Sunflower Day Nursery Prospectus Contents

Sunflower Day Nursery Prospectus

Welcome Welcome to Sunflower Day Nursery, where we aim to maintain the highest possible standards of care for your children. Choosing the right Nursery can be difficult, so we make the decision easier for you by providing a safe, stimulating, family orientated, happy and caring environment, to deliver appropriate play, educational and learning goals for your child. We place enormous emphasis in children being secure and confident. Sunflower Day Nursery believes that the children and the care we provide for them are always the priority. Our belief in your child’s ability is linked to our motto: To nurture, cherish and develop.

As parent/carers, you have to be able to trust the people caring for your children. In order to facilitate this, you will be given the opportunity to attend sessions during the first few days of separation from your child if you wish. Indeed this is positively encouraged, so that there is a gentle separation. We too are parent/carers, and understand the powerful emotions of leaving loved ones. You will be given every opportunity to talk to staff and management who will make every effort to help you and your child through this difficult time. You will receive daily reports about your child to take home, as well as verbal briefings from staff. You will be encouraged to attend meetings to discuss with the nursery staff your child’s progress, needs and development.

Staff at Sunflower Day Nursery are very carefully selected and given appropriate training. Our staff has a real and specific understanding of children and the need to create a stimulating and challenging environment for them. Sunflower Day Nursery staff are always caring, responsive, qualified (or working towards qualification) and checked by Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Activities are designed to be relevant to The Early Years Foundation Stage which sets out the welfare requirements that all early years settings must meet and provides guidelines to help practitioners to meet the needs of the individual children in our care. Children are encouraged to explore and learn safely at their own social, emotional and physical pace.

Daily Structure

Sunflower Day Nursery follows the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. All Keyworkers are responsible for implementing individualised planning for all children throughout the setting. It recognises that children develop and learn at individual rates and in different ways. The development and Achievement diaries ensure a comprehensive overview of children’s achievements in each room.

The Sunflower Day Nursery is regularly inspected by OFSTED, to ensure that we are following and implementing the recognised guidelines. The recognised guidelines refer to the statutory framework for The Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. The premises are regularly inspected by other regulatory bodies such as the Food Standards Agency and Fire Electrical Companies to ensure that we provide the safest environment possible.

Sunflower Day Nursery is a former Chapel built in the late Victorian era. It has been extensively converted specifically to provide a stimulating, warm and attractive environment and is furnished specifically to meet the needs of pre-school children. Room arrangements are appropriate to the children’s age group and both the furniture and equipment are child sized. Access to the Sunflower Day Nursery is strictly for authorised personnel only and controlled by security conscious staff. Children are only allowed to leave the premises with authorised adults. To protect the children in our care, we will not allow any child to leave the Sunflower Day Nursery unless the person meeting them is on the Sunflower Day Nursery list of parents, or carers. Anyone wishing to enter the premises must have an appropriate reason for being there, and sign the visitor’s book both when arriving and leaving the premises. This is an OFSTED requirement and will be strictly adhered towards.

Meals are prepared and cooked on the premises by a qualified cook. Meals provide variety and a healthy balanced diet. Wherever possible, individual dietary needs will be met. For those who attend the Early Years Education Funding or 2gether funded hours an option of a packed lunch can be bought in or if you would prefer, a cooked lunch will be provided by us at an additional charge of £2.75.

We look forward to having the opportunity to show you and your child around the Sunflower Day Nursery and introducing you to our staff. Thank you for showing an interest in our provision.

Operating Schedule Sunflower Day Nursery is open 51 weeks per year, Monday to Friday 8 am to 6 pm. Sunflower Day Nursery is closed only for the Christmas break and Bank Holidays. Where Christmas Eve falls on a working week, the nursery will close at 15.00Pm.

Ratios and Staff Training Sunflower Day Nursery is required by OFSTED (Office for Standards in Education) to provide particular staff ratios to children:

Under 2 year olds One adult to three children Two to three year olds One adult to four children Three year olds plus One adult to eight children Sunflower Day Nursery Prospectus

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Our registration certificate is displayed in the entrance lobby. We aim to employ a majority of full-time qualified staff, ensuring that all children are provided with the continuity of care that is essential for pre-school years. Part time Nursery assistants and from time to time Childcare students (fully checked with appropriate bodies) support the full-time staff. All full-time staff are required by OFSTED to have a DBS check from Disclosure and Barring Service. These checks are completed online, which Sunflower Day Nursery can confirm proof of Identity in order for the DBS to be processed. In addition there is a rigorous staff selection procedure where references on staff are checked prior to employment commencing. We support the needs of our staff and offer training opportunities.

