to Fearless.

Surrey Police hope this quick summary has been useful and wish everyone a safe return to school.