Our Nursery

The S. Thomas’ College Nursery was inaugurated on the 11 th of January 2017 with the objective of adding further value to College, at the foundation stage.

Presently there are 5 classes with a maximum capacity of 20 students in each class, maintaining 10 students to a teacher ratio. The classrooms are decorated to make it visually stimulating for the children and fully furnished with the Montessori apparatus, puzzles, fun play-based material and reading/cozy corners

A variety of exciting and enriching activities have been designed to give our students an experience with a difference. The syllabus is specially formulated for the Nursery with a blend of both the Montessori and Pre-School methods in order to make learning through play, the aim. The curriculum consists of singing, music & movement, outdoor playtime and swimming (Upper Nursery Classes only). Various Events and Novelty Days are organized throughout the year to give the children an experience with a difference.

The future and wellbeing of our society is held in the hands of our children. How we educate and nurture them will determine the kind of individuals they will grow up to be.

All children have the potential to become independent and purposeful when given the proper foundation, guidance, support, respect and love.

We at the Nursery, believe that children are a true gift. We need to cherish them by providing them with an environment where they can be themselves and grow in confidence and knowledge, a “home away from home”…..

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Goals

  • To offer standard and professional childcare and teaching services designed for preschoolers in a secured, neat and conducive learning environment.
  • To ensure that parents’ expectations and educational goals are met when they enroll their children in our Nursery.
  • To provide an education of international standards at an affordable price
  • To create an environment where the child’s and his parents’ overall best interest would always come first, and everything done is guided by our values and professional ethics.
  • To create an environment that fosters a love of learning, through practical learning experiences.
  • To provide the child with a holistic education by concentrating on the whole child; mind,body and spirit.
  • To meet all emotional, social, physical, spiritual and intellectual needs of children.
  • To provide an education that evolves and adapts to the changing needs of the child and the society he grows up in.
  • To teach children to thrive in the real world, through positive and practical thinking.

Scope

  • The Consultant and Head Mistress are responsible for the day to day running of the Nursery. They will report directly to the Warden and Sub Warden.
  • The Nursery section can accommodate a maximum of 100 children at present.
  •  Year groups – Playgroup, Lower Nursery & Upper Nursery
  •  Each class has a Class Teacher and an Assistant Teacher.
  •  Class sizes will go up to a maximum of 20 children in order to maintain the ratio of 10 children to a teacher.
  •  Formal sessions of school take place from Monday to Friday.
  •  The nursery gates are open at 7.45am and all students are required to be in class by 8am.
  •  The closing times at the Nursery are as follows – Playgroup 10.45am, Lower Nursery 11am and Upper Nursery 11.30am.
  •  The day begins with Mindfulness, Practice of Life Skills and Spiritual observances.
  •  All teachers will work closely together to plan and prepare work on a weekly basis.
  •  Through the use of modern teaching methodologies and the use of information technology, the children are given a motivating learning experience with a difference.
  •  A wide variety of ‘hands on’ activities including role plays, simulations, music & movement, singing, games and videos are used to increase the learners’ confidence,interest and knowledge.
  •  Singing, Swimming and Music & Movement are taught by specialist teachers.
  •  All four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing are covered in English, with an introduction to Sinhala and Tamil.
  •  Prominence is given to mathematical concepts.
  •  Activity days such as Cookery Days, Water fun play, Nature walks etc are planned throughout the term to add colour to their learning experience.
  •  Sports Days, Art Exhibitions, Book Weeks and Year End Concerts are held annually.

Testimonials

The STC Nursery was a wonderful experience for our older son, and became a place where he built lasting friendships and unforgettable memories. Unlike most other Nurseries, the STC Nursery focuses mainly on a play based learning method, with many fun activities that develop life-skills, rather than concentrate more on book work. In a competitive world where children are expected to join in the ‘rat-race’, STC Nursery opens its arms to cultivate the importance of childhood and allow children to be children. Every event was well organized and was communicated clearly to the parents.

Our older son loved all his Aunties, and remembers them fondly to this day. Even though he was a very shy child, who during the first month; did not speak to anyone, we saw a vast improvement in his interactive skills rapidly. We always will be grateful to the class teachers, who did not push him into interacting, but rather gave him the freedom, to take his time to adjust. What we admire about the staff, is their approachability and interaction they have with us. They are always open to our concerns and have always followed up with regards to any issue. The support staff too, are very admirable and do an amazing job in caring for the children.

