Settling in policy

We want children to feel safe and happy in the absence of their parents, to recognise other adults as a source of authority, help and friendship and to be able to share with their parents afterwards the new learning experiences enjoyed in the nursery. We also want parents to feel welcome and involved from the beginning. In order to accomplish this we aim to create a partnership with parents in the following ways:

• by creating opportunities for the exchange of important information
• by ensuring plentiful opportunities for parents to inform the nursery about their children's current achievements and interests
• by encouraging parents to visit the nursery with their children for a few weeks before admission is planned
• by introducing flexible admission procedures, if appropriate, to meet the needs of individual families and children
• by making clear to families from the outset that they will be welcome and supported in the nursery for as long as it takes to settle their child
• by reassuring parents whose children seem to be taking a long time settling into the nursery
• by introducing new families into the nursery on a staggered basis, for example two new children a day for a week rather than 10 new children all at once
• by encouraging parents, where appropriate, to leave their children for brief periods of time at first, gradually building up to a longer duration

Children cannot play or learn successfully if they are anxious and unhappy. Our settling procedures aim to help parents and children to feel comfortable in the nursery and to ensure that children can benefit from what the nursery has to offer and feel confident that their parents will return at the end of the session/day.

Parental Involvement

Parents are the first educators of their young children. Our aim in the nursery is to support parents in their essential role. We will:

• involve parents in shared record keeping about their own child, both formally and informally, ensuring that parents have access to all written records on their own children
• ensure that parents are given information on a regular basis about their child's progress and have an opportunity to discuss it with staff
• ensure that all parents have opportunities to contribute from their own skills, knowledge and interests to the activities run in the nursery
• ensure that all new parents are aware of and can contribute to the nursery's systems and policies
• encourage parents to be involved in specific activities that we may occasionally ask you to carry out at home and bring back to the nursery. We do not expect this very often as we are fully aware that life gets very busy.
• ensure that all parents are fully informed about meetings, conferences, workshops and training
• consult with families about the times of meetings to avoid excluding anyone
• hold meetings in venues which are accessible and appropriate for all
• welcome the contributions of parents, whatever form these may take
• make known to all parents the systems for registering queries, complaints or suggestions
• provide opportunities for parents to learn about the nursery curriculum and about young children's learning, in nursery and at home

When parents collect their child the key worker of the child will explain all aspects of the child’s day at nursery so the parents have an insight to what their child’s day has entailed.

Parents are also provided with a daily diary to take home and read over. The daily diary is the way we record the child’s activities, meal times and nappy changes etc and we believe it also makes a lovely keepsake on the child growing up.

Equal Opportunities Policy

The nursery is committed to providing equality of all children and families and takes positive action to eliminate discrimination in all areas of work. To achieve this we respect and follow the following relevant legislation, including

• Disability Discrimination Act 1995
• Race Relations Act 1976
• Sex Discrimination Act 1986
• Children Act 1989

We believe that the group activities should be open to all children and families, and to all adults committed to their education and care. We aim to ensure that all who wish to work in, or volunteer to help with, our nursery have an equal chance to do so.

Admissions

The nursery is open to every family in the community. The waiting list is not operated on a first come first served basis but on a fairer system. Please see our child admissions policy.

Families joining the nursery are made aware of its equal opportunities policy, which is regularly reviewed.

Employment

Any vacancies will be advertised. The nursery will appoint the best person for each job and will treat all applicants fairly for jobs and all those appointed.

Commitment to implementing the group's Equal Opportunities Policy will form part of the job description for all workers.

Families

The nursery recognises that many different types of family groups can and do successfully love and care for children. The nursery aims to offer support to all families. The nursery offers a flexible payment system for families with differing means, either by cheque, standing order or cash payment.

Festivals

Our aim is to show respectful awareness of all the major events in the lives of the children and families in the nursery and in our society as a whole, and to welcome the diversity of backgrounds from which they come.

In order to achieve this:

• We aim to acknowledge all the festivals which are celebrated in our area and/or by the families involved in the nursery
• Without indoctrination in any specific faith, children will be made aware of the festivals which are being celebrated by their own families or others, and will be introduced where appropriate to the stories behind the festivals.
• Before introducing a festival with which the adults in the nursery are not themselves familiar, appropriate advice will be sought from parents and other people who are familiar with that festival.
• Children will become familiar with and enjoy taking part in a range of festivals, together with the stories, celebrations and special food and clothing they involve, as part of the diversity of life.