As an introduction to the Nursery, we offer a taster Stay & Play session from 3:15-3:45pm and parents are invited to stay with children during this time. Following this, should you wish to take up the place we will organise a home visit.
We offer three settling in sessions free of charge. These take place on three consecutive days prior to your child starting with us.
The first session lasts two hours from 9:30-11:30. You will be in the room for the first hour with the team, your child and the other children. This is really just to get your child introduced to the new faces, the room and the buzz of nursery. For the second hour we ask you to step out of the room and spend time in the office, reviewing our policies and procedures over a nice cup of tea with the manager.
The second session, usually the following day, is also two hours from 10:30-12:30 and includes lunch. For this session we suggest you are in the room for around 20 minutes and then step out. This gives your child the chance to bond with the staff in the room and get stuck into an activity before we give them their lunch.
The third session is the longest, around four hours, from 10:30-2:30 and incorporates lunch and an afternoon nap for those children on full day places. For this session you do not need to remain on the premises. It also helps to keep the drop off a little shorter as this will help your little one get used to what an everyday drop off will feel like.
Some parents feel they (or their child) may need longer to settle in and will build up sessions gradually for the first month. We may also advise you that your child will need longer to settle. We suggest that your child’s first full day at nursery is not your first full day back at work and that you allow additional time to ensure you are both feeling happy and secure coming to nursery.
Around a week before you start you will receive your ‘All about me’ pack. This is all of the information you need to complete before your child starts. It covers your emergency contact details, your child’s medical information and includes all of our consent forms. It is also your chance to tell us in detail about your child, their likes and dislikes, routine and any other information that will help us ensure they feel as settled and secure as quickly as possible.