New Parents/Carers Handbook

KIdszone All Day Care

Eastern Oswestry Community Centre

Cabin Lane Manager: Mrs Kerry Davies

Oswestry Tel: 01691 659766

Shropshire Email:

SY11 2LQ

Welcome, as you read through the booklet, we hope it gives you all the information you need to help you make this important decision on choosing the right childcare for your child/children. If you have any questions or would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Our Aims

Our Main Aims:

  • To provide a safe, secure, loving and learning environment where each child is encouraged to reach their true potential at their own pace.
  • To ensure that each child will receive the individual care and attention they need to develop new skills and to discover that learning really can be a fun and exciting experience!
  • To encourage the development of the child’s personal, social and emotional skills through interaction with other children and adults in the Nursery by using adults as role models and encouraging imaginative and explorative play.
  • To support children with Special Educational Needs
  • To promote positive attitudes and experiences for all the children in the Nursery, by working and co-operating together staff, children and parents/carers.
  • To make the nursery an important part of community by fostering links with other services in the area.

What We Offer

We offer a:

  • Childcare Monday – Friday: 7.30am till 6.00pm, 52 weeks of the year (excluding Bank Holidays).
  • Childcare for babies aged 6 weeks up to children aged 11 years old, with a full all day nursery, for children under school age then a before/after school and holiday clubs for school aged children.
  • Flexible childcare to met individual families needs, which we charge a competitive hourly rate for sessions booked.
  • We can offer term time only contract and a rota contract, for the families that need them.
  • 24U Free funding for eligible children, which can be taken all year round or term time only.
  • 3 and 4 year old Free Educational Funding, which can be taken all year round or term time only.
  • Fun, Safe environment both indoors and outdoors where your child can grow, learn and achieve.
  • Purpose-designed rooms and gardens ideally suited to each age group, that offer a wide range of activities to capture your child’s imagination and help them achieve their next steps.
  • Friendly, experienced staff, which have current Paediatric First Aid Certificate, Health and safety training, Safeguarding training and continual up to date training, which will meet your individual children’s needs and work in partnership with you to enable your child to reach their full potential.
  • Led by our own qualified Early Years Teacher.
  • An experience tailored to meet your needs and ensure as individuals they achieve their full potential.
  • Promote Healthy life style including a Healthy Eating Policy, where all meals are pre-pared and cooked fresh on site.
  • In-house Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) to help support children that require additional support.

Who We Are

Kidszone is a privately owned nursery and we are registered with Ofsted.

Mrs Brenda Oakley

Owner

Mrs Kerry Davies

Early Years Teacher

Level 6 Playwork

Manager

Safeguarding Lead

SENCO

Pre-School Joint Leader/Key Person

Mrs Ann Norwood

Level 3 Childcare

Deputy Manager

Deputy Safeguarding Lead

Baby Room Leader

Baby Room Key PersonMiss Hannah Jones

Level 3 ChildcareMiss Grace Eccleston

Toddler Room Leader Level 3 Childcare

Toddler Room Key Person SENCO

Pre-School Joint Leader/Key Person

Miss TanitaKeeble-Blaber Miss Sophie Swannick Miss Leona Doherty Miss Claire Davies

BA (Hons) in Childhood Studies Level 3 Childcare Level 3 Childcare Level 2 Childcare

Baby Room Key Person Toddler Room Key Person Toddler Room Key Person Toddler Room Key Person

Miss Amy Rogers Miss Alex Oakley Miss Emma Kilvert Mrs Clair Parnham

Childcare Assistant Level 3 Childcare Level 3 Childcare Level 3 Childcare

Apprentice Cook Assistant Assistant

Before Starting Kidszone

We welcome prospective parents to visit the setting during any of our sessions; to have a look around and ask any questions they may have before making a decision for their child to attend.

