DN pdf admissions brochure JULY 20 - Flipbook - Page 7
Classes and ratios of staff to children
We split the children into 5 different age groups and each group
has their own room designed to meet the play needs of that
particular age.
The age groups and adult to child ratios are as follows:
Bear Cubs
3 months to 18 months (1:3)
Cuddly Bears
18 months to 2 years (1:3)
Fuzzy Bears
2 years to 2 years 6 months (1:4)
Teddy Bears2 years 6 months to 3 years 6 months
(1:4 for 2 year olds, 1:8 for 3 year olds)
Wise Bears
3 to 5 years (1:8)
What is a ‘key person’?
THANK YOU FOR SHOWING
AN INTEREST IN OUR LOVELY
DAY NURSERY. HERE ARE A FEW
POINTERS TO GET YOU STARTED
How do I secure a place for my child?
Once we have confirmed availability for your child, to secure
your place please complete our Registration and Medical Forms.
These need to be returned to the Day Nursery Office with a £50
non-refundable deposit and the sum of a month’s fees which are
refundable.
Your child’s key person will be your main point of contact; they
will be responsible for building a close bond with your child and
settling them into nursery. They will also be responsible for your
child’s care and learning. We operate a ‘buddy’ system whereby
the buddy takes over the key person role when the key person
is absent. Whilst we believe the key person and buddy system is
important, we do also promote an open, friendly culture where all
staff get to know all parents and children.
How will I know about my child’s day?
Your child’s key person or buddy will give you a verbal report of
your child’s day and information is also displayed on white boards in
each class. For the Bear Cubs, a daily diary is completed so that you
have a written log of your child’s day as well as the verbal feedback
from the key person.
What if my child becomes unwell during the day?
Morning: 8am-1pm (Includes breakfast, snack and lunch)
Afternoon: 1pm-6pm (Includes tea)
All day: 8am-6pm (Includes breakfast, snack, lunch, tea)
If your child were to become unwell during the day, your key
person/buddy would always contact you, and depending on the
severity of the illness, you may be asked to collect your child.
We do ask parents to keep children at home if they are unwell
to help prevent the spread of infection. All exclusion periods are
specified in our Policies.
Settling in
What if my child has an accident or injury during the day?
Session times
Starting nursery can be an anxious time for parents and children,
and here at Berkhampstead Day Nursery, we aim to make the
process as smooth as possible. We offer two settling in sessions
free of charge.
The first session is a ‘stay and play’ where you and your child get
to know your ‘key person’ and the new surroundings. This lasts
up to an hour and half, your key person will go through your
child’s daily routine with you, and give you the opportunity to
discuss anything you think they need to know to help build a bond
with your child and settle them quickly into nursery. During the
second session, you leave your child. Parents are welcome to call
and check how their child is getting on. We never leave a child
in distress, and we would call you straight away if your child was
upset. We can tailor settling in sessions to suit you and your child,
and provide more if needed.
What will we need to bring?
• Spare clothes as we like to get messy!
• Labelled sun cream and sun hat (summer months)
• Splash suit and wellies so we can get messy outside!
• Warm clothes, hat and gloves (winter months)
• Nappies/wipes/cream (if needed)
• Formula/breast milk and bottle (if needed)
• Drinks bottle/beaker (Bear Cubs, Cuddly Bears and Fuzzy Bears)
• Grow bag and comforter for a nap (if needed)
Minor bumps and falls are to be expected when you’re busy having
fun! If your child has an accident which leaves a mark or bruise we
will always inform you on collection and you will need to sign an
Accident or Incident Form. If the injury is more serious then your
key person/buddy will call to inform you straight away. Depending
on the severity of the injury we may ask you to collect your child so
that they can be checked over by a health professional, particularly in
the case of head bumps.
What will my child eat?
We provide delicious and nutritious homemade meals using meat,
fish, fresh fruit and vegetables sourced from highly reputable, local
suppliers. We use little or no salt and significantly reduced sugar,
and menus are checked by our nutritionist at Palmer and Howells,
our caterers.