Admissions Policy It is our intention to make the Sunflower Day Nursery accessible to children and families from all sections of the community. We aim to ensure that the community has access to the Sunflower Day Nursery through open, fair and clearly communicated procedures. In order to achieve this aim, we ensure that places are widely advertised. In addition, our policy may take the vicinity of the home to the nursery and siblings already attending the nursery into consideration. We follow equal opportunities practices and do not make exceptions in the cases of gender, special educational needs, disabilities, background, religion, ethnicity or competence in spoken English. We will consult widely with families about the opening times of the Sunflower Day Nursery to avoid excluding anyone and we try to be as flexible as possible about attendance patterns to accommodate the needs of individual children and their families. If you have a specific need, we will do our best to accommodate you. It must be understood that if your child is booked into Sunflower Day Nursery and falls ill before, even if they have to go home during the day as a result of illness, you will still be charged for the day, this includes if you telephone and cancel the session. At Sunflower Day Nursery we have to pay our staff by the ratio of children in during any one day, and therefore if your child has been booked in they must be paid for. Holidays of up to one month at half price are given to each child per year. Once you are booked into Sunflower Day Nursery, you agree to a contract. By signing below you understand this and accept the policies and procedures of Sunflower Day Nursery.

Safeguarding Children Sunflower Day Nursery is committed to safeguarding children and providing a secure framework for the workforce in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of those children/young people who attend our setting. We aim to ensure that all our children are safe and protected from harm, enable children to feel safe and adopt safe practices and that all staff, visitors, parents and owners are aware of expected behaviors’ and that the setting has a legal responsibility in relation to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

The settings Designated Safeguarding Officer is Stacey McDonald and in her absence Katie Johnson will be available to discuss any safeguarding concerns. It is their responsibility to ensure that all safeguarding issues raised are effectively responded to, recorded and referred to the appropriate agency. All staff are committed to safeguarding children and are trained at level 2 in Safeguarding awareness. For further information on our Safeguarding policies and procedures please refer to the setting Safeguarding board situated in the upstairs and downstairs entrances.

Settling Your Child into Sunflower Day Nursery Some children settle happily into a nursery environment and immediately involve themselves in all activities. Others find the wrench from leaving you as the parent/carer more difficult, in particular, children under three. We recognise that every child will settle in a different way. We are here to help you with this new phase of your child’s life. On registering with us there will be a full discussion with you on how you may wish to settle your child which in turn should alleviate some of the anxiety. We hope that all children will get to know the nursery staff, however on registration each child will be allocated to a member of staff who will be known as their Key Worker.

Health and Safety Sunflower Day Nursery has a comprehensive policy on Health and Safety issues covering all aspects from accidents to fire procedures. We regularly carry out fire practices and have a Fire Inspection Certificate. Anyone working with food has the appropriate certification, and all of our staff are trained in First Aid procedures

Clothing Essentials At Sunflower Day Nursery we do not stipulate that children should wear a uniform. The nursery provides protective clothing for the children to wear when they have messy activities, but at times they may still get their clothes dirty. We advise that children wear practical, washable clothing, enabling them to participate fully in all activities. We recommend that clothing and footwear should have suitable fastenings as we encourage children wherever possible to develop their own independence. This includes taking themselves to the toilet as well as taking off, and putting on, outdoor clothes. Clothing which is easy for them to use will make the learning easier. Please send your child to the Sunflower Day Nursery with suitable outdoor clothing. When necessary, this includes warm coats, gloves, hats and scarves. A named bag containing a spare set of clothing for your child is very useful. All items must be clearly and indelibly named.

Toilet Training We have nappy changing facilities available for our children and when you feel the time is right to start toilet training, we fully support and work with you to ease your child into toilet training. We recommend that you supply several changes of clothes when your child is going through the process. All the children’s toilets are at low level and we provide potties as required. The most important point to stress is that we recognise your child is learning a new skill, and offer patience and support.

Meals Sunflower Day Nursery offers a full range of meals and snacks (mid-morning and afternoon) as part of our service. Food allergies and dietary needs are required to be registered formally; most can be catered for. The mid morning and afternoon snack consists of milk or water to drink and fresh fruit to eat. We try to ensure that mealtimes are sociable, happy occasions and every possible care and attention is taken to ensure that your child will receive a well balanced and healthy meal. Children will, of course, be encouraged to try new foods and you will be informed if your child is not eating as well as expected. As all our food is fresh and from local sources, we can monitor what food we bring in to the Sunflower Day Nursery and are proactive in our requirement that it is of a high standard. You can be assured that your child will eat well at Sunflower Day Nursery.

