Nursery
Early Learning and Childcare from 6 weeks until pre school.
We offer funded places in partnership with South Ayrshire Council for children aged 2 – 5 years.
We accept Tax Free Childcare payments.
You could be eligible for up to 80% of the cost of your childcare paid by Universal Credits.
Beach School
Alphabet Yard is committed to providing an enriching, dynamic, and safe learning environment for all children, where they can engage with nature and outdoor learning. As part of our holistic approach, we incorporate outdoor education at the beach to foster a deeper connection with the environment, develop social skills, and enhance physical health and well-being.
Healthy Eating
We encourage healthy eating in the nursery by supporting children to feel confident and involved at mealtimes. We provide breakfast, snacks, and meals in line with Setting the Table guidance. Children are supported to serve themselves appropriate portions and to make healthy choices.
We talk about the food on offer by naming fruits, vegetables, colours, and textures. This helps build curiosity and positive attitudes towards nutritious foods. Creating a calm and welcoming table environment encourages children to enjoy meals together and supports the development of lifelong healthy eating habits.
We are happy to provide children with a nutritious dinner when this is supplied from home.
A little bit about us..
Alphabet Yard is situated in Ayr town centre. There are four separate rooms across two floors, accommodating children from 6 weeks to pre-school age. Our 3- and 4-year-olds are based on the first floor, while babies to 2-year-olds are cared for on the ground floor. Each child is assigned a dedicated key worker to support their individual needs and development.
We have a safe and secure outdoor play area located directly in front of the building. Our outdoor classroom allows children to enjoy outdoor learning in all weather conditions, including the Scottish climate. The outdoor area provides many learning opportunities through large play equipment, bikes, exploring for mini beasts, and planting flowers. Learning that takes place indoors is regularly extended outdoors across all curricular areas.
Children also enjoy outings to places of interest within the local community, such as the library and pet shop, as well as walks to the beach. We also offer Beach School experiences, providing further opportunities for outdoor learning and exploration.
Alphabet Yard is led by an experienced and caring team who are passionate about giving children the very best start in life.
The nursery has been owned since 2003 by Elaine Buchanan, who holds a BA in Marketing and a PGCE in Primary Teaching and is registered with the General Teaching Council (GTC). Elaine’s background in education helps shape the high-quality learning experiences offered at Alphabet Yard.
Our full-time Nursery Manager, Tracy Lauchlan, is a GTC registered Primary Teacher with over 25 years of experience working with children. Tracy has previously managed a local authority early years centre and has worked with children across all primary stages. She also has extensive experience supporting children with Additional Support Needs (ASN).
All of our wonderful staff are qualified or working towards a childcare qualification. Everyone is registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), ensuring children have access to a rich learning experience that supports the national curriculum. We have proudly worked in partnership with Carousel Training for over 20 years and support one Modern Apprentice at a time as they work towards their Early Years Practitioner qualification. We also welcome student placements from Ayrshire College, helping to support and inspire the next generation of early years professionals.
Our Values
We regularly review our service to make sure we are providing the best possible experiences for your child. The Manager, staff, children, and parents all have a voice in this ongoing self-evaluation.
What we learn from these reviews helps us celebrate what we have done well over the past year and identify areas where we can improve. This information is used to create our Standards and Quality Report (SQR), which shows our progress and achievements, and our Centre Improvement Plan (CIP), which sets out our priorities and plans for the year ahead.
By working together, we ensure that our service continues to grow and improve to meet the needs of all children and families.
Curriculum for Excellence
Succesful Learners
Our children are motiviated and enthusiastic for learning
Confident Individuals
Our children have self-respect, a sense of wellbeing, and secure values and beliefs.
Responsible Citizens
Our children develop knowledge and understanding of the world and Scotland's place in it.
Effective Contributors
Our children develop their creativity, work cooperatively and communicate with others.
Children learn through play and are involved in their own learning.
Our staff consult with children about their interests and from this set up areas and activities for children to choose from.
All resources are accessible to the children.
What Our Families are Saying
