FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

How do I settle my child into nursery life?

We recognise and understand the anxieties for both you and your child when starting at nursery. Some children will settle in on their first visit and others will take a little longer to get used to their new environment.

To support you and your child when settling into nursery we offer as many settling in visits as are required, free of charge. A manager from the nursery will contact you a few weeks before your child’s official start date to discuss convenient times for you both to visit us and become comfortable with your new environment. Should you wish you will be able to stay in the room with your child on initial visits and then we recommend leaving your child in our care, enabling the key staff in the room to start to form a relationship with your little angel.

What do I need to bring to nursery with me?

We provide an all inclusive service, therefore all you need to provide is a spare set of clothes, wellington boots and coat for the winter, sun hats for the summer, nappies and pre-measured formula milk or pre-prepared bottles for babies.

In addition to food and drink the nursery also provides all utensils and resources that children may require in their daily routine such as bowls, plates, bibs, cutlery and bedding. We encourage you to bring family photos to leave at nursery so that your child can see familiar faces within their nursery environment.

How do the nurseries communicate with parents?

Effective communication is central to building good relationships between parents and the nursery staff. We find that face to face communication is best but we also have other ways we communicate with you to complement this.

We operate an open door policy where parents are encouraged to arrange an appointment at any time to speak to a member of staff of any concerns they might have.

Our newsletter keeps parents informed of upcoming events and nursery news.

Can parents get involved with nursery?

We welcome parents' suggestions or feedback regarding all aspects of the nursery and preschool through the suggestion box within the nursery, our annual parent surveys or through discussion with the nursery management. In addition we ask new parents for their feedback after their child has been with us for three months.

How often will my child go outside?

Fresh air is very important, and your child will have daily access to the nursery's outdoor area. Subject to the constraints of the nursery buildings children have permanent access to the outdoor area and can choose to play inside or outside. In addition, we take children on trips and outings in the local area so they can learn about their communities and have access to a wider range of learning experiences.

Will my child be able to sleep during the day?

Many children, particularly under the age of 3 years, will require a sleep time during the day. Our nursery has ample sleeping facilities for the children, who are offered a rest period during the day, usually after lunchtime if they attend for the whole day. Young babies can follow their own home routine for sleep times which you can discuss with the nursery staff. If your child does not want to sleep during the day he or she will be provided with other restful activities.

How do you plan for and assess each child’s learning?Our staff members are trained to plan for and meet children’s individual learning needs. Staffs observe their key children and identify strengths, development needs and interests and build on these through the weekly plans. Short and medium term plans for the children are displayed in the child’s base room.

Each child’s Key Person is responsible for completing an Individual Learning Record for them. This is an assessment of your child’s progress and allows staff to record achievements against the six areas of learning outlined under the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.

What happens if my child has an accident at nursery?

As children develop physically, particularly in their early walking stages, accidents can occasionally happen. Our nursery has at least one (usually many more) trained Paediatric First Aider on site at all times. 
If your child has had an accident at nursery you will be informed when you collect your child and you will be asked to sign an accident form.

Should your child have an accident whilst at nursery which requires further medical support you will be contacted immediately and the necessary action taken. In extreme cases this could involve calling for the support of a paramedic.

What if my child requires medication?

The nursery staff will only administer medications prescribed by a doctor and subject to authorisation and safeguards. This includes the administration of long term medication such as an inhaler and external medications such as creams.

How do you manage children’s behaviour?

It is imperative that children have set boundaries of behaviour for their own safety and the safety of their peers.  We have a named person who has overall responsibility for guiding staff and parents with issues concerning behaviour. This individual keeps up to date with legislation and research on behaviour guidance strategies and has access to relevant sources of expertise on handling children’s behaviour.  Our aim is to promote good behaviour and ensure that all children are provided with love, care, security, adequate rest, the freedom to explore, a positive self image, suitable adults as role models, consistency in their treatment, suitable boundaries, opportunities for self expression and learning.

Under no circumstances will there be any form of physical punishment in our nurseries. The children in our care will never be subject to humiliation or labelled as ‘naughty’ and staff will endeavour never to raise their voices. Individuality is encouraged and the children are taught by example.

What is the company's policy on inclusion?

We are committed to a policy of equality: all children are welcome at our nursery. We promote equal opportunities as an employer and all children within our care will be treated equally irrespective of class, ethnic origin, gender, disability, race or religion.

Special Needs: We endeavour to meet every child's individual needs and aim to include all children regardless of any special needs, whilst ensuring the needs of other children will not be disadvantaged. We aim to have the resources available to meet the needs of every child in our care. We work closely with parents, providing them with information, and assist in the care and understanding of their child’s needs and/or developmental programme.

Our nursery has a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo), who is fully trained in the Code of Practice for the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs.

What happens if I am late collecting my child or am unable to get to the nursery before the nursery closes?

In the unlikely event that you are unable to collect your child from the nursery at the agreed time, and no contact has been made with the nursery to inform them of alternative arrangements, every attempt will be made to contact you. If this is unsuccessful the nursery will contact the nominated emergency contact person and request that they collect your child as soon as possible. A member of staff will remain with your child until he or she is collected.

Late collection of children will be charged at the rate of £10 per 15 minutes or part thereof.

Who should I speak to if I have a concern?

If you have a concern regarding the nursery this should be raised immediately with the Nursery Manager. The manager will listen and endeavour to work with you and the nursery team to reach a resolution. The matter will be recorded as either a concern or complaint, depending on the circumstances.
In the unlikely event that you are not satisfied with the resolution you can also raise a compliant with Ofsted by contacting them on 0845 404040.

Academy of Little Angels © 2013