Absences/illness/Holidays If your child is absent for any reason, it is important that you let the nursery know either in advance or by 9 a.m. on the day of their session. (On some occasions we may have planned to go on visits off site or completing tasks involving your child). In the event of your child not being well enough to attend nursery (has a stomach bug or infectious illness for example), would you please keep them at home for a minimum of 48 hours after their last bout of sickness or diarrhea. General colds are inevitable so use your discretion on whether or not your child is well enough to attend. You will understand that Sunflower Day Nursery needs to keep the risk of infection to a minimum for the sake of both children and staff. It would also be helpful for the staff to know why your child is not well, especially in the case of an infectious illness, so that we can inform other parent/carers by means of an information notice displayed at each entrance. Note: Under NO circumstances will children’s names be displayed. If your child is taken ill whilst in our care, we will endeavour to contact one of your emergency contacts immediately. In the interim we will ensure that your child is suitably cared for until being collected. If no one is available at the telephone numbers then staff will act in loco parentis/carers always in the best interests of your child. In certain situations, we may need to act quickly for the benefit and safety of the child and therefore seek medical assistance, whether in the form of an ambulance or Doctor. If your child is booked into Sunflower Day Nursery but is ill on that day, by signing the registration form you agree to pay the full price of the day, as you booked it, including any extra meals, as staffing arrangements will have been secured for your child. You agree to holidays being taken at half price for up to a month per annum, reflecting the amount of days per week your child attends the Nursery. Subject to agreement Sunflower Day Nursery reserve the right to allocate Term time only children 14 weeks full discount, but parent/carer agrees to pay the full sessional fees during term time.

Medicines Medicines will only be administered on written instructions from parent/carers and only if the problem is supported by a doctor’s prescription. No other medication will be administered. When you first arrive at Sunflower Day Nursery you will be asked to sign a form allowing staff to administer non prescription medication such as Calpol. Before this is administered on any given day, the emergency telephone number you gave (or one of the others) will be telephoned and verbal permission from you also requested. When the child is collected, another two forms must be signed by the parent/carer, one for the medical record and one to verify the initial telephone call. If your child has a condition which requires medical treatment, for example, life threatening reactions to certain foods including peanuts or eggs, then we require written consent from parent/carers and the child’s doctor to administer any medical treatment. Staff involved (usually the Key worker or Manager) will also need to be given the relevant training by either a Doctor or a qualified nurse.

Allergies There is an opportunity on the registration form for you to inform us of any known allergies your child may have. Unless we are informed to the contrary, we will use wipes and high factor sun creams as appropriate.

Parent/Carer Involvement & Child Development At Sunflower Day Nursery we recognise that parent/carers are the first and foremost educators of their children. Your child’s progress will be carefully monitored and recorded. Each child has a file and parent/carers are welcome to see it at any time. Our policy is to work closely with you and we would welcome your comments in your child’s daily achievement and development book. This is an important document as you are encouraged to tell us about your child on a daily basis. It forms a strong link between the Sunflower Day Nursery and home. We are then fully informed and have a better understanding of what you require as a parent/carer for your child. Our regular Open days and Parent evenings are also an essential link between home and the Sunflower Day Nursery, and we encourage you to attend. Our promise is to provide the highest quality of Childcare and Early Years Education and we will discuss your child’s progress with you in detail.

Education:

Sunflower Day Nursery welcomes children from the ages of six weeks to eight years old. Each child is allotted a ‘Key Person’. The children are encouraged to develop their skills and enhance their experience with planned activities and structured play through the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. If your child attends another setting, we create strong links with them to provide a termly overview of progress through Curriculum coverage information and the appropriate Individual Plan (IP), to have a smooth transition for the child. There are four themes and principles within the Early Years Foundation Stage which underpin all guidance that practitioners use to enable children to learn and develop. These themes and principles are:

