NURSERY LIFE
THE NURSERY
The Nursery comprises five main rooms, an outside covered play area and gardens, providing full day care for over 80 children. Our children also have access to our soft play room and sensory room with our pre-schoolers having access to the Craft Room, Adventure Playground and ICT suite. In addition to our full day-care, we also run Robins pre-school providing free child care for 3 hours per day, term time only.
A TYPICAL DAY AT THE NURSERY
07.45 - Breakfast time - children can choose from a variety of cereals, toast, yoghurt and fruit juice.
08.30 - A wide range of stimulating, curriculum-based play activities is provided
10.00 - Free-flow to the garden and key group activities, whilst curriculum-based play continues
11.30 - Lunch time
12.30 - Most younger children have a nap after lunch, whilst older children have a variety of curriculum-based activities in which they can participate.
15.00 - Snack time
16.00 - Free-flow to the garden, combined with curriculum-based play activities
17.30 - Fruit time, followed by story/rhyme time
18.00 - Free play
18.30 - Nursery closes
This is a general routine. Each room has its own routine which reflects the age group and includes using the Garden, the sensory room and soft play.
Healthy Eating
​​​At Gingerbread Corner, we believe that nutrition is a crucially important part of a child's development. Breakfast, fruit, lunch and an early afternoon snack are all included in the fees.
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Our menus are nutritionally balanced and as additive-free as possible. Fresh fruit is served every day, and most special dietary needs can be catered for. From snacks and soups to roast lunches, all our food is freshly prepared and cooked from scratch in a kitchen run by our cook.
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We're delighted to report that the children love the taste of the food, and the parents love the quality. Mealtimes at Gingerbread Corner are definitely a social occasion; members of staff join the children at the table to encourage them to try everything, and the children tend to develop healthy appetites for a wide range of foods. Staff also encourage children to develop social skills and good manners.
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Key person & Observations
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All children are assigned a key person as they start at the nursery who is responsible for building the relationship between home and nursery. In particular they play an important part in supporting the family during the settling in process.
Observations
The key person will carry out observation of your child throughout the day and use these to develop individual learning experiences for them. These will be collected in a profile record which you can access at any time.
The key person will discuss your child's next steps, informally, on a regular basis in order to create a link between your home and nursery experiences.
For children aged 3 months to 2 years a daily record sheet is completed to ensure the information you need to know is readily available and for our pre-schoolers a daily record sheets is displayed on the rooms' door.
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Parental involvement
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We encourage parents to be involved in all aspects of the nursery day but we understand that this is difficult when working full-time so we are happy for parents to telephone or write to us any time.
We involve parents in fund-raising activities and on outings with the children and hold parents evenings that provide the opportunity to discuss your child's progress with the key person and members of the team.
Parents' Evening
Parent evenings are held twice a year. This gives an opportunity for parents to come and discuss their child's development with the nursery staff team and for parents to look through their child's Early Years Foundation Stage Record folder and meet other parents.
We have a free settling in procedure that normally consists of three days, although sometimes it is necessary for settling in to take a little longer.
Day one
09:30 - 11:00 - Provides the opportunity for parents/carers and children to form relationships with the staff and children and to see what sorts of activities their child will be doing. Parents are able to spend time in the Room observing how their child interacts with the other children and staff and can use the opportunity to ask any questions they may have. The Room Leader will run through the daily routine/planning systems and EYFS profile with and discuss any additional requirements/dietary needs/allergies the child may have.
Day Two
09:30 - 11:00 - Parents/carers leave the Room once their child is confident enough, but remain within Gingerbread Corner. This gives the child the opportunity to explore their environment and build their confidence at their own rate, and to spend time interacting and playing with the other children and with staff. Should the child become distressed, staff will ask the parent/carer to return to the Room.
Day Three
09.30 - 12:30. Once staff feel that the child has settled sufficiently and is happy, parents/carers normally may leave Gingerbread Corner, returning to collect their child after they have had their lunch, at 12.30 p.m. for Under 3s or 1 p.m. for pre- schoolers. Sometimes, it will be necessary however for parents/carers to remain within the building.