Parent Information

Everything you need to know about our nurseries and procedures.

Welcome

We provide high quality childcare in a stimulating, safe and secure environment, enabling all children to reach their full potential. We promote social, emotional and intellectual development through children’s interests and play.

We seek to prepare every child for life, so that they are equipped emotionally, academically, intellectually, and socially to face all of life’s joys and challenges and contributing positively to the society.

Goldcrest Day Nurseries

Our children participate in various imaginative and creative activities that effectively support their learning and development.

Our children are confident, self-assured, highly motivated, eager to learn and well-behaved.

Our team of warm and friendly staff ensure children feel welcome, comfortable and safe in their learning environment.

Mission Statement

We celebrate each small step and encourage our children to be the best they can be as we work in partnership with all who use our setting.

Our aim is to:

Provide high quality care and education for every child in a safe, secure and stimulating environment.

Enhance the development and education of the children under statutory school age in a parent-involving, community based group.

Work within a framework that ensures equality of opportunity for all children and families.
Offer the children and their parents a service that promotes equality and values diversity.

We offer your child:

A specially tailored Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum helping children attain the early learning goals.

Individual care and attention made possible by high ratio of adults to children.

Positive relationships working with parents and carers.

Opportunities for you and your family to be directly involved in the activities of the group and in your child’s progress.

Our team

Our team of professionally trained and highly experienced practitioners led by the Manager would allow each child to develop and learn at his or her own pace.

We believe in the distinct contribution that all our staff brings to the setting. All members of staff have excellent knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. Children are well supported by members of staff which is attributable to their understanding of child development.

We have regular staff meetings as well as series of internal and external training sessions to enhance their continuous professional development. Our staff members are enthusiastic and keen to help all the children develop and prepare them for the next stage of development.

All members of staff hold (or are working towards) appropriate Early Years qualifications as well as Paediatric First Aid, Food Health and Hygiene, Child Protection and Health and Safety qualifications. All members of staff have enhanced DBS check.

Key person

The role of your child’s key person is to promote a healthy emotional attachment with your child by providing trust and a secure relationship. The person will follow your child’s pattern, tone and rhythm to develop a deep understanding of their needs.

Keeping you updated

We encourage the key person to have an open communication with you to discuss your child’s emotional and individual needs, this enables us to plan within the nursery and encourage healthy communication.

The Key person is there to act as an advocate for the child, sharing with parents and other practitioners the specific interest and concerns.

How do we do this at Goldcrest

  1. Plan specific opportunities for all children in our care to build secure relationships with key person  by creating opportunities for snuggling in and having one to one time
  2. Making the environment in which the children come into predictable in order for them to feel safe.
  3. Managing times of transition carefully, fully informing the parents of the changes to ensure the key person settles their key child.
  4. Establish ways to support children who struggle with any changes.
  5. Establish a buddy system for your child, should the key person be absent from work or on holiday, the other buddy Key worker will take over and be there to comfort and act for your child’s needs.
  6. Plan for a key person to sit with individual children, focusing on different ways of communicating, for example clapping, singing, smiling, listening and tell time.We call this “Key Times”.
  7. At times of transition such as beginning and end of the day we like to greet and say goodbye to babies and children to encourage a three way relationship with yourselves and your child.
  8. Key person encourage parents to be involved with the nursery as much as possible and always welcome their views. And of course like to know if there are significant events happening at home should they affect your child’s emotional needs
  9. Key person always have a planned time where they can communicate with parents. This enables time for parents and worker to have a shared understanding
  10. Key person plan their time carefully to carry out the main care aspects for your child.

Our goal is to build a bridge between home and day care provision; we are looking to maintain familiar surrounding whilst offering children a challenge and support. We plan your child’s individual needs so they can be happy within their rooms and play within their group.

It is vital to have happiness and comfort within the nursery and this is why the role of the key person is so important.

Settling-in period

We encourage parents to firstly spend an hour or so, sharing with us the needs of your baby; their special preferences, dislikes, habits, comforts, stage of development, and so forth. The more we know, the more we can be “just like home” with the added fun of new faces and things to do!

Helping your little ones settle

Please feel free to make another couple of visits, one of which you would leave your baby for a short time.

