We Are Located on a Working Farm Where We Tend Sheep, Tucked Away In

Introduction

We are located on a working farm where we tend sheep, tucked away in

a rural part of Powick on the edge of Colletts Green, far enough away from the busy thoroughfares to enable us to remain peaceful and unspoilt and close to nature, but in a position that is easily accessed.

Early Doors Day Nursery is housed in a brick and timbered barn that has been converted to a high standard specifically for this purpose, with plenty of outside space in safe and secure surroundings lending it to endless exploration and play, definitely catering for the more exuberant of our charges.

Early Doors staff have been chosen for not only their level of experience and qualifications, but for their enthusiasm and motivation to ensure that the Nursery develops and evolves in every way to ensure that your child continues to receive the quality of care they deserve.

We wish to give parents confidence in us and the work we do. Our philosophy is to CARE.

Your child’s health is paramount to us both physically and mentally and we aim to do our utmost to build and maintain a strong healthy child that becomes aware of their own healthy bodies and how they can contribute to their own well-being.

We go on walks through the fields, woods etc around the farm, on bug hunts, children are encouraged to take part in physical activities in the safe environment of the garden, we provide good healthy home cooked meals and snacks freshly prepared on the premises and through this we educate the children about the benefits of healthy eating and exercise.

We are the proud holders of a Gold Award for ‘Promoting Health in Early Years Settings’ the first award in a pilot scheme by Worcester County Council.

We are also an accredited ‘Signalong’ setting.

We have also been awarded a ‘5 Star Award’ by MHDC Environmental Health for the standard of Food Hygiene in our kitchen & dining area.

We are members of the NDNA (National Day Nurseries association)

Aims

Early Doors is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of your children.

Our aims are to help your child acquire independence and develop physically, emotionally, intellectually and socially in a caring, stimulating and exciting environment. All children will be allowed to develop at their own rate but to their full potential.

We aim to have a good partnership between staff and parents, ensuring a safe and happy environment.

The children's happiness and enjoyment is our priority

We aim to encourage the children's development through play. We encourage the children to have respect for themselves, other people and for their environment and promote good manners.

We will work to ensure they are:

Healthy

Safe

Enjoying and achieving

Making a positive contribution

Achieving economic wellbeing, all these are considered to contribute to your child’s wellbeing now and in later life.

We hope to encourage and nurture your child's

interest in the farm and its surroundings and ensure that they get the maximum knowledge and enjoyment from all that is around them.

Settling In

We will endeavour to ensure that you and your child have as enjoyable an introduction to Nursery as possible. And we will work to, where practical and safe, to accommodate any problems or needs that you or your child may have.

We will be happy to come and visit you at your home if you feel this would help initially or provide a book all about the nursery. You can have as many visits with your child and remain with them, as you feel you require, but we will have to limit the times you leave you child with us to a maximum of 3 separate hourly sessions. If you need more than this we will have to make a charge at an hourly rate, which can be given on request, should the occasion arise? These visits can commence as far in advance as you feel necessary and that fit in with your own commitments, we are more than happy for you to visit us and spend time in the nursery as often as you want, all we ask is that you let us know at least 24 hrs in advance of your chosen time.

Items to be sent with your child

Babies under 2 years

Appropriate milk feeds.

Nappies. A stock can be kept at nursery.

Spare change of clothes.(named)

Wellies/Hats/gloves etc(when appropriate)

Toddlers(2-5yrs)

Trainer pant/ Nappies.

Change of clothes(named)

Several change of clothes for potty trainees.

Wellies/Hats/gloves etc

We provide wipes, nappy creams, sun creams.

Wet weather gear.

Please note that the children often engage in messy or wet play and although we do our best to ensure that they are protected it is not always successful so this is why we ask for plenty of spare clothes to be put in their bags.

Could you please mark their clothes and shoes with their initials or a nametag, as we cannot always remember who was wearing what, thank you?

