Discovery Nursery Ltd Exceptional childcare for pre-school children aged 2 to

4 Years

Dover Discovery CentreMarket Square

Dover KentCT16 1PH

Ph: 01304 211028 Email : discoverynursery@yahoo.co.uk

  

Thank-you for your interest in the Discovery Nursery. For the last 16 years our aim has been to provide a secure, caring and

stimulating environment for your child and to make their start in education as smooth as possible. This prospectus will give you some

necessary information about nursery.  If after reading it, you have any further questions please do not hesitate

to ask a member of staff.Please make sure that you also spend a little time filling in your child’s

starting points to help us get to know them as well as possible.

Discovery Nursery Ltd Mission Statement

At the Discovery Nursery Ltd will strive to make the time that your child spends with us as fulfilling and enjoyable as possible.

We will endeavor to provide a warm friendly atmosphere in which your child can thrive and which will in turn help them to reach their full

potential.Consistent care with the help of individual key person’s will be provided and we will offer activities that will stimulate their minds and enhance

their learning.

We will aim to work towards a situation where your child will be independent with their personal needs and will develop the self-esteem

and self-confidence to try everything on offer.We will do everything in our power to help get your child school ready and

will work alongside you to help achieve this.

We will follow the guidelines set out in the 2019 Early Years Foundation Stage document and will endeavor to start your child on the ladder to be able to reach the Early Learning outcomes by the end of their reception

year.We will make ourselves available to answer any questions or queries you

may have as well as listening to your concerns.

We welcome you to the Discovery Nursery Ltd and hope both your child’s and your time with us will be happy and memorable.

FEE STRUCTURE 

ATTENDANCE HOURS FEEMorning 8am – 1pm £25Afternoon 1pm – 6pm £25Full day 8am – 6pm £50Full Week (Mon- Fri)

8am – 6pm £250

The above fees include all snacks and drinks throughout the session.

GOVERNMENT FUNDED PLACESProvision for all funded children. Including Free for 2 (15 hrs), Universal Funding (15hrs) and 30 hours Government Funding (30 hrs)

A 50p voluntary charge for all 38 weeks of the year for healthy snacks and drinks. You will be informed of the recommended contribution at the beginning of each month.

HOW WE OFFER OUR GOVERNMENT FUNDED SPACESYour child’s free funded spaces are delivered in 5 hour long

sessions.These sessions are only available during our set sessional times

and if you decide not to take a full session, minutes or hours cannot be transferred.

After funded provision, sessional prices will apply.We require a minimum attendance of two sessions on two

separate days.

• Illness and absence during term time must be paid for and failure to keep fees up to date will result in a loss or reduction of your child’s spaces. 

 • Invoices for parents paying fees will be given at the beginning of each

month.  • There is a late pick up charge of £5.00 for 15 minutes if you fail to

collect your child on time either at the lunch time change over or at the end of the day.  You will be informed straight away and required to pay this by your child’s next session. 

 • It is vitally important that you keep to the correct pick-up times as

failure to do so at lunchtime may mean you are taking the nursery over its permitted numbers. 

No additional fees are required for registration or security at the Discovery Nursery and we do not ask for a deposit. We simply request that your fees are paid at the beginning of each week or month.

We require 1 month’s notice of change to paid sessions.

The nursery opens for 38 weeks of the year.There are 6 terms in an academic year as follows:

September to OctoberNovember to December

January – FebruaryFebruary – March

April – MayJune – July

Parents are made aware of exact term dates and holidays by accessing our calendar on Famly.

FUNDING INFORMATION

• The Nursery must have sight of your child’s Birth Certificate or passport before a claim can be made for both Universal Funding and Free for 2 funding.

• Funding is non-transferable between nurseries and will stay with us until the next claim date. Claims are made in September, January and April.  You may terminate your child’s funded place without notice at the Discovery Nursery at anytime, however we will not transfer funding.

• For Universal Funding your child must be in nursery for the headcount week which is usually the 2nd week of the term. Dates of headcount week can be supplied on request. If your child is ill or on holiday during this week you must let the nursery know so that they don’t miss their funding slot. 

• Places are non-movable once booked unless other spaces are available. Once your permanent places are booked any extra spaces above your 15 or 30 hours are classed as extra and are charged at the sessional rate. 

• A parental Declaration form needs to be filled out at the start of each

term in September, January and April. It is a legal requirement for us to ensure that this form is completed in full and on time. If it is not completed we will no longer be able to claim your child’s free funding and you may be liable for fees.

• It is very important that your child attends regularly to get the most out of their Early Years Education. If your child fails to attend for long periods without a valid reason the Early Years Education team will be informed and funding may be withdrawn.  Also you may be required to pay the nursery for any sessions that the government will not fund.

