Our Site is under maintenance. Please hold tight.
What we have to offer your child...
​
Your child will have a busy time at Nursery with a host of stimulating activities to enjoy. Each session will operate within a framework of routine to help your child to feel comfortable and secure in their activities. The daily structure will also ensure that your child is exposed to a balanced curriculum. There will be a varied mix of free play group activities or staff led activities both in and out of doors. As your child gets older they will be guided through a slightly more structured learning programme that will equip them with skills that will enable them to start school with confidence.
Staff
The staff at our nurseries will be selected for their individual talents and experience to form a successful team. All our our staff hold an Enhanced DBS check and we follow safe recruitment practice.
​
Early Years statutory guidance state that 50% of staff must be Level three or above, although we strive for everyone to be working towards their level three qualification.
We have a designated Safeguarding Officer and SENCO.
All of our staff will complete their Paediatric First Aid within 6 months of joining the team.
​
The team will report to a full time Nursery Manager who will work closely with the Proprietor and Area managers to maintain our high standards.
Key Person System
Each member of staff will work with a specific age range.
Within that age range staff will work more closely with a group of individual children.
The Key person system will encourage your child to develop a closer relationship to a specific person at nursery which can be reassuring especially in the early days.
​
The key person will meet and help to settle your child at the beginning of each session and give feedback at the end of the session.
You will be assigned a secondary Key Person to take on the Key Person role in their absence.
During their day at nursery, Children are guided into small groups, usually with their key person, according to their age and the ratio of staff to children. The ratios are; 1:3 for under 2 yrs, 1:5 for 2-3 yrs and 1:8 for 3+ yrs.
Heath Farm Day Nurseries have chosen to continue to to follow the 1:4 ratio for 2 year olds and only use 1:5 ratio in exceptional circumstances.
Learning through Structured Play
Whilst we endeavour to provide a learning orientated environment that will encourage participation in activities, I would like to stress that there is unlimited learning potential in structured play. Whilst some children may enjoy from an early age a more formal approach like sitting quietly at a table some children do not. If this is the case, then we shall look for other ways to engage participation and to achieve the desired outcome. This may take the form of an outdoor activity or a more manipulative activity.
For example your child may be happier to write their letters in the sand with a stick than in a book with a pencil. If at the end of the activity they have learnt how to form and to recognise their letters then we have made progress. Your child’s happiness is paramount. If a child is happy then they will learn.
Planning our activities
At the beginning of every month you will receive your invoice and a Newsletter. The Newsletter will inform
you of the Themes for the coming weeks. If you are able to enhance any of our themes in any way – by
bringing items into nursery, suggesting a relevant speaker or demonstration then we will be pleased to hear from you!
Themes will usually span a “half term” i.e. 6/7 weeks and will usually reflect the seasons, festivals and
celebrations of the calendar as well as be initiated by the interests of the children.
Early Years Foundation Stage
In line with the National Curriculum, Heath Farm Day Nurseries Ltd will be following the guidelines for the Early Years Foundation stage.
The three primary areas of development are; Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communication & Language and Physical Development. Four other specific areas of learning and development are considered and incorporated into nursery life. These are; Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the world and Expressive arts and design.
Your child will be given the opportunity to develop the necessary skills that will aid a smooth transition into education. There will be activities which will specifically develop skills in listening, observation and memory. There will also be a focus upon social interaction and personal independence.
Getting the most from the Nursery experience
By reinforcing activities at home, talking to your child about what they have done and are going to do, and
bringing in items to show the other children, you will be greatly enhancing the learning potential of each
nursery session.
When your child starts at nursery they will begin a Famly online learning journal. All children will have
observations added regularly to this. The observation will usually include photos of your child and might
demonstrate a new skill, or perhaps an activity which your child particularly enjoyed.
Outdoor Play
" 'Anything taught in an indoor classroom, can be taught outdoors, often in a way more enjoyablefor children' - Cathy Jones
​
We love being outdoors at nursery. Rain or shine, it doesnt matter to us! Our outdoor areas host a wide range of activities catered for all ages.
​
'Theres no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing!'