Acorns Day Nursery Ltd

Our aim is to provide for the your child’s needs within the group.  All children irrespective of their special needs are encouraged to join in with activities on offer, if appropriate to their developmental understanding to help reach their full potential.  We provide a differentiated curriculum to meet individual needs and abilities and activities are planned to reflect each individual child’s interests and learning styles.  Children’s interests and developmental needs form the foundations of what staff already know and are consolidated and built upon to support children in their development and learning and these strategies will be used in supporting your child along their learning and development journey in our nursery.

Your child will be assigned a key person who will work in partnership with parents and support your child’s learning and development.  The keyperson will ensure that your child's individual needs, views, care and education are carefully monitored.  Child also have an online Learning Journal, which records their development whilst at our nursery.

We encourage our staff to be mindful and to adapt the learning environment to meet the needs of the children in our care i.e. fitting a ramp to allow access to the outdoor play area

We also use a system of planning, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reviewing  - This information is used to complie an individual care, lerning and development plan. Our aim is to work with parents and other support agencies to ensure that we meet the child’s individual needs effectively by using a multi disciplinary approach.

Our inclusive practices include;

• Ensuring all children participate in the daily routines of the setting while maintaining a flexible approach.
• Visual timetables to ensure the child knows what is happening next 
• Encouraging all children to take part in activities/experiences at their own level and pace. This includes both indoor and outdoor play and any trips undertaken.
• Offering open-ended play learning activities and experiences using differentiation as the basis of all planning.
• Using a range of strategies to engage in play and learning.  We provide activities to suit children’s most effective learning styles.
• Specific ongoing observation targeted to the area that needs more support
• Ensuring that staff treat all children’s contributions and efforts positively and achievements are celebrated.
• Adaptation of the learning environment where required.
• Seek extra support and training fro staff if required
• Arrange respectful privacy for children’s personal care.

The child’s key person will get to know the child well, become attuned to their likes and dislikes, attitudes and preferences, and will provide the child with particular support at key times. We provide a differentiated curriculum to meet individual needs and abilities and activities are planned to reflect each individual children’s interests and learning styles.  Children’s interests and developmental needs form the foundations of what staff already know and are consolidated and built upon to support children in their development and learning. We implement the following strategies to support children in their care, learning and development;

• Individualized planning to reflect the child’s interest and learning styles.
• Small group activities supported by staff
• Specific resources
• Specific targetted support
• Quiet spaces to reflect
• Open plan rooms
• A wide range of resources are freely accessible to children
• Children are encouraged to choose their equipment and resources
• Children (2yrs – 5yrs) have free flow access to an outdoor area, this area is an extension of the nursery and provides a stimulating environment for the children
• Visual time tables and picture cards
• Provision of resources to support learning i.e. wobbles cushions, fiddly toys, etc.

Note: - To access additional funding the child will need to meet the necessary criteria set out by Wokingham District council.

The nursery operates at a staffing ratio, in excess of the minimum guidelines, such as to allow flexibility in our staffing arrangements and where possible one to one adult support can be offered if staffing allows.  Our staffing allows for small group activities both child and adult lead.

We provide parents with information on sources of independent advice and  support both through professionals currently engaged with your child and family as well as other professional advisors working within the borough.

We liaise with professionals currently involved with your child and family to ensure that your child’s individual care and education needs are met and also to implement any strategies in place to support your child during their time at nursery with us.   

A wide range of resources are freely accessible to children at the nursery and if required the nursery will look to provide provision of resources to support learning i.e. wobbles cushions, fiddly toys, visual time times, etc. Where necessary funding will be sought to ensure that the provision is appropriate to the child’s needs – please see below.

Note: - To access additional funding the child will need to meet the necessary criteria set out by Wokingham District council.  If training is made available to support us to care for a child with additional needs we would invite the parent also to participate.  We work closely with the Early Years Inclusion Teacher, who offer support and advice.