Once your baby has started nursery, we would welcome a phone call or two if you wish, so we can share with you your baby’s day and how much fun they are having! If we have any concerns, we would of course call you!

Our promise

In entrusting your baby into our care, you can be sure they will be loved and cared for in just the same way as you do, affording you complete peace of mind. That is our promise at Goldcrest.

Learning plan

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (2021) and Birth to Five Matters. We ensure that we provide quality and consistency to allow every child to make good progress throughout their time with us.

Helping Your Children Grow

By following the EYFS we provide a secure foundation through learning and development opportunities for each individual child’s needs and interests. The children are continually observed and assessed which in turn informs our planned activities and continuous provision of resources ensuring that each child reaches their full potential.

We pride ourselves on our partnership working between parents, carers and us as practitioners. We value parents and carers views and provide an ‘open door policy’ to ensure that we are always able to be on hand to offer advice and support, to ‘signpost’ to other professionals such as speech and language drop in centres or other healthcare services, and of course to provide continued updates and reviews on your child’s time with us across all areas of learning.

We value our ethos on equality of opportunity and have developed a strong culture of inclusive practice within the setting and the local community.

Our vision statement is...

“We strive to work in partnership with all who use our setting. We value, respect and celebrate each child as an individual, enabling them to feel a sense of belonging and thrive to the best of their ability”

Overarching principles

The following four overarching principles of the EYFS shape all practice in early years provision and at Goldcrest Day Nurseries Ltd we strive to adhere and embed these principles in everything we do:

  1. Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
  2. Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.
  3. Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers.
  4. Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates.

The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Characteristics of effective teaching and learning

There are three characteristics of effective teaching and learning which move through all areas of a child’s learning:

  1. Playing and exploring – children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’.
  2. Active learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy their achievements.
  3. Creating and thinking critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.

Within the EYFS there are 7 areas of learning and development

There are Three Prime Areas, which reflect the key skills and capabilities all children need to develop and learn effectively, and become ‘ready for school’. It is expected that the balance will shift towards a more equal focus on all areas of learning as children grow in confidence and ability within these prime areas.

Prime areas

  • Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Making Relationships / Self Confidence and Self-awareness / Managing feelings and behaviour.
  • Physical Development: Moving and Handling / Health and Self-care
  • Communication and Language:Listening and Attention / Understanding / Speaking

Specific areas

  • Literacy: Reading/Writing
  • Mathematics: Numbers/Shape, space and measure
  • Understanding the World: People and communities / The World / Technology
  • Expressive Arts and Design: Exploring and using media and materials / Being imaginative

Learning journey

We record your child’s progress and development in their very own ‘Learning Journey’. This is a brightly coloured, child and parent friendly book that celebrates your child’s achievements.

The Learning Journey contains many photographs, observations and children’s work, along with the regular termly reviews that we complete for each child; this outlines their achievements at nursery and also their next steps for their individual journey of learning.

Special Education Needs

Some children may need extra nurturing to help them progress at nursery. Goldcrest have an excellent Special Educational Needs policy, which enables the staff to provide the best possible support. This includes working closely with parents and where appropriate, ensuring your child receives the help and support of other agencies. If you have any concerns please do hesitate to contact the manager.

Opening times

For opening times, please see our Billericay Nursery and Stanford Le Hope Nursery pages.

Ofsted reports

You can read the latest Ofsted reports for both our children’s nurseries here:

Safeguarding children

If Goldcrest staff have any concerns on a Safeguarding Children issue they will be referred immediately to our Safeguarding Children Officer.

Procedure to Follow if Needed

All staff have the right to refer should the need arise.

The guidelines that we have been issued from child protection training using guidance from the local Safeguarding Children Board is that we have the right to ask a parent about any mark, bruise, injury that may be present on a child or/if a child is showing behavioural problems which seem unusual.

If Goldcrest staff require advice on how best to handle any situation they will ring 0845 6037627 and ask to speak to the duty social worker.

For urgent situations or out of hours: 0845 6061212.
All referrals will follow guidelines given in the Southend Essex Thurrock (SET) Book.