Themes A Unique child Positive Relationships Enabling Environments Learning and Development Principles Every child is a unique child Children learn to be strong Children learn and develop Children develop and learn in who is constantly learning and and independent through well in enabling environments, different ways. The can be resilient, capable, Positive relationships. in which their experiences framework covers the confident and self-assured. respond to their individual education and care of all needs and there is a strong children in early years partnership between provision, including children practitioners and parents and with special educational needs Practice Practitioners Positive relationships are carers. and disabilities. •understand and observe each • warm and loving, and child’s development and foster a sense of belonging Enabling Environments Practitioners teach children learning, assess progress, • sensitive and responsive to • value all people by ensuring challenging, plan for next steps the child’s needs, feelings • value learning playful opportunities across • support babies and children and interests the prime and specific areas to develop a positive sense of • supportive of the They offer of learning and development. their own identity and child’s own efforts and • stimulating resources, culture independence relevant to all the children’s They foster the •identify any need for • consistent in setting clear cultures and communities characteristics of effective additional support boundaries • rich learning opportunities early learning •keep children safe • stimulating through play and playful • Playing and exploring •value and respect all children • built on key person teaching • Active learning and families equally relationships in early years •support for children to take • Creating and thinking settings risks and explore critically

For all children in our care, we aim is to provide a wide range of learning experiences through play and learning objectives. Thus, we combine many activities that reflect the children’s individual’s needs and interest. We encourage all children to learn both as individuals and as part of small and large groups. In September 2008, the Government introduced The Early Years Foundation Stage which aims to provide every child with the best possible start by ensuring that children attend settings that will keep their children safe and help them to thrive. Therefore the aspects of the Early Years Foundation Stage sets the standards for the learning and development of young children, provides equality of opportunity and anti- discriminatory practice and develops partnerships with parents/carers and professionals. Sunflower Day Nursery achieves this through individualised planning that meets and reflects the needs and interest of all children. Key workers record each child’s development through ongoing observations and assessments and works in partnership with parents/carers to ensure that every child makes progress towards all areas of learning and development;

Personal, Social and Emotional Development Communication and Language Physical Development Mathematics Knowledge of the World Literacy Creative Development

4 of 6 Sunflower Day Nursery Prospectus Personal, Social and Emotional Development Within a nurturing environment, children are individually supported to develop confidence, autonomy and self-respect. They are encouraged to work and concentrate independently and also to take part in the life of the group, sharing and co-operating with other children and adults. Through activities, conversation and practical examples, they learn acceptable ways to express their own feelings and to have respect for the feelings of others, and to initiate ideas and communicate within a familiar group. All children are given the opportunity as appropriate, to take responsibility for themselves and also for the group, its members and its property. Children are supported to respect each other, develop social skills and have a positive approach to learning, therefore practitioners support children’s emotional well-being and to help them achieve in tasks that they can do alone.

Communication and Language Children are encouraged to extend their vocabulary and fluency by talking and listening, and by hearing and responding to stories, songs and rhymes. Children are helped to attentively listen in a range of situations and purposes in order to develop their confidence in communicating when they hear relevant comments, questions or actions. Enabling children to follow instructions through an array of ideas and actions provides opportunities for them to question ‘how’ and ‘why’ about their experiences and in response to stores or events. They are provided with opportunities to express themselves effectively and develop the use of past, present and future forms accurately in communication between peers and adults about key events and formulate ideas. Children are encouraged to use their skills in a range of situations and for a range of purposes in order to develop their confidence in communicating, speaking and listening.

Mathematics By means of adult-supported practical experiences children become familiar with sorting, matching, ordering, sequencing and counting activities which form the basis for early mathematics. As they use their developing mathematical understanding to solve problems, children are assisted to learn and use vocabulary of mathematics, identifying objects by shape, position, size, volume and number. Songs, games and picture books help children become aware of number sequences and, when they are ready, to use simple mathematical operations such as adding. Children are supported through varied opportunities that encourage them to explore, enjoy, learn and practice in order to extend their skills and understanding of problem solving, Reasoning and Numeracy .

Understanding the World A safe and stimulating environment allows children to explore and experiment with a range of natural and manufactured materials. They learn to observe the features of objects and substances, recognising difference, patterns and similarities, and to share and record their findings. Children are assisted in exploring and understanding their environment, both within the group and also in the wider community. A range of safe and well maintained equipment enables children to extend their technological understanding, using simple tools and techniques as appropriate to achieve their intentions and to solve problems. Children are supported to explore their surroundings in the setting as well as outdoors. Children are provided with a range of tools and equipment to enable them to undertake practical experiments within their natural environment and in real-life situations.