We recognize that parents are their child’s first educators and that you have unique information and understanding of your child. We consider ourselves as a supportive and professional partnership to parents of the children in our care and work in partnership with you.  Staff develop good relationships with parents and children and we operate an equal sharing of information. Upon commencing at nursery we form a baseline of information workig in partnership with parents.We hold regular parents evenings, seasonal celebrations, play and stay sessions and strive to integrate parents into the nursery day (in so far is reasonably possible.)  We operate an open house policy whereby parents can choose to come and spend part of the day in the nursery and provide supporting information relating to childcare matters on the notice board and via email.

Children are assigned a key person who ensures that your child’s individual needs, care and education are carefully monitored.  Your child will receive an online  ‘Learning Journal’ that records their development whilst at nursery, parents are encouraged to contribute towards this document. All staff carry out ongoing observations of the children as they play at self chosen activities and participate in adult lead activities with learning records updated by the child’s key person.  These observations are recorded in each individual online Learning Journal.  Observations are linked to the Developmental Matters age and stage of development in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  These observations alongside other record keeping systems (ECAT) Every Child a Talker Language Trackers, The Progress review at 2 year old, Early Support Developmental Journal are used to plan the children’s next steps of learning and ensure that children are being supported in their learning.

Our named Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator works closely with parents, staff and outside professionals.  We welcome into the nursery outside professionals to support individual children and are happy to implement strategies they suggest to use within the nursery to support your child in their learning and development.

Our aim is to provide for the individual child’s needs within the group, all children irrespective of their special needs are encouraged to join in with activities on offer at an appropriate level.  We provide a differentiated curriculum to meet individual needs and abilities.  Activities are planned to reflect each individual child’s interests and learning styles.  Children’s interests and developmental needs form the foundations of what staff already know and are consolidated and built upon to support children in their development and learning.

If necessary staff are mindful to adapt the physical learning environment as well as the equipment to meet the needs of your child and are prepared for change if needed.  Our staffing allows for small group activities both child and adult lead and were possible one to one adult support can be offered if staff ratios allows.

Trips and outings

Acorns Day nursery believes visits and outings play an important and enriching role in children’s development and learning by getting to know the local community.  As part of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum we will take children out for local visits and walks with parental permission as well as invite experiences in for the children to enjoy e.g. mobile farm, zoo lab, etc.  Prior to such events a staff member will liaise with you to share information and knowledge of your child to enable staff to provide your child appropriate care whilst away from the nursery premise. During such events, the safety and welfare of the children remains paramount.  We would like to involve parents and carers in participating in visits and outings and you are welcome to join us if you wish.

Procedures

Prior to a visit or outing, a member of staff will carry out an exploratory visit of the proposed destination.

The Manager will ensure that a thorough risk assessment has been carried out prior to the proposed visit of an outing and before permission letters are sought from parents.  The manager will ensure the generic risk assessment has been read, understood and will be adhered to by the lead practitioner and staff members whilst on the visit and outing and any other hazards that have been identified will be added.

Children will remain under close supervision at all times. Any child with additional needs will be accompanied on the trip by a named member of staff who will be responsible for your child’s care, where possible this would be your child’s key person.  The named member of staff will carry with them any individual medication and mobile strategies which your child requires whilst off the nursery premise along with your child’s health care plan .

Any allergies or dietary needs of children will also be taken into account if food and drink are required.

Parental Consent 

Before a proposed visit or outing, the nursery will send a letter to parents/carers giving them detailed information about the proposed event. Including the mode of transport being used as well as approximate arrival and departure times.

Parents will be invited to accompany their children as appropriate and advised of the equipment and appropriate clothing for the weather needed for the trip i.e. named water bottles, coats, boots, sun hat, sun cream etc.

Parents will be advised of the staff ratios for the visits and outings depending on the age group of the children involved and the name of the lead practitioner should any queries arise.

The Nursery is a 2 storey detached building located within its own grounds, and external parking all on the same levels.