Holidays and Contracts

Payments must be made in advance, invoices are sent out every 4 weeks, and if your child joins the nursery during the 4 weekly cycles then you will be charged accordingly.

Payments outstanding may result in the termination of your contract with the nursery and court proceedings being taken.

If your child is ill and cannot attend Nursery then it is at the discretion of the owner as to whether a full charge will be made, with the exception of a long-term illness where charges could be reduced.

We will not charge for days that your child is at Nursery where they fall on a Bank Holiday or during any Nursery shutdown. All other days/sessions that you elect to keep your child from Nursery will be charged at normal rate.

Should there be any event that results in the Nursery having to be closed on a day that your child would normally attend i.e. snow, flooding you will be charged 50% of the fee for that day. Every effort will be made to notify you of these closures prior to your arrival on that day but this may not always be possible.

Early Doors Daily Routine =All children, 6mths-30mths yrs,30mths-60mths
8.00am Nursery opens/Free play - continuous provision
9.00am Get ready and go for snack.
9.00am. Prepare for Activity/Circle Time
9.50am. Toilet / wash hands ready for snack
10.00am. Snack Time
10.00am. Nappies/get ready for outdoor play
10.30am. Get ready for outdoor activity/play
11.40am. Get ready for dinner./toileting wash hands
12.00pm. Lunchtime
1.00pm. Teeth cleaned. 1.15pm. Nappies
1.15pm - 2.30 3-5yrs activity/free play/ 6mths 30mths Activity/Free play
2.50pm. Toilet/wash hands ready for snack
3.30pm. Teatime
4.15pm. Toilet time/Nappies
4.30pm Story time/free play - Hometime

These routines are not set in stone and to some degree will be led by the children

During these periods times are set aside for toileting and nappy changes.

The 0-30months have an earlier morning snack time than the 3-5yr old children.

MENU

Vegetables are included in lunches either hidden in sauces etc or visible on the plate. Fresh fruit is included in all snacks. All dishes are freshly prepared on the premises. Milk, water is served with meals and snacks. Water is available and accessible to children throughout the day. This menu is rotated on a 5 week basis so as to ensure that children do not eat the same meal on the same day every week. Vegetarian/cultural/religious alternatives can be provided when required. We have only shown a 2 week section of the choice available

Babies will be provided with meals appropriate to their weaning age and developmental stage.

WK 1 / Monday / Snack Am Fruit/Veg & Milk, Lunch Tuna & Vegetable Pasta
Sultana Sponge & custard
Tea Omelette & Beans
Tuesday / Snack Am Fruit/Veg & Milk, Lunch Shepherds Pie & veg ,Apple Jacks
Tea Fish fingers & peas
Wednesday / Snack Am Fruit/Veg & Milk, Lunch Carribean chicken/veg with rice, Jelly & ice-cream
Tea Muffin Pizzas & spaghetti
Thursday / Snack Am Fruit/Veg & Milk, Lunch Moroccan vegetable stew with mash, Rhubarb & Crumble,
Tea Sausages & cous cous
Friday / Snack Am Fruit/Veg & Milk Lunch Fish Pie & veg ,Yoghurt
Tea Cheese on toast & beans
WK 2 / Monday / Snack Am Fruit/Veg & Milk Lunch Cowboy Pie,Plum crumble & custard,
Tea Frittata & beans
Tuesday / Snack Am Fruit/Veg & Milk Lunch Middle Eastern Lamb & Noodles, Sultana sponge,
Tea Muffin Pizzas & spaghetti
Wednesday / Snack Am Fruit/Veg & Milk, Lunch Sausage Hotpot, mash potato & veg, Baked Lemon & yoghurt loaf,
Tea Fish Fingers & spaghetti
Thursday / Snack Am Fruit/Veg & Milk, Lunch Fish Pie & veg , Bread & Butter pudding,
Tea Macaroni Cheese & peas
Friday / Snack Am Fruit/Veg & Milk, Lunch Sweet & sour chicken with rice, Yoghurt,
Tea Cheese on Toast & beans

Illness and Exclusion

Parents are asked to keep their children at home if they have an infection, and to alert the nursery manager so that other parents and carer's are made aware of such infection. If your child has a cold they will be allowed at nursery, but if they become distressed or uncomfortable you will be asked to collect them.