Funding

3 to 4 year Early Educational Entitlement funding is available to all children. However, some children are eligible for 2 year funding. Please speak to the Manager to find out more about the funding. For the purpose of Grant Funding, parents would be required to complete a Parent Declaration Form.

Registration

Please visit our nurseries to pick-up a copy of the application form or alternatively download a copy here.

Paying fees

Fees are payable monthly in advance and invoices are issued at the end of the preceding month. Payments can be made through BACS, cheques, Tax-Free Childcare and childcare vouchers. Please speak to the Manager if you need to obtain details regarding fees and payments.

Policies

The Policy folder is available in the nursery for full list and details of our policies. Please speak to the Nursery Manager should you need any additional information.

The folder includes:

  • Access to Information
  • Admissions
  • Arrival and Departure policy
  • Behaviour Management
  • Children Right Policy
  • Complaints
  • Communicable Diseases Policy
  • Confidentiality
  • Curriculum Development Statement
  • Diet
  • Equal Opportunities
  • Fire Drill Policy and Procedure
  • First Aid Policy
  • Food Policy and Procedure
  • Good Handling Techniques
  • Health and Hygiene Policy
  • Health/Illness & Emergency Procedure
  • Health and Safety Policy
  • Lost Child Procedure
  • Lost Child Procedure (outings)
  • Maintenance Policy
  • Maternity Policy
  • Medication Policy (sick child and calling an ambulance)
  • Nappy Changing Policy
  • Non/late collection of children
  • No Smoking Policy
  • Office Policy
  • Outings
  • Parents/Carers as Partners
  • Safeguarding Children (including allegations towards staff)
  • Safety Policy and procedure
  • Selecting Play Equipment and Toys
  • Settling in Nursery
  • Social Networking Policy
  • Special Consideration for Employees
  • Special Educational Needs Policy
  • Staff Development and Training
  • Staffing & Employment Policy (including recruitment selection and
    Health and Safety Policy vetting procedures)
  • Student Placement Policy
    Supervision of Staff

Collection from nursery

If you, as the parent or guardian of your child, are unable to collect him or her from the nursery it will be necessary for you to tell us, in writing, who else you will allow to collect. We also require a passport type photograph of them. This will ensure the complete safety of your child.

If your child is not collected by 6pm we will endeavour to contact you or your nominated emergency numbers. If no contact is made and your child remains uncollected by 7pm we will contact Social Care Team (tel: 0845 6061212) and the welfare of the child will be passed over to them.

Our Local Offer

Goldcrest Day Nurseries aim to meet the needs of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We are supported by the local authorities to ensure all children, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress in the nurseries.

We work with all professionals as required for each child and encourage them to visit the setting. If required, we will contact and work with the Local Authorities Early Years Support team. We will always obtain parental consent before doing so and we will include parents in all decisions made and in all meetings.

Our staff continue to receive and refresh their training as part of their continuous professional development. All staff have Early Years Qualifications or are working towards them and attend on-going training in SEND, promoting positive behaviour and English as an additional language.

For more information on our local offer, please speak to us or you can request for a copy of our policy.

Jewellery

To ensure the safety of your child, please do not allow them to attend the nursery wearing any jewellery unless worn for religious or medical reasons.

Meal times

These are happy and social times for the children where they have the opportunity to interact with their peers, and are encouraged to eat with a knife and fork.

Meals are freshly prepared by our catering company Zebedees Lunch Box. Please notify us of any dietary requirements.

Breakfast 8.00am-8.30am Is offered, if requested by the parent, to daily children.

Medicines

On occasion, it will be necessary for children to take medicine during the day, provided medicines are prescribed by a Doctor and staff are satisfied the child is well enough to attend. The medicine must be handed directly to a member of staff, with written instructions and authority giving us permission to administer the medicine. After antibiotics being prescribed, it is expected that there be a 24 hour period before your child returns to the nursery. (Please note non-prescribed medication will not be administered with the exception of Calpol).

Sickness

Under Local Health Authority ruling, if your child has sickness or diarrhoea, there must be a period of 48 hours clear before the child can be allowed back into the nursery. If a child is sent home with a temperature, they would not be expected to return to nursery for twenty four hours.

Contents

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