 

ALL ABOUT US

The Discovery Nursery Ltd offers a stimulating indoor and outdoor environment for 2-4 year olds. The nursery offers an exciting curriculum that has been carefully planned to challenge and inspire all children.The nursery consists of one main room where all children are encouraged to play and learn together. The room is made up of different areas that are adapted and changed frequently to fit in with our learning, as well as the needs of the children. Examples include; spaces for role-play and imaginative play, construction and building as well as opportunities for messy play, mark-making and creative activities.

The nursery also has a large garden that is accessed throughout the whole year. The children have access to lots of different areas within the garden. There is a reading den, a digging area, a mud-kitchen, a construction area, climbing equipment, slides and a boat full of sand!

The garden is a great place for children to develop confidence in moving physically and challenging their bodies as they negotiate the different terrain. They also learn to understand risk and how to be safe.

The nursery team is made up of 6 dedicated members of staff who are led by an experienced manager and a qualified early years teacher. Practitioners either hold or are working towards a diploma in Childcare & Education - Level 3. In addition, they each have a passion for working with young children and an in-depth understanding of child development. Our staff to child ratios are in line with the OFSTED regulations.

Famly is an app that connects pre-schools with their parents. Instead of paper notes on bulletin boards all communication from nursery to parents is now digital. It is easy to target information to the individual and remain

considerate to the environment.

We are a digital nursery and we use famly for all mannerof things.

It’s an app that can be accessed both on your smart deviceor computer.

We use it for:

Your child’s Observations Learning Journal

Tracking the EYFS Private & Group Messaging

Posts Toileting Records

Sleep Records Parental Permissions

Reporting Accidents and Incidents Reporting Holidays & Illness

Invoicing Diary/Calendar

Newsletters and Updates

Our most recent Ofsted inspection took place on 26th April 2017. This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is

registered on the Early Years Register.

We secured a ‘Good’ Grading and received some of the following comments.

‘Staff support children to develop good communication and speaking skills. For example, they ask challenging questions to encourage children to think and respond’

‘Children learn skills that support their future learning. They gain good mathematical understanding, such as they confidently count and participate in simple calculations’

‘Staff and children build positive relationships together. Children settle quickly and happily into play and develop a positive level of well-being and self-esteem’

Please follow this link to read the full report - https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY290188

The Discovery Nursery Ltd works under the umbrella of the national Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS, 2019), which is guided by four themes:

A Unique Child Positive Relationships

Enabling Environments

Children learn and develop in different ways & at different rates

Every child is a Children learn to The environment The EYFS

unique, competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident & self-assured

be strong & independent from a base of loving & secure relationships with parents and/or a key person

plays a key role in supporting & extending children’s development and learning

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

For more information about the EYFS, please copy & paste this link into your internet browser: https://www.gov.uk/early-years-foundation-stage

CURRICULUM, PLANNING & ASSESSMENTThe EYFS curriculum is based around seven areas of learning and

development. For children under two, we concentrate on three Prime Areas:

• Communication and Language• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• Physical Development

These areas cover the knowledge and skills required to form the foundations of formal learning. The Prime Areas develop through effective relationships and experiences, supporting learning in all

others areas, and remain fundamental throughout the EYFS.

The four Specific Areas of learning and development grow from the Prime Areas and provide important opportunities for extending knowledge:

• Literacy • Mathematics

• Understanding the World • Expressive Arts and Design

At Discovery Nursery we use regular observations of children as they play, learn and socialise to highlight their current interests alongside

learning or development aims. These observations inform the children’s individual planning and help us

to track their progress as well as identify specific needs. This planning

is developed weekly by each keyperson on a document called a ‘Keyperson/Child Focus’ this is displayed for staff and ideas and

observations shared with parents.

Regular observations are shared by the Keyperson and parents are encouraged to do the same. Children’s progress is reviewed termly

and meetings with parents are encouraged regularly. . During this meeting the Keyperson/Child Focus will be discussed to

incorporate both home and nursery perspectives.

After a child’s second birthday, a Two-year Progress Report is put together. This is a statutory requirement of the EYFS and confirms a

child’s readiness to engage with the Specific Areas together with planning/assessment in all seven areas of learning and development.

Transition into Nursery

Starting Nursery is a new and exciting experience.  However, both parents and children can sometimes feel apprehensive about the changes ahead.  We aim to make the transition as smooth and as positive for all involved.

Helpful hints for a successful start to Nursery

Many parents or carer’s often worry about how they can best prepare their child for starting Nursery.  We have put together some helpful hints in order to support your child as they enter this new and exciting phase of their lives.

