Our Early Learning & Childcare

Canaan Lane Primary Early Learning & Childcare is located on the ground floor of our school. It has a seperate entrance on the far right hand-side of the building, with a welcoming reception area, family room and office. We are open from 08:00 to 18:00 each day and for 52 weeks of the year.


Our Early Learning & Childcare (ELC) facility comprises of a large playroom, a smaller playroom, snack area, kitchen, cloak area, toilet cubicles and a nappy changing area. The rooms have been designed to promote independent, child-led learning and play. The inside has natural wood furniture and neutral decoration following the Early Years thinking that the children bring the colour to the space. Low dividers partition the room into activity areas and the spaces are designed to be playful and homely.

Large floor to ceiling windows and doors make the rooms bright and airy, allowing children to have a visual connection with the outdoor space. This is enhanced by the practice of allowing the children to choose to go outside when they want to making the two spaces feel like one.

The playroom has a beautiful home corner, a large block play space, creative areas, literacy stations and small, calm sensory areas. All activity furnishings, resources and storage for learenrs are accessible by them and pin boarding is also at their level so they can celebrate their own work by adding it to the display.

Soft furnishings, rugs, lamps and plants create a really homely comfortable environment to improve wellbeing, making the space a nice place to be.

The playroom also has its own kitchen for food prep which includes adult and child height sinks.

Outside, we have a fully enclosed garden area which runs the full length of the building, with a large covered deck area which allows use of outdoors all year round. It offers a free flow approach for learners to choose whether they want to be inside the playroom or outdoors. Providing them with space to ride bikes/scooters, explore with water, mud and sand, play with loose parts and be surrounded by nature.


We offer 1140-hour placements.  We have various session patterns which are available during our opening hours.

Option 1:  Term Time

Our sessions during term time are as follows:

Option 2:  Two Ten Hour Days

Our full days sessions are a Monday/Tuesday or Wednesday/Thursday.  These are available all year round with some Friday top-up sessions:

Option 3: Mornings


Please email our admin team to discuss the options available, admin@canaanlane.edin.sch.uk


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