Welcome to Leap Ahead Day Nursery

Leap Ahead Day Nursery offers all children an excellent pre-school experience. We aim to provide a caring environment that builds children’s confidence and self-esteem, endeavouring to further the development of the ‘whole child’ in physical, intellectual, emotional, social and creative areas.  

Admissions

Admissions at Leap Ahead Day Nursery will be subject to the following selection procedure:

If Nursery places are full, children’s names will be put on the waiting list. The allocation of places, will be based on a first come first served basis, with consideration given to the following:

• The Nursery will attempt to keep of balance throughout the age-range of children

• Priority will be given to siblings of children already attending

• Priority will be given to working parents requiring full-time places.

• The number of sessions requested per week.

The Nursery is committed to Equal Opportunities and this will be at all times reflected in the allocation of child places and in the recruitment of staff.

As a registered setting, Leap Ahead Day Nursery has a duty of care to alert Social Services to any serious concerns of child abuse.

Settling in Arrangements 

Once settled we are sure that the children will enjoy the happy and stimulating environment of Leap Ahead Day Nursery. However, children are individuals and the settling in process will be quicker for some than for others. In order to assist your child to settle into the Nursery, parents are welcome to stay until he/she is happy to be left and you will not be restricted to any time limit. If leaving your child, a way of reinforcing the fact that you will be coming back for them later, is for you to give him/her a non-valuable item to save for you in their pocket. There is no guarantee that this will be the answer for your child but it has been known to be effective.

Hours of Opening 

The Nursery will be open all year round except on Bank Holidays.

Morning Sessions:
The morning session is from 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and includes breakfast, a mid-morning snack and a two-course lunch.

Afternoon Sessions:
The afternoon session is from 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. and includes an afternoon snack and a light tea.

Full days:
Full days are from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and include all meals.

Full Time:
The Nursery offers a discount in the fees for parents who enrol their children on a full time basis. (5 full days a week) 

Please note that the times of sessions are strictly adhered to.  The main door does not open before 08:00 and charges are made for late collections.

Security 

Access to the building is tightly controlled. The entrance is controlled by a monitoring system and the door can be electronically or manually operated. Children are able to play in an outdoor area that is secured with a perimeter fence. We take your child’s security very seriously and we ask that you inform us whenever possible if there is to be a change in the person collecting your child from the Nursery. On enrolment, you are asked to provide the Nursery with names of any person who may collect your child other than yourself. In order for us to ensure that another adult has your authorisation to collect your child, we ask you to think of a ‘password’ that is entered into our records. Your child will not be released with another person unless they have the password! To ensure that the password remains effective it would be advisable not let your child hear it! You can of course change the password at any time by informing the Nursery Manager so that our records can be amended. 

Number of Children 

At Leap Ahead Day Nursery, we can cater for the needs of 51 babies and children. The baby room is self-contained to care for 9 babies and toddlers aged from birth to 2 years.  Up to 42 children aged 2 to 5 years occupy the pre-school area. A Key Person system operates within the Nursery to enable the children to feel secure and quickly settle.  Small groups of children will be introduced to a key person, with whom they can form a special relationship to ensure the high quality of care and educational opportunities.  In this way, the key person will be able to get to know each child quickly, enabling the Nursery to respond to each of their individual needs. 

Babies and Toddlers (Birth – 2 yrs.) 

We offer the individual care needed for babies and toddlers and we are totally committed to their development and happiness. We have a high adult : child ratio and our excellent trained staff give the love and attention your child needs. They are cuddled and given the mental and social stimulation they need with lots of talking, singing and play.  We enjoy going for walks in the local enviroment in our ‘baby bus’ and love getting messy with paint! 

We have an AMAZING SENSORY ROOM with an interactive floor which was newly installed in our extensive renovation works ready for opening in January 2017.  The babies will love the calm and soothing atmosphere and are entertained by the beautiful and relaxing light display.

All the child have opportunities throughout the day to access this room in small groups.

Clothing 

Please don’t send your child to nursery in best clothes as this will restrict the activities in which he/she is able to participate in. Although we ensure that protective clothing is worn for ‘messy’ activities, children still often manage to get paint, etc. everywhere!

Please mark all clothing including shoes and boots with your child’s name. It is surprising how many children have shoes and coats that are exactly the same design and the same size as another child’s! 