Physical Development A range of equipment and opportunities, both indoors and out of doors, allows children to develop confidence and enjoyment in the use and development of their own bodily skills. Adult supervision enables children to play safely to create and meet physical challenges, developing increasing skills and control in moving, climbing and balancing. At the same time, children are supported in the development of the fine motor skills required to use tools, including pens and pencils, and to handle small objects with increasing control and precision. Children are supported in using all of their senses to learn about the world around them and to make connections between new information and what they already know. In order to support them in making healthy choices and developing their understanding of the importance of physical activity.

Creative Development Children are encouraged to use a wide range of resources in order to express their own ideas and feelings and to construct their individual response to experience in two and three dimensions. Art equipment, including paint, glue, crayons and pencils as well as natural resources, provide for open-ended exploration of colour, shape and texture and the development of skills in painting, drawing and collage. The children will experience playing with a wide range of percussion instruments and will develop listening and responding skills in singing and playing. Children’s creativity is extended by the provision to encourage children to explore and share their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a range of art, music and movement, role play activities and technology.

Literacy Children are encouraged to access a range of print in the environment as it provides opportunities to engage in daily reading within groups, with adults or as individuals. A range of materials for children to access encourages children of all ages to handle books and printed materials with interest. Providing meaningful print within the early year’s environment including words attached to objects and displays enables children to understand and recognize that print has a purpose and supports children in recognizing and writing their own names and linking sounds to the letters. We have many books and give children the opportunity to handle them thus becoming aware of their uses, both for reference and as a source of stories and pictures.

5 of 6 Sunflower Day Nursery Prospectus Promoting Positive behaviour At Sunflower Day Nursery, all the children are treated as equal and have a right to enjoy their learning and development within a safe, friendly and calm environment. We place great emphasis on promoting positive behaviour and endeavour to develop in each child a high level of self esteem, good manners, self-discipline and confidence to think independently. We seek to identify and appreciate good behaviour and to respond to inappropriate behaviour constructively. It is our policy to inform parent/carers of any unacceptable behaviour and to discuss the situation fully with you, to find solutions.

Birthdays If you wish to provide a treat or provide a cake, biscuits or fruit for the Sunflower Day Nursery children to celebrate your child’s birthday, please feel free to do so, liaising directly with your child’s Key Worker a week before so that we can incorporate the birthday and celebration into our weekly planning. We encourage these happy moments at Sunflower Day Nursery.

Arrival and Departure Procedures/Late pick up Parents/guardians must drop off their child at one of the two entrances and hand over the child to a member of staff. A conversation will take place about the welfare of the child when they are put under our supervision, so that we are aware of the time running up to the drop off point.

When taking a child from Sunflower Day Nursery, the person collecting a child MUST be one of the following.  A parent/carer.  A nominated person who has been seen by the management of Sunflower Day Nursery and is recognised by us.  Another person. We must make it clear that this person will be described by a parent/carer to the management of Sunflower Day Nursery, and a specific password will be given by the parent on that day for the person to take a child. We reserve the right not to allow children to be taken from Sunflower Day Nursery until we are completely satisfied that the person collecting the child has given the correct password and that the child is comfortable to be taken by them.  By signing this form you understand that a charge of £1.00 per minute will be charged for late pick ups after 1800 hours, and £7.00 per hour after a morning half day. This will be automatic. Please make sure you understand this and do not become offended if you receive a late pick up charge, staff must be paid.

Complaints Procedure We anticipate that most concerns will be resolved quickly through an informal approach. However, if anything is unresolved please inform the Nursery Manager Stacey McDonald. A record book is kept to record any complaints against Sunflower Day Nursery, the children or the adults working at Sunflower Day Nursery. This includes the date, the circumstances of the complaint, and how the complaint is managed.

Parent/carers may approach OFSTED directly at any stage of a complaints procedure. In addition, where there seems to be a possible breach of the registration requirements, it is essential that we involve OFSTED as they are the registering and inspection body with a duty to ensure that the National Standards for Day Care are adhered towards. The Early Years Complaints line at OFSTED is available at 0845 601 4772. The OFSTED website is: www.ofsted.gov.uk for further information.

Fees 2014/2015

There is no registration fee or for settling in sessions. The first months fees are to be paid prior to the child’s first day of attendance and monthly thereafter.

0-2 Year Section Full Week - £188.00 Full Day - £42.00 Half Day - £27.30

Any cheque that does not clear will incur a charge of £20.00 automatically.

Conclusion Sunflower Day Nursery is determined to provide you and your children with the highest standards of care. The new owners and staff of Sunflower Day Nursery join together in welcoming you to our Nursery and genuinely look forward to meeting you and your children very soon. Remember our motto: To nurture, cherish and develop.

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