Early Years Childcare News

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Early Years Childcare Spring 2011 Update Safeguarding your child That’s my nursery Take a look at what we’ve been up to Childcare in practice Supporting your child’s transition to school News

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Termly parent newsletter

Transcript of Early Years Childcare News

Page 1: Early Years Childcare News

Early Years Childcare Spring 2011

UpdateSafeguarding your child

That’s my nurseryTake a look at what we’ve been up to

Childcare in practiceSupporting your child’s transition to school

News

Page 2: Early Years Childcare News

2 Early Years News Spring 2011

Hello and a warm welcome to our new look newsletter!

Welcome

In briefSatisfied CustomersA big thank you to all our parents who took the time to complete our annual questionnaire. To promote an increased response rate the survey ran online, as well as offering an incentive of £50 in M&S vouchers to one responder, chosen at random. The winner, picked by Managing Director Kate Peach, is Rachel Moxley whose child attends our Horsham nursery. Congratulations!

Top Scores on the DoorsOur Crawley, Lewes and Haywards Heath nurseries are very proud to have recently received a top rating of five out of five by The Food Standards Agency for their Scores on the Doors environmental health inspection. This adds to our existing five out of five for both our Brighton and Hove nurseries.

I’m very excited to welcome you to your new look Early Years Childcare newsletter, in which we look forward to celebrating our achievements, discussing important childcare issues, acknowledging our staff and letting you know what’s going on in and around our nurseries.In our first issue we explore the measures that we have in place to safeguard all of the children in our care, we explain how we support your child’s transition to school, and we look inside some of our nursery settings to see some of the exciting things that the children have been doing. It is a little over a year since I was appointed as Managing Director for the company but during that time we have attained many milestones including being awarded our second ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating for our nursery at Hove to add to the one we hold for our Brighton nursery. Many of our nurseries have been recognised by their local authority for the quality and variety of food on our menus as well as the hygiene standards within our kitchens.

We were also shortlisted in three categories at the Nursery Management Today Awards as well as celebrating two of our staff reaching their 20 year service award. It’s always great to be recognised externally but the most valuable form of recognition comes from you, our parents. We recently ran our annual parents’ satisfaction survey and were pleased to hear that over 92% of our parents are very satisfied with the service that we offer. You also commented on the dedicated and enthusiastic approach of our staff, who are fundamental to ensuring your child enjoys their time at nursery. Thank you for taking the time to respond.I hope you enjoy reading and we welcome all feedback and suggestions on what you would like to see featured in future issues of your Early Years Childcare newsletter.

Kate Peach Managing Director

Get in touchWe would love your thoughts and suggestions on what you would like to see featured in EYC News Call us: 0845 124 9561 Email us: [email protected]

Tweet us: www.twitter.com/EYCNursery follow us on

www.eyc.co.uk

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Early Years News Spring 2011 3

Update

As a parent you start to concern yourself with your child’s welfare even before he or she is born; ensuring that your little one is safe and happy is instinctual. It is therefore extremely important that you feel confident that anyone looking after your child will be kind, caring and trustworthy.

At Early Years Childcare your child’s safety and well-being is of paramount importance to us and, as childcare professionals, we have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. What’s more we know that you will feel happier leaving your child in an environment which you know to be safe.

We have many systems and procedures in place to mitigate risk and ensure your child is kept out of harm’s way at all times, ranging from simple things such as ensuring doors and windows are locked, to the checks we make on adults who come into contact with children and our careful supervision of them throughout the day.

Our nurseries are developed with your child in mind; our child-friendly and secure gardens are inspected on a daily basis to ensure there are no risks such as animal waste or litter. We choose plants that are safe and equipment that is robust. By law we have to thoroughly risk assess any walks or trips we might take outside the nursery to ensure there aren’t any hidden dangers lurking around the corner.

We have a secure door entry system at all nurseries, only allowing parents access through the main front door following admittance by a staff member, or by fingerprint entry. So, if

another parent closes the door in your face it’s not because they’re being rude, they are merely trying to keep your child safe by ensuring that entry to the nursery is by authorised persons only.

All visitors to the nursery are required to sign a visitor’s book and wear a badge whilst on the premises, additionally they will never be left unattended.

We only allow designated people to collect your child. If it’s not someone who regularly collects, staff will ask them for your secret password. If staff are still uncertain they may call you to verify the identity of the person coming to collect your child and ensure that you are happy he/she is released into their care.

Our staff play a vital role and, with ongoing training they stay aware of current safeguarding legislation. Staff support each other by building open, caring relationships with parents and other team members. Each of them holds the Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check (it’s a legal requirement) – a high level disclosure that involves

a check on local police records as well as the Police National Computer.

We operate an eSafety policy which governs staff use of mobile phones at work (they are prohibited anywhere except the staff room) as well as the use of computers and which websites may be accessed by staff.

We are proud of the first class environment we provide for the children in our care, and of the personal qualities and skills that our managers and staff bring to the task of caring for children in a way which develops the potential of each child. We hope that you are too however, if you do have any concerns please don’t hesitate to speak to your Nursery Manager.

