Our Top 15 Frequently Asked Questions

 Yes! Our settling-in sessions are designed to help your child feel comfortable, secure and confident as they begin their nursery journey.

These sessions give your child the chance to:

• Get familiar with the nursery environment
• Begin building a bond with their key person and educators 
• Feel safe and supported as they settle in

They’re also a valuable time for you to share important information about your child, helping us provide the best possible care from the very start.

Our settling-in sessions support emotional security, ease separation anxiety and lay the foundation for a happy and positive nursery experience.

The first session

During your child’s first settling-in session, we ask that a parent or carer stays at nursery to help your child begin to feel safe and comfortable in their new environment. You’ll meet your child’s allocated key person and spend some time completing important settling-in paperwork together. The session will last approximately one hour.

The second session

You’re welcome to stay and play with your child. If your child appears settled, you may briefly step out to help them begin adjusting to the environment. 

The session will last approximately one hour.

The third session

This session will serve as a ‘trial run’ for your child’s first full day. We encourage you to leave your child during this time, helping them build independence and confidence in the new environment. 

The session will last approximately one hour.

We can offer an additional session if your child would like some extra time to settle in.

The current Ofsted recommended ratio in the baby rooms (under 2’s) is 1:3, the toddler rooms (2-3 years) 1:4. The pre-school rooms is 1:8 or 1:13 with an Early Years Teacher. Management are not counted in the normal daily ratios so they can be available to cover sickness leave, etc.

A key person is a member of staff within your child’s room who will monitor your child's progress and development. They will build a special ‘bond’ with your child, providing love and security. They will support your child with settling in and build a positive relationship with you to ensure the continuity of care.

Safeguarding is of paramount importance to us and an aspect that is highly regulated by Ofsted and the local authorities. All staff undergo safeguarding training every year and we have a Designated Safeguarding Person at every setting who audits all of our safeguarding procedures. These procedures include everything from recruiting staff, greeting visitors at the door, ensuring passwords are in use to making sure the equipment is safe to use. All of us have responsibilities in this area and the best form of safeguarding for children is combined vigilance at all times. If you have any concerns or issues then please speak with the Nursery Manager in the first instance.

All of our nursery educators are required to have a minimum level two qualification in childcare with senior staff holding a level 3 childcare qualification.

Our nurseries may have support staff in place who do not need to hold a qualification but will have experience working with children. Many of our staff have worked with us for several years.

We have a real passion for outdoor education so simple answer is every day! Being outside is an extension to our provision and provides a variety of learning experiences. We enjoy going for local walks and playing at the park, and in our nursery gardens.

Not their best clothes! We love doing interesting and messy activities so please send them in their old clothes. We will give you advance notice of the photographer coming so you can bring in their best clothes just for the photographs. 

Please provide wellies and warm clothes for winter months. You can read more about what to wear to nursery on our dedicated webpage.

Of course! It is important to us that your child’s routine is the same as their home routine. Continuity is key! We have different sleep/quiet areas within each area of our nurseries. Each child is provided with a sheet and blanket which is washed on a weekly basis. Babies and children are never left unsupervised and will be checked every ten minutes. 

Accidents do happen at nursery but of course we try our best to prevent them. If your child has an accident, we will let you know upon collection or beforehand depending on the severity of the accident.  We will complete an accident form to outline the incident (causes, treatments, outcomes etc). In rare occasions we may seek professional advice through 999 or 101. You will be contacted straight away and updated throughout the process. You can read more about our policies and procedures on our dedicated webpage.

We ask that when your child is sick you do not bring them to nursery – to help prevent the spread of infection. We cannot accept a child into nursery who is running a temperature. When the cause of illness is sickness or diarrhoea, we ask that you child stays away for 48hrs after the last bout of illness. For specific illnesses, we have a set of infection control guidelines that advise us of exclusions. You can read more about our policies and procedures on our dedicated webpage.

Yes please. 

Our fees remain payable on Bank Holidays, when the nursery is closed. Charges also apply if your child is away due to family holidays or illness.

Please let the nursery manager know of any planned holidays or absences from nursery 4 weeks in advance. 

A holiday absence is defined as being away from nursery for one full week. This means that if your child is away from Monday to Friday, it counts as a one-week absence, even if they are only usually scheduled to attend on certain days (for example, a full day on Tuesday or Friday).

Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer regular week-to-week swaps for nursery days due to staffing and planning requirements. However, we can occasionally accommodate one-off day swaps on an ad-hoc basis, provided we have the space available on the requested day.

Additionally, if you need extra sessions, we’re happy to offer those on an ad-hoc basis when we have the capacity. Please don’t hesitate to speak with us about your specific needs, and we’ll do our best to support your family wherever possible!

We offer term-time only places for pre-school children. However, these places are limited. 

Approval from the nursery manager is required to secure a term-time place. If you’re interested, please get in touch to discuss your requirements, and we’ll do our best to assist!

We can administer any medication that is prescribed by a doctor but ask for the first two doses to be administered at home. We also can administer Calpol if your child has a high temperature. We use health care plans for re-occurring medicines such as inhalers. All staff are first aid trained. Only level 3 qualified staff can administer medication. You can read more about our policies and procedures on our dedicated webpage.

We provide play-based learning tailored to each child's interests, fostering curiosity and growth in an engaging environment.  We ensure regular care routines and follow individual sleep schedules, creating a nurturing space for your child to thrive.   You can read more about our routines on our dedicated webpage.