What do i need to provide my child with when they come to nursery?
You will need to bring a change of clothing, nappies or pull-ups, along with any nappy creams and wet wipes. Additionally, your child will need a water bottle with their name on it. If they consume formula milk or oat milk, please pack this as well.
You will need to bring a toothbrush and toothpaste as we brush our teeth each session.
If your child takes a nap, remember to bring bedding. They may also wish to bring along a special teddy bear to share their day, which is perfectly fine!
Are the Early Years professionals trained?
All of our key workers hold childcare qualifications that range from Level 2 to Level 5. Our nursery team includes staff members who have experience and qualifications in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We're also pleased to have Autism Champions among our staff, along with Lauren, who is our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO). At the Mackworth site, Alice is skilled in British Sign Language (BSL) and has her SEND qualification, just like Lauren.
What curriculum do you follow at Little Owls Nursery?
At Little Owls Nursery, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework with our weekly planning in each room.
We also incorporate Launchpad to Literacy into our planned experiences and, over the years, have found this fundamental in our children's attainment. Launchpad to Literacy is an additional framework designed to support children's early literacy development. It focuses on identifying and addressing skill gaps in communication, language, and literacy—tracked by your child's key worker and room leader—ultimately aiming to enhance their preparedness for reading and other literacy-related tasks in primary school. It supports and compliments the EYFS framework, helping children to develop a solid foundation for success in their journey.
Are all staff DBS checked ?
As part of our safer recruitment policy, we ensure all staff are DBS checked and registered with the updated service.
This allows the management team to review their DBS checks each term, ensuring robust safeguarding practices.
Visitors to the nursery, like our dance teacher, also hold valid DBS checks for security.
How do i pay for childcare ?
We issue our nursery fees on the 25th of each month and kindly request that parents make their payment by the 5th of the following month. Invoices are sent through your Famly app and also via email. Payments can be made by cash, bank transfer, or Tax-Free Childcare.
What will happen if my child becomes poorly at nursery?
Should your child fall ill at nursery, we will contact you using the telephone numbers you have provided. In cases where your child is unwell, such as being sick, we have established exclusion periods that you will acknowledge on your Famly platform during registration. These exclusion periods will remain accessible on your platform for your reference. If your child appears a bit more clingy than usual or seems "not quite themselves", we will send you a message through Famly and implement a plan to monitor them throughout their session.
What if my child needs a sleep at nursery?
If your child needs a nap during nursery, please remember to bring their sleep bag, blanket, bedsheet, and any comfort items like dummies or favourite teddy bears.
Some children also will like a warm or cold bottle of milk- so bring them a empty bottle if they do
We have a variety of beds available at our nurseries.
You can be assured that children are closely monitored while they rest; we check on them every 10 minutes, ensuring they stay warm and comfortable, and we log their sleep durations on the Famly app.
All staff members are trained in safer sleep practices as part of our core training, in accordance with our Safeguarding policy.
What does my child need to wear for nursery?
At Little Owls Nursery, we don’t have a strict dress code, but we do provide a nursery uniform for parents who wish to purchase it. We have a limited supply of uniforms available on-site, but if you'd like to order some, please see the link below. We recommend not sending your child in their best clothes, as nursery is a space for exploration and creativity. While we encourage the use of aprons to help protect their clothing, we understand that not every child prefers to wear one. For children who are potty training or fully toilet trained, we suggest avoiding dungarees. Similarly to schools, please ensure that children wear shoes with backs, and avoid soft-bottom shoes such as crocs. Lastly, please remember to label all clothing items.
What is the child to Early years educator ratio at Little Owls Nursery?
For under 2's our ratio is 1:3
2-3 Years our ratio is 1:5
3-4 years our ratio is 1:8
Is the nursery able to accommodate special dietary requirements ?
Of course! Our nursery cooks are able to tailor most of our lunches.
We cook everything in-house, which makes it easier to be more flexible with our menus for children who have allergies.
All staff have also completed their Level 2 in food hygiene and food allergen training , and as part of our commitment to training at Little Owls Nursery.