We encourage all children to be independent as soon as they start in nursery.  It is therefore important that children are given the best opportunities from home to support them with this independence.  It would be helpful if you were to buy items of clothing that are easy for the children to take on and off themselves.  This might be a fun activity to try before your child starts in Nursery.  Remember to purchase shoes with Velcro on rather than lace up shoes, so children can easily remove and replace their own footwear.

Toilet training - If your child is not yet toilet trained, the Nursery staff are able to help with their personal hygiene needs until they are able to do this independently.  We will also work with parents to encourage this independence.  If your child is already toilet trained, please encourage your child to wipe their own bottom at home.

Self help skills - It would also be helpful if you could encourage your child to put on and take off their own coat and use a tissue to wipe their own nose.

Be organised - Nothing is going to make that first day at Nursery more fretful than trying to find a change of everything in the morning.  Pack your child's bag in advance every night before a Nursery day.

Get label happy - One of the banes of Nursery life is losing possessions as something will inevitably go astray.  You can minimise losses by encouraging your child to look after their own belongings, putting things away in bags and hanging items on pegs.  When it comes to labelling clothing, maybe ask your child to choose a specific symbol that is their own unique mark, perhaps a smiley face or a star, to help them recognise their own belongings at a glance.  Remember that other children in the setting will be wearing similar clothing of the same size and so name labels are the only way of truly identifying which items belong to each child.

See them settle - One of the reasons children may cry when you drop them off at Nursery is the anticipation of having to leave their parent.  We have found, through experience, that the quicker children get used to being dropped off, the children tend to settle better and trust that their parents will return.  Please rest assured that staff will always phone you if your child is unsettled and we are also happy to phone to tell you that your child is OK as well!

Plan a distraction - Whether it is coffee with your Mum or a shopping trip with a friend, make sure you have something fun to keep you occupied during those first few days when your child starts Nursery.  If you can meet up with another parent who is an old hand

at dropping off children, even better, as they can help reassure you that your child will be having a fantastic time.

Hide your tears - It can be extremely emotional when first leaving your child at Nursery as you have to accept that your child is starting a new chapter in their lives.  We all know that they grow up too fast!  Put on a brave face though in front of your children and remember that when that first day is over, you can start the age old tradition of asking, "What did you do at Nursery today?"  It is extremely common for most children to reply, "Nothing" but be sure to check out the Famly app and see if your child’s keyperson has uploaded any photos.

Clothing/Uniform - At Discovery Nursery we sell Polo shirts and Hoodies. Whilst your child is at Nursery they will engage in a range of messy and creative play activities both indoors and outdoors.  We therefore request that you send your child in comfortable and suitable clothing for such activities.Children will need a spare bag of clothes which can be kept on their peg in case a change of clothing is required.Children are encouraged to manage their own shoes and coats, so styles which are easy for children are requested.We have soft furnishings in the nursery that we like to preserve, so in the nursery we request that your child has slippers or plimsolls available at all times and that these are taken home regularly to wash.

Toys and Belongings - We do not allow toys from home as they will inevitably become lost or broken.  We have lots and lots of toys in our Nursery for the children to play with and so please keep your toys from home, at home.

Please make sure your child has - A named waterproof coat.

A bag containing named spare clothes. Please supply your own nappies and wet wipes etc if your child requires

them. (you will need to sign a consent form for nappy cream) A named lunch bag and water bottle (if attending for lunch)

Slippers & Wellies

ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE

If your child is attending nursery before 9am please be aware that you can only access through the York Street entrance. The main Discovery Centre does not open until 9am.

Please ring the doorbell and wait for a member of staff to invite you in.

At the end of the morning session there will be a member of staff outside the nursery that you can speak to if you want to discuss anything. The internal door is kept closed for security and this will also be manned by a staff member. Please feel free to enter the nursery and pick up your child.

Please be patient and staff will do their best to let you in and out on time. It is extremely important to us that your child is safe and we will only allow another adult to collect your child if parents have given staff permission to do so and it has been updated on the Famly app.

Please ensure that you are on time to pick your child up at the end of each session. If you are late, this hugely impacts the next session and staff ratios and you may incur a charge.

HEALTH & SAFETY Can we please ask that if your child is absent either through illness

or other reasons that you update the Famly app as soon as possible. Please note that if you intend to take holiday during term time that

you will need to let the nursery know. If your child becomes ill or has an accident (other than cuts and

grazes) while at nursery we will contact you to come and collect them. It is therefore vitally important that you keep the nursery updated with any changes to your emergency contact numbers or personal circumstances.

Children must not be brought to nursery if they are unwell. The nursery has a very strict policy regarding illness. Your child will not

be able to return for 2 full days after viruses, diahorrea, sickness or high temperatures.