Settling In

A happy introduction to Kidszone is important for you and your Baby/Child. Before your baby/child’s start date you and your child will be offered settling in visits during the normal sessions. This allows you both to become familiar with the routine and with the staff, especially your baby’s/child’s keyperson. On introduction you will be given your baby/child’s ‘All About Me’ poster for you to stick photo’s on,of your family and pets. You will also be asked to complete an a leaflet all about your baby/child, this includes their routine/likes and dislikes.We believe every baby/child’s settling in process is unique to them and you as a family. So when your child starts properly, we have found from experience that staying only prolongs the ‘agony’ of parting, however Parents/carers are welcome to stay if they believe this is the best for their baby/child. We will contact you, if we felt your baby/child was becoming very distressed. Children are often involved in messy play during sessions so they should be dressed in washable clothes which are not too new! Children tend to become more independent as they progress through Pre-School and simple fastenings on jackets, trousers and shoes/trainers (velcro type fastenings) will enable them to go the toilet without assistance It is advisable to keep a complete change of clothes, in case of accidents or your child getting messy/dirty, this way children are able to wear their own clothes, which is usually of preferenceto them. Kidszone have a Uniform, if you wish your baby/child to wear it. Our uniform is a navy sweatshirts and red polo shirts with our logo on them. Sun hats/Raincoats/fleece jackets and book bags can also be purchased for a reasonable price from:

Key Person

At Kidszone we operate a ‘Key Person’ system. Your baby/child will be allocated a member of staff who will be their Key Person. The child’s Key Person is a qualified practitioner, whowill they form a good attachment with your baby/child during their time at Kidszone. The Key Person will work closely with your child throughout the daily session as well as during small group time. During small group time appropriate activities will be planned for the group of children. The activities will be planned by following observations and in accordance with individual children’s needs/next steps. Any observations made will be put into the child’s Learning Journey Profile (See Page titled ‘Your Child’s Learning Journey’).

Open Door

At Kidszone we value feedback from Parents/carers as well as the children. We operate an open door policy so parents/carers are welcome to discuss any worries (however big or small) with their child’s key person or if not available at the time and a appointment can be made which is convenient to both parties. Parents/carers are welcome to discuss any issues with the manager, this could be about Kidszone, finance, housing or personal matters, all conversations are confidential and we may be able to offer or get support for you and your family.

What is the Early Years Foundation Stage?

Welcome to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which is how the Government and early years professionals describe the time in your child’s life between birth and age 5.

This is a very important stage as it helps your child get ready for school as well as preparing them for their future learning and successes. From when your child is born up until the age of 5, their early years experience should be happy, active, exciting, fun and secure; and support their development, care and learning needs.

Nurseries, pre-schools, reception classes and childminders registered to deliver the EYFS must follow a legal document called the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.

How my child will be learning

The EYFS Framework explains how and what your child will be learning to support their healthy development.

Your child will be learning skills, acquiring new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding through 7 areas of learning and development.

Children should mostly develop the 3 prime areas first. These are:

  • Communication and language;
  • Physical development; and
  • Personal, social and emotional development.

These prime areas are those most essential for your child’s healthy development and future learning.

As children grow, the prime areas will help them to develop skills in 4 specific areas. These are:

  • Literacy;
  • Mathematics;
  • Understanding the world; and
  • Expressive arts and design.

These 7 areas are used to plan your child’s learning and activities. The professionals teaching and supporting your child will make sure that the activities are suited to your child’s unique needs. This is a little bit like a curriculum in primary and secondary schools, but it's suitable for very young children, and it's designed to be really flexible so that staff can follow your child's unique needs and interests.

Children in the EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside.

The diagram below gives examples of the areas of learning and development and shows the links between the way in which your child learns and what they learn.

How can I find out how my child is getting on?

It is important that you and the professionals caring for your child work together. You need to feel comfortable about exchanging information and discussing things that will benefit your child. Your child will have a “key person”. This is the person who:

  • Helps your child to become settled, happy and safe
  • Is your main point of contact within the setting
  • Is responsible for your child’s care, development and learning
  • Takes a careful note of your child’s progress, sharing this with you and giving you ideas as to how to help your child at home

You will receive your child’s individual learning and development summary at the end of each term, which will advise you were your child’s development is currently and identify the next steps in their learning and development.