Safeguarding your child

The Childcare Act

2006 requires that our

policies and procedures

are set out in writing

and available for

parents to read

The Early Years

curriculum says we

“must take necessary

steps to safeguard

and promote the

welfare of children”

www.eyc.co.uk

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Greenwich Early Years Childcare Greenwich was opened in May 2005, previously having served as a nursery for the local hospital staff. From the outside the single storey building looks fairly unassuming, inside it is a hive of enthusiasm on the part of staff and children alike. And, being all on one level has its benefits; children are more familiar with the wider nursery environment thus making the transition from baby to toddler to family room easier.

Children attending come from a wide variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, which makes nursery a great place for them to learn about other cultures and traditions; it also provides a great excuse to celebrate lots of exciting festivals all year round!

Being in an inner city setting they are very lucky to have a large garden that the children enjoy exploring any time of year. As most of the residential housing in the area is high rise flats, the children really benefit from the

A look inside...

childcare and to educate on their practices.

Whilst space at the nursery is limited, Nursery Manager Deniz Goordyal has come up with an innovative way of making child-led discovery play available: “Deciding to use the sheltered outside space for our Discovery Room area means braving all weather, but on the plus side it means we get to incorporate nature, snow, rain water and sunshine!”.

www.eyc.co.uk/nurseries/greenwich

Nursery gallery

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That’s my nursery

Haywards Heath Crawley

Right: Tianna at Haywards Heath celebrates St David’s Day by picking and arranging spring daffodils

Left: Keiron from Crawley nursery admires himself as a pirate on World Book Day

freedom of having a safe and secure outside space that is accessible from many of the classrooms. The children get out and about daily, regardless of the weather and as well as playing in the garden there are a number of walks the staff take them on, a favorite being along the river Thames.

They are proud of their nursery Twinning project with a nursery in Malito, Italy who sent some of their staff all the way to Greenwich to learn about how Early Years practice

www.eyc.co.uk

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Worthing ExtensionWe have recently been granted planning permission to enhance the facilities at our Worthing nursery. Amongst other things the extension will provide us with a much needed fourth family room, an improved discovery room, and a larger kitchen whilst Worthing manager Suzie will move into a brand new office on the ground floor.

The work has been carefully planned to ensure minimal impact to children in our care with most major work to be carried out during evenings and weekends. Finally, after the build has settled the whole nursery will be given a decorative refresh.

The build is scheduled to take approximately six months with completion due in Autumn. You can track the progress of the work at www.eyc.co.uk/worthingextension

Rebecca BourneRebecca Bourne, Nursery Manager at Crawley, talks about her seven-year career with the company:

One of the best things about working for Early Years Childcare is the support network in place,

not only from Head Office but also the other nursery managers, which is something you wouldn’t get at a single site nursery.

My career at the company started in 2003 when I visited the Brighton nursery where my sister worked, for a taster day. Shortly after that I started as an Early Years Practitioner Trainee in the toddler room, then after qualifying I became a Team Leader in the Elephants room. I loved those Elephants!

After working as a Senior Team Leader in our Hove nursery I was appointed Deputy Manager in Lewes, a role which gave me the experience and skills to go for the Nursery Manager position here at Crawley a year later. I have implemented some new and exciting things in the Crawley nursery, like a library area and a discovery room, making the best of the space we have.

I love the fact that I can take ten minutes out from my office to go and play with the children and still be very hands-on. I still like to be

very much part of the team and if a nappy needs changing they know that they can call me for help. I think that really encapsulates what the nursery is all about; team work. Everyone pitching in, to work together to ensure that the children get the most from each and every day.

Each day is different and that’s why I look forward to coming into work every morning, you never know what the children are going to come up with next and it always astonishes me how quickly they grow and learn new things!”

What do you do?

“Each day is different

and that’s why I look

forward to coming

into work every

morning”

Brighton

Left: Brighton children have been learning how to safely cross the road

Right: Hove nursery visit the nursing home next door to plant trees and make friends

Did you know?

The children at all of our nurseries

have their own individual

toothbrushes. We brush our teeth

after lunch every

day, which

helps us get

into the habit

of maintaining

good oral

hygiene.

Hove

www.eyc.co.uk

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The transition to school

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Childcare in practice

If your child was born between 1 September 2006 and 31 August 2007 then the chances are that he will be starting school this September. Although it’s a very exciting time for children, it can also be a time of extreme anxiety for parents and children alike.

Most children will already have experienced some form of ‘transition’ either at home; moving bedroom, or in the nursery setting when they move to the next room, however they may not be used to the feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, and fear that often go hand in hand with excitement and curiosity.

We know that any child going through a transition period will do best in their new environment when all those involved in the child’s wellbeing are focused on preparing, supporting and empowering him to go through this rite of passage with the minimum of discomfort.

At this stage you may not have begun to put any thought into how to support your child in making this big step. However, at Early Years Childcare we have measures in place to ensure that children moving up to school are more than able to cope with the changes that lie ahead.

Library SchemeOur library scheme introduces rising four year olds to a selection of books from the Oxford Reading Tree, which is widely used in most primary schools. By doing this, the children will have already become familiar with the characters in the series, which we hope will support them in developing their early reading skills at school.