Our experience with our second son at Playgroup has been wonderful too. So far, he is adjusting well and even though he is not the quiet, shy person his brother was; we have noticed how independent and responsible he has become, since he stared Play Group. 

STC Nursery is a place, where children are encouraged to pursue their creativity and mould them into becoming the people they are meant to be. It is a place in which the children are encouraged to think, rather than trained. Education is a necessity, yet the way in which they are educated will change who they grow up to be.

Anushka Dassanayake

Parent

My son Mikhail’s nursery experience at College has been a very pleasant one. As parents we have seen him gradually grow in many ways whilst enjoying his time and not being stressed out with work. He loves his aunties dearly and has a new story about them every day. Amidst the balance between work and play, an integral part is how the nursery embraces college activities such as the big match, charity walks and other activities. This is the perfect way to teach them the traditions at College, giving them a sneak peek in to the interesting life ahead and thereby facilitating a smooth transition to the “big aiyas school” as they call it. It’s a pity that Micky had to miss a few months in his final year at the nursery due to the pandemic, however I can happily say that Mikhail has enjoyed every minute there. A big thank you to aunty Rushika, aunty Romela, and all the teachers and support staff at the nursery for making Mikhail’s stay a blast. Esto Perpetua!  

Ishkey Irshard

Parent

My husband & I were initially hesitant to enlist our 2 year old elder son at a nursery, as we felt it was too early for him to start any type of formal education. However, few months into his first term we realized that the play group was perfectly suited for him and his age and he benefited immensely from this exposure. The play, storytelling, show & tell and crafting activities kept him highly engaged and he looked forward to a joyful day at school and would return home with all his amusing stories of his new friends and his wonderful “aunties”; his world of discovery & enjoyment. We noticed he was eager to go to school on the day that they had music and dancing. And we watched the outcome with pride at the Nursery concert, held at the end of the school year, to see our son who was shy and reserved during the first term perform his acts to perfection and thoroughly enjoying himself in the act, with no stage fright whatsoever! “A star was indeed born” in the hands of the well trained teachers of the nursery, who fostered his natural ways whilst encouragingly nurtured his confidence. It is admirable that it is not only the dedicated class teacher, but all other teachers are familiar with all the children of the nursery by first name. It is evident that the staff members inclusive of the class help assistants form an efficient team to take care of each and every child that walks in through those gates. Further, during the unprecedented times that have unfolded during the past 2 years i.e. Easter attacks and subsequently the challenging pandemic, we as parents were comforted by the strict operating guidelines that were put into place to ensure our child’s utmost safety and wellbeing. I wish to extend our sincere appreciation of the S. Thomas College Nursery and its staff members. We look forward to enlisting our second son too to this establishment as we are confident that our children are in safe, caring and knowledgeable hands.

Zamani & Dylan Fernando

Parent

My husband and I were relieved when S. Thomas College Nursery, were taking in girls as its close by, convenient to travel and we have no sons who could continue the tradition of studying at this prestigious school. To leave our little ones at nursery at such a tender age, it can be very emotional, but our minds were at ease, knowing they were safe and occupied during the day in a lovable and caring environment.Our daughters joined the nursery from playgroup, from the inception they enjoyed going to school and the reason for this is solely because of the amazing staff, the hands on and fun learning experience, the kindness shown in abundance and this has boost my children’s confidence and social skills, within a span of a few months. It’s sad my daughters would not be able to continue their studies at STC but the nurturing environment created by Mrs Romela de Mel and Mrs Rushika Ratnayake and their amazing, passionate staff (teachers, assistant teachers and support staff), have paved the way for an easy transition when they join their “big”, school. I would definitely recommend the nursery to any parent looking for a safe, clean, approachable and lovable environment for their daughter or son, as STC Nursery has molded my two girls into independent children who have a mind of their own. Thank you so much for encouraging them to achieve what they set their little hearts out to. ESTO PERPETUA

Aysha Amal Wahid

Parent

“My twin boys attended S. Thomas’ Nursery since they were 2+. The teachers are amazing and well trained. They were smart enough to identify that my kids required special needs. The staff not only identified this early but also educated and guided us to take the necessary steps. By early detection we were able to get the help they needed. My wife and I are so grateful for this. No parent wants to hear and accept that your kids need extra help, but the teachers were very caring, kind and always helpful to us to get through. Next year they will move to grade one. For
us, putting them to the college Nursery was the smartest decision we made.“

Kanishka Kalupahana

Parent

The STC Nursery was a wonderful experience for our older son, and became a place where he built lasting friendships and unforgettable memories. Unlike most other Nurseries, the STC Nursery focuses mainly on a play based learning method, with many fun activities that develop life-skills, rather than concentrate more on book work. In a competitive world where children are expected to join in the ‘rat-race’, STC Nursery opens its arms to cultivate the importance of childhood and allow children to be children. Every event was well organized and was communicated clearly to the parents.