Nearest Parking space is approx. 5yards from the entrance gate, and approx. 20 yards from the main lobby door.

Principle access to the building is through a 3ft wide doorway that is up one 6” high step, and can be navigated with the installation of a ramp – for any wheel chair users.

Internally the ground floor of the Nursery is open plan design, with associated fire doors allowing for standard wheel chair user access.

There are no adult toilets located on the ground floor, which is primarily made of two toilets modules i.e. 3 separate toilets of enclosed cubicles.  The width and access to these toilets would not be suitable for wheelchair access

The 1st floor accessed via 2 sets of stairs. One set of stairs is of sufficiently low angle with deep treads and handrails on both sides that it would be suitable for individuals with minor/moderate mobility issues to ascend.  Access for wheel chair users to the 1st floor would not be reasonably possible.  No lifts are installed. 

The transition from home to nursery

• Parents complete 'All About Me' form and share vital information together
• Introduction to Key person
• We arrange flexible transition visits 
• Encourage care arrangements which mirror home experiences
• Family Photo books/displays

When a child attends more than one early years setting or child minder we will make contact with them and share information to provide the best outcomes for the child. These include:

• Obtaining permission from the parent/carer to make contact with the other setting/child minder
• Sharing information from the child’s Learning Journey Journal and summarises of learning

The transition from our setting to new setting or school

We recognise that starting school can be a worrying time for children and their parents/carers, and the more that can be done to ease this transition, the more positive an experience it will be for all involved.

• We invite teachers/support staff to visit the child in our setting and make direct contact in particular where there are concerns about a child’s development.
• Where it is felt relevant we will arrange a transition meeting with the receiving school and child's parents to share information
• Where it is felt relevant the child's key person will accompany them to school during a settling in visit.
•  We organise activities that reflect the transition process, e.g. using starting school storybooks, school uniform group times
• We complete Learning Journals / end of acedemic year summary of learning of a child’s current progress within the Early Years Foundation Stage and share this with the new setting to encourage the new setting to get to know your child so that they can support your child through the transition process to.
• Team around the family meeting if required.

The nursery has a good planning system in place which is evaluated and monitored to ensure that a broad curriculum is offered.  Daily activities are evaluated by staff at the end of each activity.  These monitoring procedures ensure that all children are making good progress.  The leadership team evaluates practice and builds upon existing ethos, principles and practices of the nursery and meets to discuss an improvement plan which is shared with the staff team on an on-going basis and have regular meetings  to discuss and evaluate the process put in place.

The nursery management team also uses self evaluating  to improve upon practice.

Parents are invited to share their views through an equal sharing of information, questionnaires, etc.  Theirs opinions and views are valued.

Interested parents should contact Karen Long or Karen Edwards (Nursery Manager) or Sandra Stock  (Special Educational Needs Coordinator ) in the first instance to discuss any queries they might have and to arrange a viewing of the nursery.  An enrolment form can be completed following a viewing of the nursery.

Our contact details as follows;

Tel: 0118 9786483
Email: info@acornsdaynursery.co.uk

The nursery operates an open house policy within the nursery; parents are encouraged to take an active part in nursery life.  All parents are made to feel welcomed and valued we invite you to share information and knowledge of your child to enable the staff to give your child appropriate care whilst at nursery. We are honest with parents regarding their child’s progress (development and well-being) such that when issues arise we can work in partnership to support and resolve, this may involve working with other professionals. We welcome any suggestions and opinions and believe in an equal exchange of information. Parents and staff exchange information on a daily basis in a variety of ways through chats in the morning and at the end of the day, daily home/nursery on line care diaries, newsletters, emails, notice board information, parents evenings and meetings both informal and formal.  Staff are happy to discuss with parents any concerns or aspects of their child’s development.

There is a complaint procedure in place which is clearly displayed in the nursery lobby along with OFSTED’s address and telephone number.  Parents are given these details upon joining the nursery.