Welcome to Our Early Years Centres
Welcome to Carraig Briste, Killegney Early Years, and Winston & Willows. We provide high-quality early years education and care in warm, nurturing environments where children feel safe, happy, and confident to learn and grow.
We believe every child is unique and deserves to feel valued, supported, and encouraged to reach their full potential.
Our Approach to Learning
Our practice is guided by Ireland’s national early years frameworks:
Síolta – The National Quality Framework
We follow Síolta to ensure high standards across all areas of our service and are proud to have achieved Level 4, the highest standard, under the Quality Assurance Programme (QAP).
Aistear – The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework
Aistear guides our daily practice, focusing on:
- Well-being
- Identity and Belonging
- Communicating
- Exploring and Thinking
These themes are woven naturally into children’s everyday play and learning experiences.
Play-Based & Child-Led Learning
We follow an emergent, play-based curriculum, meaning learning is led by children’s interests. By observing what excites and engages your child, we create meaningful learning opportunities that support their development and curiosity.
Our Team
Our team is at the heart of everything we do. We are proud to employ dedicated, caring, and professional Early Years Educators.
- All educators are appropriately qualified, with a Lead Educator in each room
- All staff, students, and volunteers complete Garda Vetting and police clearance before starting
- Each child is assigned a Key Worker, who supports their care and learning, records their progress through Learning Stories, and acts as your main point of contact
Funding & Fees
We participate in government funding schemes to help make childcare more affordable for families.
ECCE (Free Pre-School)
We offer the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, providing:
- Two years of free pre-school
- 3 hours per day, 5 days per week
- For eligible children before they start primary school
National Childcare Scheme (NCS)
We are registered with the National Childcare Scheme, which offers:
- A Universal Subsidy for all families
- An Income-Assessed Subsidy based on household income
Parents must register on the Early Years Hive to receive a CHICK code before their child starts in order to access NCS funding.
Practical Information
- Service Type: Full Day Care and Sessional Services
- Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:45am – 6:00pm
- Adult-to-Child Ratios: We fully comply with Tusla’s ratio requirements across all age groups
Attendance
If your child is going to be absent, please let the Centre Manager or your child’s Key Worker know. Regular attendance is especially important for children attending under ECCE or NCS, as frequent absences may affect funding.
Health, Safety & Well-being
Your child’s safety and well-being are our top priorities.
- We are fully registered with Tusla and subject to regular unannounced inspections
- Each setting has a Child Safeguarding Statement and a Designated Liaison Person (DLP)
- We are an inclusive service and use the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) to support children with additional needs, ensuring they can fully participate in the ECCE programme
Sickness Policy
To help keep everyone healthy, children who are unwell (such as with a high temperature, vomiting, or an infectious rash) should not attend the service.
Working in Partnership with Parents
We believe the best outcomes for children come from strong partnerships with parents.
- We share regular updates through the Little Vista app
- Parents are welcome to speak with staff by phone or in person at an agreed time
- You will receive ongoing observations and updates on your child’s learning and development
Our Policies
We have a comprehensive range of policies and procedures in place to support the safe and effective running of our services.
A full list of policies is available on request.
