Uniquely, Learn and Grow will be the only nursery in Dundee owned and operated by a fully qualified, experienced primary teacher.
Hello,
Firstly, thank you for your interest in Learn and Grow Childcare and visiting our website.
Secondly, I welcome you as a parent first and foremost. I know from my own experience how searching for the perfect nursery for your child can trigger a whole range of emotions and it is vital you find the right setting for your precious child ... I found the process so tricky that it inspired me to realise my life ambition; to open my own nursery!
I understand that the thought of leaving your baby (and they still feel like your baby, whether they are 4 months or 4 years!) can be daunting. That is why I want to reassure you that at Learn and Grow we will love and care for your child as if they are part of our own families. We will ensure they are happy and having fun through learning every day.
I have been involved in Education for over 10 years. My first degree was in Psychology before I completed my post-grad in Primary Education, I was then a teacher in Dundee for several years before I specialised in Literacy ... becoming a mummy led me to Learn and Grow. I want to provide the highest quality of childcare where I can use my vast knowledge of learning to support and inspire staff who share my vision of a nursery where learning is fun and children can flourish ... and hopefully help fellow parents and carers reduce the anxiety of childcare.
Thank you again for your time, I look forward to hearing from you.
Warmest wishes
Laura
Owner/Operator
Home from Home
Indoor - Outdoor
Collaboration
Learn and Grow Childcare is a day-care children’s nursery for up to 48 children at a time, aged 0-5 years. Uniquely, Learn and Grow will be the only nursery in Dundee owned and operated by a fully qualified, experienced primary teacher.
We aim to provide the highest level of childcare where children are safe, happy, and engaged in quality learning experiences every day. We want to provide parents with confidence and peace of mind when leaving their little ones. We also aim to be a thriving, financially viable business providing dynamic employment for staff.
Learn and Grow occupies a very central spot in Dundee just off Harefield Road being within minutes of the A90 as well as being within 10 minutes’ drive of Dundee Airport, Dundee City Centre, and hospital sites, so it is well located for people who are commuting throughout central Dundee.
The setting was purpose built as a nursery over 20 years ago, originally Oranges & Lemons Clement Park then Happitots Thrive Childcare. The setting has been fully restored and brightly refreshed in 2024 with entirely new resources indoors and outside. It is a single-storey, predominantly open plan building with excellent spaces both inside and out. There is a full kitchen on site as well as an office, staff room, storage rooms and provision for 0-2 room, 2-3 room, 3-5 room as well as separate sleep, changing, and toilet facilities.
We have a clear objective of what we aspire to achieve at Learn and Grow.
We:
• provide a safe, happy, caring, secure and stimulating environment for all children.
• enable all children to develop their capabilities as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors to society.
• help all children to prepare for their individual futures.
ensure our children and families experience high quality care and support that is right for me.
• We support all children to explore new ideas and technologies and provide high quality resources. We agree targets for development and learning then provide appropriate feedback. We will apply the Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) approach to meeting individual needs. All staff engage with ongoing assessment and evaluation whilst reflecting on individual progress.
are fully involved in all decisions about their care and support.
• We have useful and sensitive sharing information policies. All staff promote an open-door policy where we welcome children and parents’ views and contributions to nursery life and activities. We will work in partnership to support children’s development and learning by promoting a shared vision, values and aims. We are always willing to join in a dialogue about the work of the nursery. We strive to build and sustain strong and respectful relationships with families and external agencies.
have confidence in the people who support and care for me.
• All staff have appropriate levels of qualifications. Junior members of staff who are at the beginning of their careers will be supported to achieve relevant and meaningful qualifications. Leaders model and encourage caring and supportive relationships between staff, children, and their families.
have confidence in the organisation providing my care and support.
• Learn and Grow engage with all relevant pedagogy such as Pre-Birth to 3 and CfE to deliver a high-quality curriculum. Leadership have robust strategies to manage, evaluate and update policies and plans regularly. We work with families and partner agencies to ensure a smooth transition for children and parents moving from pre-school to primary school or other settings.
experience a high quality environment.
