FAQs
Evaluating our Nursery
Settling in
What age ranges do you cover?
We take children from 2 years of age up until the age of 5.
What are your opening hours?
We are open from 7:30am until 5:30pm. We provide flexible hours with a minimum of 12 per week. Our morning starts run from 7:30am with 30 minute increments up to 9am, and our afternoon starts are from 1pm or 1:30pm with 30 minute increments up to 5.30pm. We provide various start and finish options to support our parents' requirements.
Do you provide meals?
We offer snacks until 9:30am - a mixture of crumpets, toast and fruit to follow. Our lunch is usually around midday, and this is a hot meal provided the chefs at the Parish's St Ewold's Residential Home. We then have snacks at around 3:30-4pm - usually crackers, fresh homemade soups, fresh smoothies etc. Copies of full menus are available.
What are the ratios of adult to children?
The ratio in our Sunshine Room (2-3 years) is 1:4. The pre-school rooms are 1:8.
Can my child attend Nursery during school holidays?
Yes, we are open all year round; however, we do close for all public Bank Holidays, and also close at 2pm on the last day of the week before Christmas Day.
We offer very limited term-time only spaces in the Preschool year when your child is eligible for the 30 hours' free NEF funding - please speak to the Nursery Manager for availability.
Will my child get to play outside?
Westmount Day Nursery is a 'free flow' Nursery and therefore your child can go out in most weathers on most days. Please ensure you bring in appropriate clothing.
We use the outside area for many different activities including bikes, scooters, team games, role play, sand physical challenges, free play, and water play. Outside is an extension to our provision and still offers lots of learning experiences.
Will my child be taken out anywhere, eg parks, the library, day trips?
We have a minibus and a 6-seater buggy.
We often take the children on visits to various places such as parks, beaches, woods and reservoirs.
We take a first aid kit and a bag of supplies.
Children in our Rainbow Room go swimming twice a week ( this incurs an extra charge).
Will my child be able to have a daytime sleep?
Each child is provided with their own sheet and blanket which is washed on a daily basis. Preschool children tend not to have sleep but if required we will meet children's individual needs on a daily basis.
My child has allergies. Will they be safe at nursery?
Nursery should be informed of any allergies so contingency plans can be made to keep these allergens away from the child. We strive to ensure that every child is safe while at nursery so we will prepare separate snacks and meals keeping in with the child’s diet. We order our lunches through St Ewolds care home. Our chefs are very good at supplying alternate meal solutions.
How do I know my child will be kept safe?
Safeguarding is of paramount importance to us and an aspect that is highly regulated by CEYS. All staff undergo safeguarding training every year and we have Designated Safeguarding Persons in each room. These procedures include everything from recruiting staff, greeting visitors at the door, ensuring passwords are in use when children are picked up anyone other than parents whom we have not met.
How do I pay for childcare?
You can pay for your childcare via direct debit which is completed prior to starting the nursery. A letter will be posted to your home address from the finance team stating the monthly fees and date which it is taken out of your bank this is 3rd or 4th of the month.
Do you accept Nursery Education Funding (NEF)?
We accept two and three year old funding. NEF plus other outside agencies please contact the manager to discuss.
How often do you review your fees?
From May each year our fees are reviewed and changed in September each year. This will be communicated to parents in the June/July prior.
Can I come and take a look around?
Absolutely, we welcome people to come and see us and we can arrange a suitable time for you, be it early on in the day or later on in the afternoon. Due to safeguarding issues we need to know who is on the premises at all times and we must ensure that visitors are always fully supervised so we ask you to call or email us beforehand to book a time. You can ask as many questions as you like during your visit with us,
What processes are in place to help my child settle in?
We understand that leaving your child is one of the hardest things to do, and we'll work very closely with you to ensure we know your child as well as possible ready for this big day. We have many strategies that we use to help, including our key worker system whereby one of our staff will take the lead in your child’s care and build a strong relationship with them to help with transitions into nursery. We'll also work with you yourself.
We pride ourselves in being very adaptable to any situations so we'll try new strategies to help children settle and get to love the Nursery as quickly as possible.
What do I need to provide for my child’s day at Nursery?
A change of clothing (including underwear), nappies and wipes, nappy cream, wellies, a woolly hat, and a coat (weather-dependent). All clothing to be labelled please.
My child has a favourite teddy bear/comforter. Can this be brought into Nursery?
Comforters can be brought to Nursery as they can help a child through any difficult transitions; however, as you can imagine, in a busy childcare setting things can go missing. We will try our hardest to keep your comforter or item safe, and will take time to keep it safe when the child is not using it, but things of great expense or of a sentimental value should be kept at home just in case.
What does my child need to wear for Nursery?
Aprons will be used for messy activities; however, we still advise against the children wearing best clothes for Nursery as some children don't want to wear them. We would ask you to put your child in shoes and clothes that encourage independence, eg no lace-up shoes or dungarees.
Although we have a small range of spare wellies, ideally you should send your child with their own wellies, clearly labelled.
Can I supply food for my child?
No, we provide all snacks and meals for your child and will meet any dietary requirements to do with allergies, vegetarianism, veganism etc.
How will I know and find out how my child is getting on?
The child’s key person will keep an up-to-date record on your child’s progress. They will share this information with you regularly using our online capture system, Tapestry, and we'll hold regular parent consultations to discuss the child's progress.
At the end of each session staff members will talk you through your child’s day, sharing vital information such as what your child has eaten, if they have had a sleep, and drinks etc.
My child is starting potty training. Can you help with this?
Yes, we strive to help in all areas of your child’s development, and we'll take potty training at your child’s pace. We'll follow your routine from home as closely as possible and will keep you in touch at every step. Please refer to our toileting policy which will work alongside your child's key worker.
