Ivy In The Park

04/09/2026

🌈 When the morning drop-off comes with a little bit of magic… 🌈

One of our lovely families shared this beautiful photo with us just after dropping their little one off at nursery and what a welcome sight it was! 💛

A rainbow in the sky, a new day beginning, and a little one ready for a day full of play, discovery, friendships and learning. 🌱✨

It got us thinking… sometimes the simplest moments can hold the biggest meaning. For parents, that morning goodbye can bring a mixture of emotions, but knowing your child is somewhere they feel safe, happy, valued and ready to explore can make all the difference. 🥰

💬 We’d love to hear from our nursery community:
What is the one thing that makes you feel confident and reassured when you leave your little one at nursery?

Is it a warm welcome at the door? A familiar face? Seeing your child run in happily? Or simply knowing they’ll be encouraged to be themselves?

👇 Share your thoughts with us, your experiences could help another family starting their nursery journey.

And to the family who captured this moment… thank you for sharing a little piece of our morning magic with us. 🌈💚

24/08/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/14fFdgSkehP/

Congratulations to the team at Ivy in The Park ❤️

06/08/2026

🌿 As we embark on a new term at Ivy in the Park, we are delighted to welcome both our returning families and those joining us for the very first time. 💚

Starting or returning to nursery is an exciting milestone, but it can also bring a mixture of emotions for both children and parents. That's why our approach is rooted in attachment-led practice.

Attachment-led practice is about building secure, trusting relationships where every child feels safe, valued, and understood. We know that children thrive when they have strong emotional connections with the adults caring for them, giving them the confidence to explore, learn, and develop.

At Ivy in the Park, we support every child's transition with care and compassion. Through our key person approach, settling-in sessions, consistent routines, and close partnerships with families, we take the time to understand each child's individual needs, interests, and personality. By building these meaningful relationships from the very beginning, we help children develop a true sense of security and belonging.

Whether your child is returning after the holidays or joining our nursery for the first time, our dedicated team is here to ensure they feel welcomed, supported, and cherished every step of the way.

Here's to another wonderful term filled with laughter, learning, friendships, and growing together. We can't wait to see all that our children will achieve! 🌱✨

30/07/2026

Meet the finalists for the Nurture and Wellbeing Trailblazer Award at the first ever Early Years Scotland Awards.

This award honours practice that places children’s emotional safety, secure relationships and wellbeing at the heart of everyday experiences. It celebrates those who create calm, nurturing environments where children feel safe, supported and cared for across all early learning and childcare contexts.

The finalists are:

⭐️Ivy In The Park Nursery
⭐️Primrose City Nursery
⭐️Kirktonholme Childcare at Tollcross
⭐️Little Larch Nursery
⭐️Bushes Primary ELC Class

Join us on Saturday 15 August at the Radisson Blu in Glasgow as we celebrate together.

🎟 Tickets available now 👉 https://earlyyearsscotland.org/events/early-years-scotland-awards/

23/07/2026

PLEASE SHARE

🌼 Do you think being covered in playdough, finding glitter in your shoes three days later, and having tiny humans proudly hand you a "cup of tea" made from muddy water sounds like a great day at work?

If you answered "absolutely!" then we might have the perfect job for you! 💛

We're looking for a caring, enthusiastic Early Years Practitioner to join our amazing team at Primrose City Nursery. Every day is different – one minute you're building dinosaur habitats, the next you're leading a dance party, comforting a little one, or celebrating a child's biggest milestones.

If you have a passion for helping children learn, grow and blossom, we'd love to hear from you.

📧 Send your CV to [email protected]

🌼 Come and help little minds blossom at Primrose City Nursery. 💛

21/07/2026

🌟 Meet Paul – Our Wonderful Janitor! 🌟

At Ivy in the Park Nursery, providing a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for our children, families, and team is a top priority and that's all made possible thanks to our amazing janitor, Paul.

From keeping every area spotless to making sure our nursery always looks its very best, Paul takes great pride in everything he does. His hard work, dedication, and attention to detail help create a safe and happy space where our children can learn, play, and thrive every day.

A huge thank you, Paul, for everything you do behind the scenes. Your commitment and care do not go unnoticed, and we truly appreciate all the effort you put into maintaining our wonderful nursery. 💚

16/07/2026

🌟 WE'RE EARLY YEARS AWARDS FINALISTS! 🌟

We are beyond proud to share some incredible news...