Transition FormsThroughout the final phase of your child’s time at the nursery, practitioners will be completing a transition form which passes on valuable information to the new school regarding your child’s achievements and development within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. The form also provides your child with the opportunity to comment on their feelings about the move to school as well as a section for parents/carers to contribute to the form.

Making friendsKnowing other children that go to the new school will help your child feel less anxious about the transition. In the summer months a list will be displayed on the main notice board showing which school children will be attending so they and their parents/carers, can start to mix with other families who will be attending the same school.

This year we are introducing a school leavers picnic to which we invite all

If you’d like to learn more about our transition process please speak with a member of your Nursery Management Team.

The transition to school

parents/carers giving them and their child the chance to network with other families.

School visitsWe encourage and welcome visits from reception school teachers and teaching assistants to enable the children to meet them in their own familiar environment and will, where possible, take the children in small groups to visit the school to participate in assembly or a story time.

Uniform dayOn a designated day we invite children to come into nursery in their uniform, to give them the opportunity to show it off and be comfortable in it.

www.eyc.co.uk

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What isheuristic play?Heuristic play is rooted in a young child’s natural curiosity. As babies grow, they move beyond being content to simply feel and ponder objects, to wanting to find out what can be done with them. Toddlers meanwhile have an urge to handle things: to gather, fill, dump, stack, knock down, select and manipulate in other ways. And when they make an enjoyable discovery – for instance when one item fits into another, or an interesting sound is produced – they often repeat the action several times to test the

conkers, seashells, and pebbles, as well as ribbons, short lengths of chain and ‘found’ objects like curtain rings, jar lids, sturdy cardboard tubes, and empty cotton reels. We welcome parents bringing in any of these sorts of items to add to our collection.

During a session the child’s carer will remain seated and quiet, thus supporting the child in making their own choices and discoveries. There is no right way to do it and one carer might facilitate a session very differently to another, the important thing is that we’re recognising the significance of spontaneous exploratory play for a child’s development.

If you’d like to know more about heuristic play, speak to your child’s carers.

result, which strengthens cognitive development as well as fine muscle control and hand/eye coordination.

To provide for heuristic play, we collect natural materials like fir cones,

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) principal that “Every child is a competent learner from birth, who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured” reminds us of the importance of engaging children in communication from birth by talking and singing to them, helping develop their brains as they learn to talk by being talked to.

2011 is the National Year of Communication, a government initiative which aims to continue the development of communication, urging schools and nurseries to be a place where children are supported and encouraged as their vocabulary develops.

At Early Years Childcare we value the development of communication skills and with the help of our Quality and Development team we have put into practice a number of daily activities to help develop the children into confident communicators and learners.

Linking sounds to letters through visual representation is practiced throughout the nursery, with the children’s names displayed on their dinner placemats, registration boards and coat pegs. As well as helping children to develop their phonetic and reading abilities, this also offers them their own sense of identity and individuality, something we love to see children thrive in.

Good communication skills also help children to build social relationships which provide opportunities for friendship, empathy and sharing emotion.

You can support your child at home in becoming a good communicator by introducing books at an early age and by getting them involved in story talk. Modeling conversation by responding to your child’s verbal observations by challenging them to further expand on what they have said is also key to their speech development.

More information: National Year ofCommunication www.hello.org.uk

According to the Oxford Dictionary, ‘heuristic’ means helping to find out or discover; proceeding by trial and error.

Childcare in practice

www.eyc.co.uk

Communication!

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Celebrating the great outdoors!

Longer days as the clocks go forward on 26th March, taking mummy breakfast in bed on 3rd April, celebrating Baisakhi (Sikh New Year) on 13th April, St George’s Day on 23rd April, eating lots of chocolate Easter eggs on 24th April, dressing up as Princes and Princesses to celebrate the Royal Wedding on 29th April, dancing around the Maypole on May Day on 1st May, playing with our friends on Friendship Friday on 20th May, National Family Week from 30th May to 5 June, learning about ways to protect our planet on World Environment Day on 5th June, playing with our daddies on Father’s Day on 19th June, wearing the wrong trousers to nursery on Wrong Trousers Day on 24th June*.

Don’t forget

to wear the

wrong trousers

on June 24th!

www.eyc.co.uk

We believe that an opportunity to explore the great outdoors and all that nature has to offer is essential to a child’s wellbeing and their learning. Whatever the weather, we venture outdoors to explore the changing seasons and engage the children in the life cycles of living things.

Each of our gardens has been developed with children in mind, using natural materials like living willow and wood bark, complemented with wooden toys, to make the outside environment engaging for the children.

The children experience growing their own food in our fruit and vegetable patches; the pumpkins, tomatoes, herbs and other organically home-grown delights are incorporated into the children’s nursery menus wherever possible by our in-house chefs.

“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing”.

What we’re looking forward to this Spring…

*Activities may vary at your nursery

All of the pictures that appear in this newsletter are of the children at Early Years Childcare nurseries

Print and design: w

ww

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