Could you also please provide all weather clothing and footwear for outdoor play.  Children can have a very rich and enjoyable experience in playing outdoors in different weather conditions such as snow, rain and wind.  During the Summer months it is essential that sun cream is provided to protect your child from the harmful rays of the sun. Please note that the children will not be allowed out if the weather conditions are considered dangerous. 

A spare set of clothing should also be provided for your child to use in case of accidents. For babies this should be a complete set of clean clothes. Older children require spare pants, trousers and socks. (Even the most reliable of children can sometimes forget to use the toilet when they are involved in an activity that they are enjoying!)

Illness 

In the interest of all our children, the nursery cannot care for children who are sick with an infectious disease such as diarrhoea, vomiting, high temperatures, eye infections – conjunctivitus, as well as infections like chicken pox, mumps and measles. Please ensure that you have alternative child-care arrangement for the times when your child is sick. If your child becomes ill whilst at nursery, you will be contacted and either yourself or your emergency contact, will be asked to collect him/her.

The department of Public Health require the Nursery to exclude children with infectious diseases such as diarrhoea and sickness for a minimum of 48 hours clear of any symptoms, following the last episode.

Sweets and Personal Toys 

In order to promote health and fairness to others, please refrain from bringing sweets or chocolate to the nursery. 

It can also cause problems when children bring in their own toys. We attempt to promote the idea of sharing amongst the children at the nursery and this is difficult when children bring in their own possessions. There is also the risk of toys being lost or damaged. 

However, many children have a special comforter that they use as security. (i.e. a blanket or teddy that he/she will not go to sleep without!) If this is the case, then we would urge you to inform us of this and to ensure that the child brings their comfort item with them. Where possible we ask that the comforter is given to your child’s key person on arrival for safe keeping until the child is ready for a sleep or becomes unsettled.

Meals 

Parents are asked to provide bottles and specialised baby foods for their baby until they are able to eat the meals provided for older children. 

On enrolling your child into Victoria Day Nursery you will be asked to provide dietary information. Hopefully, this will enable us to cater for your child and ensure that meal times are happy times. Further to this, the cook will always ensure that the menu is displayed a week in advance so that parents are informed and able to pre-warn us of any problems. 

 

8:15 a.m.	A light breakfast is served
10:30 a.m.	Children are given a mid-morning snack, for example:    fresh fruit or carrots sticks.
12:00 noon	A nutritious two-course lunch is served
2:30 p.m.	Children are given a mid-afternoon snack, for example:    fresh fruit.
3:45 p.m.	A light tea will be served, which will then hopefully keep them happy until they arrive home.

Our delicious meals are prepared daily by the ‘Village Hall Cafe and Sandwich Bar’  and drinks are provided regularly throughout the day.  Environmental Health inspect Leap Ahead Day Nursery unannounced and assessment the practices of the nursery with regards to the food preparation and hygiene practices on an annual basis.

FEES 

Fees are payable in advance by the 20th of each month for the following month and can be paid by standing order, childcare vouchers, cash or cheque. There will be no fees payable for Bank Holidays as the Nursery is then closed. Full fees are payable in respect of a child unable to attend owing to illness or holidays.

Free Nursery Place for all 3 and 4 year olds

Nursery Education Funding is available for children aged 3 year and over.   

This entitles the child to 3 sessions (15 hours) per week free of charge for 38 weeks.  The remaining 14 weeks (the school holidays) are payable.  The funded hours can also be taken as a ‘stretched offer’ over 50 weeks as a reduced number of hours per week.  Please speak to the Nursery Manager if you wish to consider this further.  

30 Hours from September 2017

In September 2017 we will be offering all 3 and 4 years olds of working parents (both working 16 hours or more) the option to increase their funded hours up to 30 hours per week (38 weeks of the year).  The funded hours can also be taken as a ‘stretched offer’ over 50 weeks as a reduced number of hours per week.  Please speak to the Nursery Manager if you wish to consider this further.  

2 year old nursery funding

Nursery Education Funding is also available for eligible 2 year olds for 15 hours per week please click on the link to see if you are entitled BMBC.

OFSTED Report 

The organisation received an ‘Outstanding’ status in the Summer of 2019 

Contact

Telephone: 01226 872424

Nursery Manager – leapaheaddaynursery@gmail.com

Staff