When your child is 2

At some point after your child turns 2, the professionals working with your child must give you a written summary of how your child is progressing against the 3 prime areas of learning:

  • communication and language;
  • physical development; and
  • Personal, social and emotional development.

This is called theprogress checkat age 2.

This check will highlight areas where your child is progressing well and any where they might need some extra help or support – and how mums and dads and other family members or carers can work with the key person to help. It is useful to share the information from the check with other professionals such as health visitors, who can use it as part of the health and development review, so it is important for you to notify your child’s key person when you receive your appointment for this.

When your child is 5

At the end of the EYFS – in the summer term of the reception year in school – teachers complete an assessment which is known as the EYFS Profile. This assessment is carried out by the reception teacher and is based on what they, and other staff caring for your child, have observed over a period of time.

Another important part of the EYFS Profile is your knowledge about your child’s learning and development, so do let your child’s class teacher know about what your child does with you: such as how confident your child is in writingtheir name, reading and talking about a favourite book, speaking to peopleyour child is not so familiar with ortheir understanding of numbers.

All of the information collected is used to judge how your child is doing in the 7 areas of learning and development.Finding out at this stage how your child is doing will mean that the teacheryour child has in their next school year – year 1 – will know what your child really enjoys doing and does well, as well as helping them decide if your child needs a bit of extra support, what that support should be and if they are already getting it.

The school will give you a report of your child’s progress, including information from his or her EYFS Profile.

Where can I go for further information?

We welcome and value parent/carers communication, to help us support their child’s learning and development.

You may want to find out what is on offer at your local children’s centre.

You can find the Early Years Foundation Stage which includes the early learning goals at The foundation years website also includes a range of resources and contacts.

Your child’s Learning Journey book celebrates his/her experiences at Kidszone Nursery. Over time it will tell a story about them, their learning, friends and the experiences/activities they have enjoyed sharing with others.

Staff watch and note your child at play because it helps us to understand and support each child’s wellbeing and development. We really get to know them as individual people with special skills, interests and ideas. When you tell us about them too, a clearer picture unfolds and together we can help them move on, and we can share real delight and excitement in their learning and development.

Please feel welcome to join us in watching out for and noting new things. So much happens so quickly! We are happy to talk through the Learning Journey book with you.

Though it is kept here, it belongs to your child. So they are encouraged to look at it at any time in nursery and bring it home to share with their families.

The Learning Journey book will include:

  • Photographs

These capture moments and sequences of your child’s activity, their interests and explorations. You can add some of your own from home.

  • Your child’s creations

These could be photos of models, photos of their role play, marks they have made, art-making and even examples of conversations.

  • Learning StoryObservations

These special detailed observations give snapshots of learning that the children have initiated themselves, where adults recognise and respond specifically to that child’s thinking and doing.

  • Home Observation Story

We would like to see how your child learns and develops through play in their home. When you observe your child actively taking part in an activity of their choice, we welcome parents/carers to write what your child is doing/saying or you could take a photo. The activity could be anything from helping you at home to playing in the garden independently or with siblings/friends. We then ask you to return observation to your child’s key person, to discuss this and together plan your child’s next steps to support their learning and development.

  • EYFS Summary

Your child’s key person record your child’s learning and development throughout the term and at the end of the term, they will highlight the age where they are exceeding (this means they are working in the next age range). These are then shared with yourself.

Talk To Your Baby – quick tips

Sharing songs and rhymes

Babies love songs and rhymes, especially hearing the sound of your voice. Andthey’re a great way to help your child’s talking and listening skills.

Talk To Your Baby – quick tips

Sharing books with your baby

Sharing books is a wonderful way to help your child learn to talk, and it’s the

ideal opportunity to share a cuddle at the same time.

• Find a quiet place. Turn off the TV or

radio so there are no distractions.

• As well as reading the story, talk

about the pictures. If there’s a picture

of a dog, talk about a dog that you

know.

• Give your child time to respond to

Talk To Your Baby – quick tips

Sharing books with your baby