Illnesses such as measles or chickenpox are quite unique and rashes and blisters must be healing before your child can return. We will discuss this with you if the time comes.

You must keep your child at home to treat head lice, your child can return once they have been treated.

Please make sure you make us fully aware of any allergies to food or otherwise. Also, we must know if your child takes medication. We will require you to give written permission for us to administer it.

COMPLAINTS

The following is our procedure for dealing with a parental complaint. Talk to a member of staff about your concerns. If you are not satisfied with the answers you are given ask to speak

to the Manager or the Deputy Manager. A meeting can then be set up to discuss the problems you have and

to look for a suitable solution. If no satisfactory conclusion is reached and you are still unhappy

you may take your complaint to OFSTED. Contact details can be supplied on request.

SAFEGUARDING AT THE DISCOVERY NURSERY

At Discovery Nursery we work together to safeguard children. The Nursery ensures that all staff receive the relevant safeguarding training and that

we have a designated safeguarding officers. The safeguarding officers for the Discovery Nursery Ltd is Angie Mack and Sarah Taylor.

All members of the Discovery Ltd have a fully enhanced DBS check which are further checked every six months.

No persons such as students or volunteers will be left unsupervised while in the setting.

Our setting has security cameras, locks on the doors and password systems in place to prevent unauthorised people having access to the

nursery.All staff have regular child protection training and how to deal with any

issues that arise.

This ensures that we protect children’s safety and welfare through policies, procedures and good practice. In-line with our commitment to parental partnerships, we aim to keep you informed and included in all

aspects of the care and education of your child.

With regard to safeguarding, this entails developing two-way open information sharing, trust and honesty. On a day-to-day basis this will

involve telling each other about concerns, or accidents/incidents that have happened in the nursery, at home or elsewhere. This can be done in

person or using Famly.

This is standard procedure and, in-line with local authority expectations, will be recorded in order to protect you, us and most importantly, your

child.

You would like to read our full Safeguarding Children Policy a copy can be printed/emailed to you. Our Safeguarding Leads are Angie and Sarah who

are available to answer any questions, give advice or listen to your concerns. You may also speak to your child’s key person.

TRIPS & OUTINGS INFORMATIONAt the Discovery Nursery we love visiting the local area. We feel that this enhances learning and there’s nothing quite like seeing and touching real

objects and breathing in the fresh air. Our priority for trips and outings is to maintain good health and safety for

all of the children in our care.

Rationale Trips and outings should support the development and learning that takes place in the nursery. Outings provide important opportunities for learning

and are an essential part of a child’s learning.

When taking children out of the nursery staff must ensure their safety at all times.

You must ensure that you have completed a full outings risk assessment to highlight any potential hazards.

The following are some important rules to follow.

On trip’s we….

*Always make sure we are well organised*We make sure children are carefully supervised and not left unattended

*We ensure all staff have a current DBS*We take a travel first aid kit

*We take a mobile phone*We have a full list of emergency contacts *Make sure medicines/inhalers are taken

*Ensure ratios are adhered to*Have a level 3 qualified member of staff in attendance

*Assist children in public toilets*Wear High Vis Jackets with Nursery contact details on

*Make all staff aware of how to respond to emergencies

*Be clear which children are our responsibility*Have permission from all parents/carers

CONFIDENTIALITY

At the Discovery Nursery we adhere to the Data Protection Act and all records are kept securely. We keep a locked filing cabinet in the nursery office and information will not be shared with anyone else without prior consent from you. The only exception to this is in the case of Safeguarding where it may be necessary to share information with some outside agencies.We use ipads in the setting that have passcodes and are locked away securely at the end of each day. If you wish to discuss any problems or concerns about confidentiality please arrange to speak with a member of staff.

Please take the time to read the Discovery Nursery GDPR Notice in the Policy Documents to understand how your data is kept.

Discovery Nursery Ltd Terms and Conditions

To secure a place at Discovery Nursery, registration must be completed.

One month’s notice is required to terminate a chargeable nursery place or amend agreed attendance sessions.

One month’s notice will be given by Discovery Nursery for any changes to fees or terms and conditions

Fees are payable monthly, in advance, during the first week of each month.

Fees may also be paid by bank transfer, card or cash. We accept Government-funded places for 2, 3, and 4 year olds and all childcare vouchers. After funded provision, sessional prices will be charged.

The nursery is open for term time only – 38 weeks. We close on all bank holidays and all standard holidays.

Fees are not charged during the time that Discovery Nursery is closed.

Unfortunately, no refunds will be considered for absences as pre-arranged staffing and operational expenses still have to be met.