Our older son loved all his Aunties, and remembers them fondly to this day. Even though he was a very shy child, who during the first month; did not speak to anyone, we saw a vast improvement in his interactive skills rapidly. We always will be grateful to the class teachers, who did not push him into interacting, but rather gave him the freedom, to take his time to adjust. What we admire about the staff, is their approachability and interaction they have with us. They are always open to our concerns and have always followed up with regards to any issue. The support staff too, are very admirable and do an amazing job in caring for the children.

Our experience with our second son at Playgroup has been wonderful too. So far, he is adjusting well and even though he is not the quiet, shy person his brother was; we have noticed how independent and responsible he has become, since he stared Play Group. 

STC Nursery is a place, where children are encouraged to pursue their creativity and mould them into becoming the people they are meant to be. It is a place in which the children are encouraged to think, rather than trained. Education is a necessity, yet the way in which they are educated will change who they grow up to be.

Anushka Dassanayake

Parent

My son Mikhail’s nursery experience at College has been a very pleasant one. As parents we have seen him gradually grow in many ways whilst enjoying his time and not being stressed out with work. He loves his aunties dearly and has a new story about them every day. Amidst the balance between work and play, an integral part is how the nursery embraces college activities such as the big match, charity walks and other activities. This is the perfect way to teach them the traditions at College, giving them a sneak peek in to the interesting life ahead and thereby facilitating a smooth transition to the “big aiyas school” as they call it. It’s a pity that Micky had to miss a few months in his final year at the nursery due to the pandemic, however I can happily say that Mikhail has enjoyed every minute there. A big thank you to aunty Rushika, aunty Romela, and all the teachers and support staff at the nursery for making Mikhail’s stay a blast. Esto Perpetua!  

Ishkey Irshard

Parent

My husband & I were initially hesitant to enlist our 2 year old elder son at a nursery, as we felt it was too early for him to start any type of formal education. However, few months into his first term we realized that the play group was perfectly suited for him and his age and he benefited immensely from this exposure. The play, storytelling, show & tell and crafting activities kept him highly engaged and he looked forward to a joyful day at school and would return home with all his amusing stories of his new friends and his wonderful “aunties”; his world of discovery & enjoyment. We noticed he was eager to go to school on the day that they had music and dancing. And we watched the outcome with pride at the Nursery concert, held at the end of the school year, to see our son who was shy and reserved during the first term perform his acts to perfection and thoroughly enjoying himself in the act, with no stage fright whatsoever! “A star was indeed born” in the hands of the well trained teachers of the nursery, who fostered his natural ways whilst encouragingly nurtured his confidence. It is admirable that it is not only the dedicated class teacher, but all other teachers are familiar with all the children of the nursery by first name. It is evident that the staff members inclusive of the class help assistants form an efficient team to take care of each and every child that walks in through those gates. Further, during the unprecedented times that have unfolded during the past 2 years i.e. Easter attacks and subsequently the challenging pandemic, we as parents were comforted by the strict operating guidelines that were put into place to ensure our child’s utmost safety and wellbeing. I wish to extend our sincere appreciation of the S. Thomas College Nursery and its staff members. We look forward to enlisting our second son too to this establishment as we are confident that our children are in safe, caring and knowledgeable hands.