• We aim to engage our children in the highest quality care and learning by creating an environment, both indoors and outdoors that is: stimulating, safe, secure, happy, purposeful, motivating, interactive, relevant, enjoyable, active, meaningful and meets the needs of all.
We aim:
• to provide a safe, happy, caring, stimulating and secure environment for our children where everyone feels valued, included and respected.
• to engage our children in the highest-quality teaching and learning and to maximise success for all.
• to create a nursery which feels like home and to provide an extended family environment for children, parents and staff.
• to develop a shared vision for the future with all stakeholders.
• to foster high-quality leadership at all levels.
• to work in partnership with other agencies and our communities to promote the welfare of our children.
• to work together with parents as partners to improve learning and care.
• to reflect on our work and fulfil our learning potential by continually asking How are we doing? How do we know? What are we going to do now?
• to value and empower our children and staff by recognising and celebrating successes and achievements.
• to promote well-being and respect for all.
• to develop a culture of ambition and achievement.
• to equip our children with skills for learning, life and work, ready to actively grasp and follow their dreams in the future.
Our aims are based around Realising the Ambition: Being Me (2020) by the Scottish Government. These aims reflect our high aspirations and our commitment to excellence. Through effective teamwork, open lines of communication and in partnership with our children and parents, we will work towards the realisation of our vision, values, aims and mission statement.
Learn and Grow is owned and operated by Laura Mooney who fulfils a dual role as Provider and Nursery Teacher. Laura is a GTCS registered teacher who graduated from the University of Glasgow with an MA Psychology degree and then PGDE Primary Education in 2010. Laura taught at St Pius X RC Primary in Dundee for 5 years before moving on to Ruth Miskin Training. For 5 years, Laura supported teachers and pupils at over 80 schools across Scotland with phonics, reading, writing and spelling primarily using Read Write Inc. Laura was inspired to open Learn and Grow after the birth of her daughter and she is truly passionate about the importance of Early Years, Early Literacy and making working families feel empowered about their childcare choices. Her favourite part of the day is reading stories to the children, singing songs, and getting the children out for a walk!
Laura works closely beside Nursery Manager, Lisa Guild. Lisa has worked with children for 20 years and earned a BA in Childhood Practice from the University of Dundee in 2013. She started in her career in various nurseries in Fife, progressing to be Childcare Area Manager for Fife Council. Lisa then moved to Dundee to be Centre Director for Busy Bees nursery before joining the team at Learn and Grow. Like Laura, Lisa is also a working mummy (of 2!) and understands the highs of lows of juggling family life. Lisa has an extremely child-centric ethos and strives to ensure every child in our nursery has individual, personalised care and feels safe, happy, loved and nurtured every day. Lisa enjoys developing nursery resources and spaces that are responsive to the needs and interests of the children; sensory play, cosy corners and treasure baskets.
Learn and Grow also has a deputy manager, team of Early Years Practitioners, Cook and facilities staff.
We follow all the major Scottish curricula including Pre-Birth to 3, Realising the Ambition and Curriculum for Excellence.
We also follow all relevant Care Inspectorate policies such as My Active World, Setting the Table, Me, My Family and My Childcare Setting and Space to Grow and Thrive.
We use the Care Inspectorate quality framework for daycare of children to inform our ongoing self-evaluation and have a dedicated self-evaluation board as part of our parent area in the nursery so we can keep parents updated about how we are doing, how we know and what our next steps are.
As a setting, we are also interested in other pedagogies such as The Curiosity Approach and Montessori Principles. Our main goal is to provide a child centric experience that ensure children are at the centre of everything we do and every single child in our care has the best experience possible…to ensure this, we keep reading, learning and applying our knowledge to our setting every day.
We also strive to use our local area and strengthen our community links whenever possible. We share intergenerational experiences with the care home next door. We walk to local shops and Lochee library. We visit Clement Park to play and go on walks several times a week.
Get in Touch Today
For more information, to arrange a visit or register your interest in a place for your child please email.
Email: info@learnandgrow.org.uk
Tel: 01382 418180
Open Mon - Fri: 7:15am to 6pm
