Our Nursery
We provide activities which are challenging, engaging, stimulating and exciting. Each week we plan for the children’s learning based on the early year’s curriculum, including festivals relevant to the very diverse Nest Community. We encourage self-initiated activities, giving children the independence of free choice. Activities are evaluated by the staff and children to see how successful they were and if not what changes need to be made.
Meal times
Mealtimes are a great social occasion where children can share their likes and dislikes, try new colourful and exciting foods and learn about what foods are good for our development and health. We provide a snack in the morning and afternoon, these usually consist of fruit.
Sleeping
The children have their own cots, please bring bedding and any comfort objects such as a soft toy, which we keep in a named bag for your child. and bedding. Soft classical music is played as they are stroked off to sleep in a dimmed area.
Children's Surveys
We conduct Children’s Survey’s in our Owls Room as it is a wonderful technique to find out what the children think about our nursery. It also helps us plan new menus and activities...
Family Wall
We have Family Wall’s at Nest Nursery with photographs of the children with their families. These are simply a way for the children to be reminded of their families during the day, to talk about them and hopefully to comfort them.
Singing and story time
Children choose the songs they would like to sing as well as learning new ones. Action songs and rhymes introduce movement into singing time. Stories are appropriate for their age and we use story props to support them to fully engage in the stories.
Yoga
We practise Yoga with our Children at Nest Nursery. This is especially important after the impact of Covid. We use well-being poses, where the children do real yoga poses whilst self-affirming; I am Strong, Kind, Brave etc.
Makaton
Makaton is useful to any non-verbal child as it supports them to communicate. Very young babies can be taught to sign. It can also support children with EAL.
Emotional Coaching
At Nest Nursery we practise Emotion Coaching, which was first introduced by John Gottman and his colleagues in the USA. Emotion coaching is about helping children to become more aware of their emotions.
Safety and Security
Please allocate a password to nominated persons collecting your child. We will not allow your child to be collected by any person who is not ‘nominated’ and/or does not have the password.
Daily risk assessments are carried out to ensure the nursery is safe. We regularly conduct fire drills and evaluate our evacuation procedures. Risk Assessments Nest - September 2022.doc
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All staff have a DBS check that has been carried out in the last 3 years. Staff have enrolled to online checks which are updated if an offence occurs, we can check these online at any time.
Mealtimes
Our children have regular access to water and we encourage Owls and Hatchlings to serve themselves at their water stations. We offer baby led weaning and if your child needs a breast feed, we have created a lovely space where you can sit and feed your baby comfortably.
Mealtimes are relaxed and staff eat with the children, often discussing the food and its nutritional value. Children are offered fruit, which they self prepare and serve during both am and pm sessions as well as natural yoghurt. Owls and Hatchlings cook once a week. The children have a mud kitchen in the garden to pretend to cook food. During special occasions and cultural festivals, we ask you to share your food and suggestions. The children gain an appreciation of food if we share culturally diverse recipes and meals frequently.
Action4Children Eat Better Start Better Voluntary Food and Drink Guidelines.pdf
We encourage baby-led weaning with all children. We will of course help any child/baby who is having trouble feed themselves and make sure all food is cut up to the appropriate size to eliminate any choking hazards. Please note that we do not serve sausages or grapes or Blueberries at Nest Nursery due to the high risk of choking.
Sleep/rest
Younger children have naps when needed. Children are supported to get to sleep by a familiar adult who remains nearby. Children may have a bottle/cup of milk, or a comforter, such as a blanket, soft toy or a dummy from home. Dummies can be dangerous if children run with them in their mouths and can restrict speech, therefore we will try to encourage children to leave them in a safe place until rest times. Dummies, pros and cons: your dummy questions answered | NCT
Settling In
You will be contacted by Karen or Jade to arrange settling in sessions. We usually suggest a minimum of 3 staggered sessions to get your baby used to their new environment, the staff and their key person. These sessions are planned generally 1-2 weeks before your child is due to start nursery. You will complete an ‘All About Me’ All About Me Hatchlings or All About Me - Owls
To help your child settle in we make a Family Book / Poster with them (or for them depending on the age of the child). We will ask you to send in photos before your child arrives for their first settle so we can place these in the room together.