If a child has had vomiting or diarrhoea the parent will be asked to exclude the child until they have been clear for at least 24 hours.

If a child becomes unwell during nursery hours the parent will be informed or the emergency number contacted for the child to be taken home.

In dire emergencies the child's GP may be contacted or the child will be taken to hospital. Medication prescribed must be clearly labelled with the child's name. The medication book will be filled in with the name and dosage. Named persons in the nursery will be in charge of administering medication and signing the book to say the task has been completed.

Information sheets are provided on the next page to give guidance on infectious diseases including the use of antibiotics and the amount of time the child requires to be kept at home.

Early Doors Day Nursery Exclusion periods of infectious diseases
Disease / Exclusion Period / Infection Spread By:
Hepatitis A / 1 week after onset
of symptoms / Faecal-Oral
Route.
Whooping
Cough / Until child has either been on antibiotics for 5 days or 4wks
After onset of intense coughing / Air borne.
Hand-Foot
& Mouth / Until lesions no longer weep. / Fluid from the
Blisters. Faeces from infected child
Impetigo / 24 hours after treatment begins and child no longer has a discharge. / Direct contact with discharge
from lesions.
Measles / Until 5 days after the rash appears. / Airborne
Mumps / Until 9 days after swelling begins or until swelling subsides. / Saliva, secretions from respiratory
tract & urine from infected child.
Conjunctivitis / Until the child has been treated with an antibiotic for at least 24 hrs. / Direct contact with the discharge
from the eyes and nasal secretions.
Rubella / Until 6 days after the onset of the rash. / Airborne and infected secretions.
Scarlet Fever / Until 24hrs after start of
Antibiotics and no fever
For 24 hrs / Airborne
Early Doors Day Nursery Exclusion periods of infectious diseases
Disease / Exclusion Period / Infection Spread By:
Gastroenteritis / From between 1-10 days until
Vomiting & diarrhoea ceases. / Close contact
With infected
Child.
Scabies / Until 24hrs after treatment has been completed. / Skin to skin contact.
Ringworm / Until after treatment has begun & lesions have shrunk. / Direct contact with a child or animal
infected with the fungus.
Head Lice / Until the child is free of all head lice and eggs. / Direct head to head contact.
Diarrhoea & Vomiting / Until the child has been clear from symptoms for 24 hrs. / Contact with stools & then touching
mouth.
Cold Sores / Until the lesion forms a scab. / Direct contact with lesions.
Chicken Pox / Until 6 days after rash begins or when all blisters have formed scabs. / Exposure to respiratory tract
secretions or fluid from open sores.
Antibiotics / Until the child is on their 3rd day of dosage.

Dining

Snacks and meals will be served in our delightful dining room that is separate from the main nursery area giving them the experience of a differing environment, and children, where applicable will be involved with setting the table and getting ready for dinner.

Development

Your child will be encouraged to carry out a wide range of new activities and will have the choice of a variety of toys/materials that will be rotated, to play with and to assist in their continuing development.

Daily Diary

A short record of your child’s day will be kept, along with all the nappy changes if relevant in their daybooks. Your child's key worker will brief you of your child's day verbally and will always be on hand for any questions. These books can also be used by you to convey any information you need us to know.You are welcome to make an appointment to speak to your child’s key person anytime throughout the year.

Sleeping

The Quiet Room/Area is utilised for those children who still require a 'nap' with sleeping facilities provided.

Farm Viewing Area

Within our Sun room your child will be able to view the farm and the livestock. If a child is unsettled when they are dropped off, this can be used as an ideal distraction!!! If all else fails a cuddle usually works!!