We understand the importance of children settling; feeling safe and comfortable in a new environment. Therefore, we work with parents to devise a settling programme that caters for individual needs. All About Me books help practitioners and parents share information such as eating and sleeping routines; children’s interests and comfort strategies; or who their Key Person will be. Each child is assigned a Key Person who will have the main responsibility for caring, assessing, planning and most importantly, building a positive relationship with the child and their family. We aim to make our nursery as homely as possible to promote comfort and security together with a sense of belonging and trust for each and every child and parent.
At Carousel we respect parents as not only their child’s first but most enduring care-givers and educators. From settling and day-to-day care, to assessing and planning, we include and value parents’ input. It is important for children to witness the good relationships between their parents and practitioners. As well as daily hand-overs, we take lots of videos and photos which are sent directly to our parents Whatsapp group or emailed individually. We encourage effective communication between the children’s worlds through a variety of methods such as photos sent in from home, home observation sheets, regular reviews and feedback opportunities, newsletters and fundraising days such as our Easter bonnet parade, Christmas outdoor gazebo party and our Jubilee party.
Staff have good links with parents to support children’s care and learning. They provide regular updates on children’s progress to keep parents fully informed, including feedback on complaints. (OFSTED 2018)
We have a named practitioner responsible for behaviour in the nursery and work closely with parents for consistency. Behaviour strategies are age/stage appropriate as well as taking into consideration individual children’s understanding and needs. Through activities, circle times and good adult examples, our children learn to be caring, thoughtful and accepting of others. They are involved in decision and rule-making processes, giving them a sense of ownership and inclusion.
Staff manage children’s behaviour well. They are calm and fair in their approach and share their expectations with children. Children behave in positive ways. (OFSTED 2018)
Carousel Nursery aims to minimise the spread of illness or infection. In the case of diarrhoea or vomiting, children (or staff) are not permitted to return to nursery until 48 hours after the last episode. In-line with our sickness policy, we reserve the right to send home a child considered to be unwell, with a high temperature or contagious disease – this is in the interests of the sick child as well as those they come into contact with. Children are required to be on a course of antibiotics for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to nursery. No medication, including Calpol, will be administered to a child in our care unless it is prescribed by a doctor, for a current condition, with a dispensing label containing the child’s name and dosage details. Parents are asked to give signed consent for all short or long-term medicines. Emergency care will be sought in the case of not being able to contact a child’s parent or legal guardian, or if deemed immediately necessary. Please see our Policies & Procedures below for more detailed information.
Our Policies and Procedures are available for parents and visitors to view at any time, in the nursery reception area. The welfare of all children in our care is paramount.
All areas and equipment are risk-assessed daily; new activities or outings are also risk-assessed prior to engagement. In-line with the statutory EYFS requirements, all staff are DBS checked and carefully selected, our staff are all signed up to the DBS update service which means their DBS are kept current and up to date. We have a named Safeguarding Officer and all practitioners are committed to keeping children safe, healthy and happy. Children are taught about good health, self-care and safety measures through example, stories, discussions and activities.
Any concerns should be raised initially with your child’s Key Person. If the matter is not resolved or you would like to speak to a member of our management team, this will be arranged as quickly as possible.
If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service, you may contact Ofsted, the regulators of early years settings, at:
The National Business Unit, Ofsted, Piccadilly Gate, Store Street, Manchester, M1 2WD. Telephone number: 0300 123 1231.
If you would like further information about Ofsted, you can visit their website at www.ofsted.gov.uk/parents
We aim to provide a high standard of care for the children and families we serve and it is therefore important that your voices are heard. We welcome any feedback or suggestions that may help us improve our practice and ensure you get a quality, inclusive service you can trust and rely on.
Our latest Ofsted Report can be viewed here - https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/138206
| Attendance | Hours | 2-5 years old |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | 8am-1pm | £32.00 |
| Afternoon | 1pm-6pm | £32.00 |
| All Day | 8am-6pm | £62.00 |
| Full Time | 8am-6pm Mon-Fri |
£290.00 |
| Hourly Rate | £9.00 | |
| Early Start | 7.30am | £6.00 |
| Refundable Deposit | £200.00 |
*The above fees include all meals, snacks and drinks throughout the session.
Government Funded Places
| Attendance | 3-4 years old |
|---|---|
| 15 hours Government Funding 38 weeks of the year |
Free |
| 30 hours Government Funding 38 weeks of the year |
£14 daily charge for all healthy meals, snacks & drinks |
*Full time discount is not applicable to government funded places.
*We require a minimum attendance of two sessions on two separate days.