Zamani & Dylan Fernando

Parent

My husband and I were relieved when S. Thomas College Nursery, were taking in girls as its close by, convenient to travel and we have no sons who could continue the tradition of studying at this prestigious school. To leave our little ones at nursery at such a tender age, it can be very emotional, but our minds were at ease, knowing they were safe and occupied during the day in a lovable and caring environment.Our daughters joined the nursery from playgroup, from the inception they enjoyed going to school and the reason for this is solely because of the amazing staff, the hands on and fun learning experience, the kindness shown in abundance and this has boost my children’s confidence and social skills, within a span of a few months. It’s sad my daughters would not be able to continue their studies at STC but the nurturing environment created by Mrs Romela de Mel and Mrs Rushika Ratnayake and their amazing, passionate staff (teachers, assistant teachers and support staff), have paved the way for an easy transition when they join their “big”, school. I would definitely recommend the nursery to any parent looking for a safe, clean, approachable and lovable environment for their daughter or son, as STC Nursery has molded my two girls into independent children who have a mind of their own. Thank you so much for encouraging them to achieve what they set their little hearts out to. ESTO PERPETUA

Aysha Amal Wahid

Parent

“My twin boys attended S. Thomas’ Nursery since they were 2+. The teachers are amazing and well trained. They were smart enough to identify that my kids required special needs. The staff not only identified this early but also educated and guided us to take the necessary steps. By early detection we were able to get the help they needed. My wife and I are so grateful for this. No parent wants to hear and accept that your kids need extra help, but the teachers were very caring, kind and always helpful to us to get through. Next year they will move to grade one. For
us, putting them to the college Nursery was the smartest decision we made.“

Kanishka Kalupahana

Parent
“My twin boys attended S. Thomas’ Nursery since they were 2+. The teachers are amazing and well trained. They were smart enough to identify that my kids required special needs. The staff not only identified this early but also educated and guided us to take the necessary steps. By early detection we were able to get the help they needed. My wife and I are so grateful for this. No parent wants to hear and accept that your kids need extra help, but the teachers were very caring, kind and always helpful to us to get through. Next year they will move to grade one. For us, putting them to the college Nursery was the smartest decision we made.“
Kanishka KalupahanaParents
My husband & I were initially hesitant to enlist our 2 year old elder son at a nursery, as we felt it was too early for him to start any type of formal education. However, few months into his first term we realized that the play group was perfectly suited for him and his age and he benefited immensely from this exposure. The play, storytelling, show & tell and crafting activities kept him highly engaged and he looked forward to a joyful day at school and would return home with all his amusing stories of his new friends and his wonderful “aunties”; his world of discovery & enjoyment. We noticed he was eager to go to school on the day that they had music and dancing. And we watched the outcome with pride at the Nursery concert, held at the end of the school year, to see our son who was shy and reserved during the first term perform his acts to perfection and thoroughly enjoying himself in the act, with no stage fright whatsoever! “A star was indeed born” in the hands of the well trained teachers of the nursery, who fostered his natural ways whilst encouragingly nurtured his confidence. It is admirable that it is not only the dedicated class teacher, but all other teachers are familiar with all the children of the nursery by first name. It is evident that the staff members inclusive of the class help assistants form an efficient team to take care of each and every child that walks in through those gates. Further, during the unprecedented times that have unfolded during the past 2 years i.e. Easter attacks and subsequently the challenging pandemic, we as parents were comforted by the strict operating guidelines that were put into place to ensure our child’s utmost safety and wellbeing. I wish to extend our sincere appreciation of the S. Thomas College Nursery and its staff members. We look forward to enlisting our second son too to this establishment as we are confident that our children are in safe, caring and knowledgeable hands.
Zamani & Dylan FernandoParents
My husband and I were relieved when S. Thomas College Nursery, were taking in girls as its close by, convenient to travel and we have no sons who could continue the tradition of studying at this prestigious school. To leave our little ones at nursery at such a tender age, it can be very emotional, but our minds were at ease, knowing they were safe and occupied during the day in a lovable and caring environment.Our daughters joined the nursery from playgroup, from the inception they enjoyed going to school and the reason for this is solely because of the amazing staff, the hands on and fun learning experience, the kindness shown in abundance and this has boost my children’s confidence and social skills, within a span of a few months. It’s sad my daughters would not be able to continue their studies at STC but the nurturing environment created by Mrs Romela de Mel and Mrs Rushika Ratnayake and their amazing, passionate staff (teachers, assistant teachers and support staff), have paved the way for an easy transition when they join their “big”, school. I would definitely recommend the nursery to any parent looking for a safe, clean, approachable and lovable environment for their daughter or son, as STC Nursery has molded my two girls into independent  children who have a mind of their own. Thank you so much for encouraging them to achieve what they set their little hearts out to. ESTO PERPETUA
Aysha Amal WahidParents