Children of College Students

Children of College students will only be able to attend the nursery if the student is either in College attending their course session or is on a work placement arranged by the College

Children of full day students should not arrive before 8.45am and leave no later than 4.45pm unless prior arrangements are made with the Nursery.

Unless otherwise agreed with Nursery staff, children whose parents attend a course part day will fit into the nursery session times identified above.

ALL students are required to apply for Learner Support Fund (LSF), Adult Learners Grant (ALG) or Care to Learn funding when a place is offered for their child/ren

Session Times & Fees

Full Day 8.30am - 5.30pm

Bishop Auckland College Nursery is open Monday - Friday 8.30am - 5.30pm with the exception of Bank Holidays, identified days around the Christmas and New Year period, and 2 training days per year

• Half Day morning 8.30 am – 1pm (includes breakfast and lunch)
• Half Days afternoon 1pm – 5.30 pm (includes light tea snack)

soNormal">8.00 am Early Starts are available by prior arrangement for a small additional fee.

Nursery Education Grant Funded Children attending the Pre-School nursery

• The Nursery Education Grant Fund provides 15 hours free nursery education from the term following the child’s 3rd birthday
• The nursery has a variety of options regarding how these 15 hours can be allocated. Details are available on separate sheet
• Children in receipt of Nursery Education Grant Fund may access Term-Time-Only sessions
• Children in receipt of Nursery Education Grant Funding may extend their sessions by topping up with additional hours that are paid on a private basis
• Snacks and meals will be charged as an extra

Fee Schedule

• Fees are paid in accordance with the fee schedule
  
• Fees quoted are per child and are payable on the 1st to the 10th of each calendar month
• There will be a £5 charge for late payments
• The preferred method of payment is Standing Order

How do we calculate fees?

Parents have asked us to make it easier to manage their budget by ensuring that the payments remain the same every month. We have ensured that this happens by calculating monthly fees in the following way:

• We multiplying the daily session fees by the total number of sessions you have requested
• We deduct bank holidays and education grants (if applicable) plus any training days
• We then divide by 12

This ensures that you pay the same for each month

Education Grant and fees

Nursery Education Grant funding is automatically deducted from your account

Parent/Carers Holidays

If your child attends the nursery on a ‘Full Year’ basis, full fees are required over the periods when your child is on holiday. It would be appreciated if one month's notice of your intention to take holidays is given so that staffing needs can be identified.

Period of Notice / Termination

We require one month's written notice or one month's fees in lieu of notice if you wish to withdraw your child from the nursery.

What do we make available to the children in our care?

Children are welcome to attend nursery from 3 months to five years.

Babies – 3 months to 2 years

Particular attention has been given to the provision for babies. We believe that it is important to liaise with parents and carers to develop a care plan that provides both emotional and physical care for your child. We have created special quiet areas to ease your child to sleep and provide natural materials that stimulate and encourage learning. We give babies opportunities to play and explore paint, sand, water and malleable materials. We ensure that all the babies receive lots of affection and cuddles which will enable them to develop confidence and trust in those adults around them. Our garden has recently been redesigned to ensure that babies can access all areas, we have a covered outdoor play area and a unique rubberised ‘bark’ safety surface and a shaded area to protect babies from the sun. We have a ‘mulch pit’ so that your child can safely practice their walking and balancing and benefit from fresh air every day.

Toddlers - 2 to 3 years

Children of this age need opportunities to explore, discover and find out how things work, while also being able to express themselves freely. That is why we provide toddlers in our care with a full range of indoor and outdoor activities including: sand, water, paint, malleable/mark making materials, dressing up, songs, stories and much more to aid their development. We can assure you that your child will have every opportunity to experience new and exciting play activities while being supported by caring adults.

Pre-school - 3 to 5 years

Our pre-school children are encouraged to develop their natural curiosity, to discover their own talents, become more confident, independent and most importantly enjoy learning. The children are encouraged to explore and experiment and choose for themselves from the wide variety of equipment available to them. We encourage the children to be active participants in their own learning and give them every opportunity to discuss their own ideas and thoughts. The resources available to children in the Pre-school nursery reflect the individual interests of the children and these will include sand, water, paint, glue, malleable/mark making materials, role play materials, computer and ICT access, music etc. We also engage in locally developed programmes that support the physical and intellectual development of the children

The Learning Environment

Our Nursery provides a well resourced learning environment for all our children. Qualified and experienced staff interact and engage with the children while showing support for each child's individual needs. An important concept of EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage Framework) is that children learn best through making choices, play, experiences and resources that are made available on a regular basis.

We follow the EYFS delivered through the Progress Matters Programme. This programme informs staff of the activities that need to be planned to meet the needs of every child. We assess each child’s individual needs by observing each child on a daily basis. We use photographs of children engaged in activities to inform staff and parents/carers of the child’s progress which are placed in the child’s ‘Learning Journey’ and given to each parent when the child leaves our care.

The EYFS also requires us to offer outdoor play opportunities to all children every morning and afternoon, regardless of the weather. Our newly designed outdoor play area supports learning and fun within a safe environment that supports choice.

The children learn through play while following the EYFS curriculum, which consists of six areas of learning:

• Communication, Language and Literacy
• Mathematics
• Creative development
• Knowledge and Understanding of the World
• Physical development
• Personal and Social development

Induction Period for your child

Starting Nursery is often a young child's first venture into the larger world outside of their home without their family. What children experience and learn in their early years can create strong and lasting foundations on which to build in later life. We believe it is essential for these experiences to be of the highest quality. We also believe strongly that an induction period is essential for all children to ensure that they are introduced sensitively into their new Nursery environment.

We ensure that every child has at least 2 Induction Sessions, the first will last ½ hour where parents/carers complete the necessary paperwork and a further 1 hour session to allow the child more time to become acquainted with the staff and their surroundings. We are happy for more sessions to take place to ensure that your child is settled before they are left for the full 4 hour session

Our staff are qualified Early Years Practitioners who have been selected to provide the highest standards of care and education for your child. Working as a cohesive team they are committed to making every child feel safe and welcomed.

Partnership with Parents/Carers

As parents and carers we recognise you are our most important partners and as the first and main educators of your children you are the people who make the greatest significant difference in your child's life. Therefore successful partnership between us is crucial in your child's success and well being.

Key Person

In our Nursery your child will have a designated Key Person who will follow his/her progress and development while at nursery. The Key Person will be happy to discuss with you at any time the wide range of activities we offer and the educational and developmental value of these activities. You will also be invited to Parents/Carers evenings where you will have the opportunity to discuss your child's progress and achievements with his/her Key Person. If your child’s Key Person is not available an alternative member of staff will be available to answer any of your enquiries.

Home to Nursery Diary

Your child will receive a 'Home to Nursery' diary sheet to help keep you updated on the activities they have experienced during their nursery day. You can also use this diary sheet as a means of communicating with staff when time constraints do not allow for a chat.

If at any time you have any queries, comments or concerns (however small), please do not hesitate to discuss them with us.

Meals

Our Nursery provides fresh, healthy and nutritious meals prepared and cooked on the premises daily. We aim to provide a balanced diet with emphasis placed on home cooking. Provision for special dietary needs is available on request. Weekly menus are displayed in the entrance lobby and outside the nursery rooms. The menus are subject to change if orders are delayed or due to unforeseen circumstances. Children are provided with cereal and toast in the morning and a light snack tea in the afternoon. Children are also encouraged to use the appropriate cutlery at meal times.

Parents/Carers are required to provide baby food, milk and juice until their child is able to accept Nursery menu.