Illness and Injuries
What if my child is ill whilst at Nursery?
If your child is ill we will give you a call to notify you if you're required to pick up your child. Please ensure you tell a member of the Team if you have administered any medication before bringing your child to Nursery.
Can you administer medication?
We can administer any medication that is prescribed by a doctor. We use health care plans for recurring medicines, such as inhalers, that will need to be completed before your child starts at the Nursery with your GP.
All staff are first aid trained.
What if my child has an accident at Nursery?
Accidents do happen at Nursery but we do of course try our best to prevent them. If your child has an accident we'll let you know upon collection, or beforehand depending on the severity of the accident. We will provide any first aid needed and fill in an accident form to outline the incident (causes, treatments, outcomes etc) which you will be asked to sign on collection. For more serious accidents we'll either ask you to take your child to A&E, or we may call an ambulance and contact you to ask that that you meet us at the Hospital. Further online paperwork will be completed for any child required to attend Hospital in order to CEYS (Children Early Years Service) as further investigation may be required.
What happens if my child gets bitten?
We understand that younger children do bite. This may be because they are teething, frustrated, exploring using their mouth, asserting their independence and wanting to gain control, perhaps of a toy, or they could be stressed. It may also be because they want to gain attention. Biting can become a sensitive issue, both for the parent of the biter and the parent of the bitten child. We seek outside professional advice for extra strategies if needed.
We always follow our Biting Policy, which sets out our procedures quite comprehensively. We work with both sets of parents to minimise incidents and, whilst we appreciate that this can be a very stressful time for parents, these incidents are usually short-lived, do not remain in the memories of children, and can be explained as a natural part of development for some children. If you do have concerns, we urge you talk to your keyworker.
What happens if my child is sick?
We ask that when your child is sick you do not bring them to Nursery: this helps prevent the spread of infection. We will not accept a child running a temperature into Nursery. When the cause of illness is sickness or diarrhoea we ask that your child stays away for 48 hours after the last bout of illness. For specific exclusions please refer to our Exclusion Policy.
Fees remain fully payable during any child's illness.
My child was sick during the night but seems fine this morning. Can they still attend Nursery today?
No, unfortunately we have a strict policy on exclusion periods. For sickness and diarrhoea, children must be away from Nursery for 48 hours after the last symptom.
Do you have qualified First Aiders?
All members of our Team hold a valid paediatric First Aid certificate which is updated every 3 years.
Our Staff
What is a “key worker”?
A key worker is a member of staff within your child’s Room who your child best associates with. The key worker will write observations and monitor your child’s development. The key worker may change throughout the child’s transition through Nursery; this ensures your child's key worker (whoever it may be) is always within the Room to best settle the child within each area.
Are all staff DBS-checked (previously CRB)?
Yes, all members of staff, whether full-time, part-time, volunteers, or students, hold a current DBS Check that is carried out prior to the member of staff starting with us. Staff members also sign up to the update service which keeps this check up-to-date at all times - this allows us to check each member of staff’s DBS Check to ensure no new information is received (cautions or arrests). Any people visiting a nursery to deliver extra curricular activities, such as yoga, also have to have a DBS Check.
Do you have qualified First Aiders?
All members of our Team hold a valid paediatric First Aid certificate that is updated every 3 years.
What qualifications do your Nursery staff hold?
Our staff hold various childcare qualifications such as NNEB, Level 3 Childcare and Education, Level 2 or 3 in Children’s Learning & Development and in Playwork, First Aid, Child Protection, Designated Safeguarding, Equal Opportunities, Additional Educational Needs, and Management training etc.
General Questions
Can I collect my child from Nursery early?
Yes, no problem, you may collect your child whenever you wish; however, if appropriate, it may be best to let us know of early collections in order for us to prepare the child for an earlier departure. This may also change routines for us, such as sleeping and/or feeding routines.
What happens if I collect my child late?
We understand this does happen from time to time as some things are out of our control; however, we work using staff to children ratios, and so a late collection may incur extra hours charged. Please refer to the Nursery Charges, and please always let us know if this is going to happen as early as possible.
What if I need someone else to collect my child?
This is not a problem, but please inform us as soon as possible. A password system will be set up if we have not met the person before, and they will also need to bring ID.
We are going on holiday. Do I need to let Nursery know?
Please let us know as soon as you can about your holiday dates. Nursery fees are payable through sickness and holidays.
What is a Tapestry Learning Journal?
The learning journal is an online profile which showcases your child’s achievements, next steps, and general fun things that have been achieved. This will contain photographs, observations, links to our curriculum and goals that we set to work on with the children, as well as home link observations where parents and carers can add observations and pictures which will help us at Nursery for individual planning. Alongside the learning journey we also fill in a profile which highlights children’s progression: this will go to school with each child to ensure school has a brief background of each child to help them continue when the children leave us.
Do I need to provide sun lotion?
We would ask you to provide a sun tan lotion over SPF 30- 50 for our Team to reapply during the day. Please ensure you apply lotion on your child before coming to Nursery.
What should I do if I’m unhappy with some aspect of my child’s care?
Please come and talk to your child's key worker or the team leader of the Room.
The management team is very approachable: just request a time and we'll set aside some time to talk through any issues you may have. We like to sort out problems before they grow into bigger problems, so will be happy to talk about any issues big or small. You and your child’s happiness are our overall goals so we'll strive to achieve this as best we can.
What do I need to do if I want to withdraw my child from Nursery?
To withdraw your child due to change of circumstances, please refer to our Terms and Conditions and contact the Nursery Manager in the first instance.
Who can I speak to if I have any questions regarding my child’s care and don’t want to talk to the Nursery Manager?
You can email [email protected] to request an appointment or call 01534 811811 in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with his response, please call CEYS on 01534 449246.