✨ Ivy In The Park has been shortlisted as a finalist in three categories at the Early Years Scotland Awards!

🏆 One of only 5 finalists – Nurture & Wellbeing Trailblazer Award 💛

🏆 One of only 4 finalists – Celebration of Children's Voices Award 🗣️

🏆 One of only 4 finalists – Creativity Without Borders Award 🎨

This achievement is a reflection of the love, dedication and passion that fills our nursery every single day. It belongs to our amazing children, our incredible families and our wonderful staff, who make Ivy In The Park such a special place to learn, grow and thrive.

Being recognised nationally for the work we do in nurturing children, listening to their voices and inspiring creativity is an honour in itself.

No matter what happens on awards day, we are immensely proud of everything we have achieved together.

💚 Thank you to every child, parent, carer and member of our team for helping us make such a positive difference in the lives of our children. We couldn't do it without you.

15/07/2026

15/07/2026

💜 An Inspiration to Us All! 💜

We are incredibly proud to share that Susan Govan, one of the Directors of our family of nurseries, is taking on an amazing challenge to raise funds for CHAS, Children's Hospices Across Scotland.

On 19th July, Susan will be skydiving from an aeroplane in support of this wonderful charity, helping to make a difference to the lives of children and families who need it most.

At 73 years young, Susan continues to inspire us all with her energy, sense of adventure, and unwavering commitment to children. Anyone who knows Susan knows that she always puts the needs of children at the heart of every decision she makes, and this incredible challenge is no exception.

Her passion, kindness, and nurturing spirit have touched the lives of so many children, families, and colleagues over the years. She reminds us all that age is no barrier when your heart is full of purpose and determination.

Susan, we are all behind you and wish you every success as you take this incredible leap! We know you'll soar just as you have throughout your life, leading with compassion, courage, and an endless dedication to giving children the very best.

If you would like to support Susan, you can donate or simply share her fundraising page here:
💜 https://gofund.me/9badf4184

There is absolutely no obligation to donate, but every donation and every share helps raise awareness and supports the incredible work CHAS does for children and families across Scotland.

Please join us in wishing Susan the very best of luck on 19th July—we couldn't be prouder! 💜🪂✈️

Most people my age might be thinking about putting their feet up... but on 19th July … Susan Govan needs your support for I'm jumping out of a plane for CHAS!

07/07/2026

🌿 Rethinking Transitions in Early Years: Is It Time to Change the Conversation?
As we prepare to welcome a new cohort of children into nursery, I've found myself reflecting on what transition really means.
For many years, we've spoken about helping children "settle" or "adjust" to nursery. But perhaps we need to ask ourselves a different question...
Should children be expected to adapt to nursery, or should nursery adapt to the individual child?
Transition isn't simply about a child walking through our doors without tears. It's about creating an environment where every child feels emotionally safe, valued and understood before we begin to think about learning.
As Early Years professionals, we know that every child's transition is unique.
Some children confidently run through the gate on day one.
Others need weeks of reassurance, familiar routines, transitional objects, extra cuddles, or simply more time.
Neither child is "better" at transitioning.
They're simply telling us what they need.
So perhaps the question shouldn't be...
❓ "Has this child settled?"
Instead, maybe we should be asking...
💭 "What have we done to help this child feel that they belong?"
At Ivy in the Park, we believe effective transitions begin long before a child's first session. They begin with relationships.
We invest time in getting to know families, understanding routines, sharing photographs of our environment and Key People, creating personalised transition plans, and maintaining open communication. We even encourage families to spend time together in our Parent Room and Wellbeing Area during those first few days if that's what their child needs.
Because transition isn't an event.
It's a relationship.
Research continues to remind us that children learn best when they feel emotionally secure, and emotional security grows through responsive, trusting relationships—not rigid transition timetables.
Perhaps we need to shift the narrative from "How quickly can we settle children?" to "How can we create a sense of belonging for every child and family?"
When we stop measuring successful transitions by the absence of tears and start measuring them by the presence of trust, confidence and connection, we truly begin to put children at the heart of our practice.
I'd love to hear from other Early Years professionals...
💬 What does an effective transition look like in your setting?
Is it time we redefined what "settling in" really means?
🌿 Because when children feel they belong, they don't just settle... they flourish.