Starting Your Child With Us
Settling Your Child into Nursery
Settling in sessions
The Room Manager of your child's room will be in contact with you regarding settling in sessions. Within all the rooms we offer Stay and Play Sessions over the duration of two weeks, however if your child has difficulties settling in this is something that can be extended. Stay and Play Sessions are for an hour duration each, these sessions are free of charge.
First stay and play session
During your child's first stay and play session you child will be invited into their base room or into the garden along with their parents. A staff member from within the room will ask you questions regarding your child, including their routine, dietary need and health conditions. Your child will be encouraged to interact with the other children, explore their surroundings, get familiar with the staff members within your child's room. You will receive a transition book, this will include all the information you and your child will need to know regarding the room such as routine, it also enables you and your child to see visual pictures of the room and the staff that work within the room.
Second Stay and Play Session
For your child's second Stay and Play Session, we invite parents into the setting for 15 minutes (may be longer if your child requires this) then we would ask for you to say goodbye to your child and remind them that you are going to be coming back. We ask for parents to then come back for the last 15 minutes to play with their child within the setting.
Third Stay and Play Session
For your child's final Stay and Play Session. We ask parents to treat it as though you would on a normal nursery drop off, this will help your child to get familiar with the routine and parents dropping and collecting at the beginning and end of their session.
Our Keyworker System
During your child's Stay and Play Sessions we will see who your child naturally gravitates to, then your child will be assigned a keyworker.
We encourage the children to develop relationships with all of the staff members within the room, but the keyworker plays a crucial part. Your child's keyworker is there to oversee your child's development and to support them with individual next steps. The keyworker will also work closely with parents/carers.
We organise two parent's evenings across the year, this enables us to involve parents regarding their children's learning and development, to work together on different next steps or to support parents with any advice or issues they may facing at home. Your child's keyworker will be be the one involved in your child's parents evening.
Information we will need
You will be provided with an 'All about me booklet' this is a booklet which asks different questions regarding your child's likes, dislikes, development etc.
Registration Form, this will include all personal details such as emergency contacts, GP surgery etc.
We provide consent forms for many activities and experiences for children to take part.
What your child will need to bring to nursery:
nappies and wipes
changes of clothes (including pants and socks)
all in one coat (for outdoor play)
formula milk/ breast milk (labelled)
wellies
slippers
nappy cream (unopened)
medication that will be needed during the day (inhalers, auto- injectors etc)
family photos
teething gel (unopened)
comforters
During the warmer weathers:
sun cream
sun hats
swimming wear
During the colder weathers:
hat
scarf
gloves
Nursery Uniform
Our St Andrews Nursery uniform is the same as our staff uniform. It is optional whether you would like to purchase nursery uniform for your child. At the nursery we provide lots of different creative activities for your child to be involved in, so some parents/carers prefer the uniform to prevent their own clothes getting dirty or marked. This also helps to prepare your child ready for the transition to school.
If you are interested in ordering uniform then please complete a Nursery Uniform Order Form, or speak to a member of staff who will be able to provide a copy of this form so we can order this purchase for you.
