About Meadow Kindergarten

All children are assigned a Keyworker, who will be the primary carer for your child when in the nursery. In addition to regular communication between the child’s Keyworker and the parent / carer, everyday information and reminders are posted on the notice board in the main room.

For children attending Meadow Kindergarten there is a parents Evenings where parents and carers can have the opportunity to speak to staff about their child’s development and progress in a relaxed atmosphere.

Newsletters and monthly briefing sheets keep you up to date on planned and special activities.

We understand and regard partnerships with parents and carers to be of the utmost importance to the welfare of their children.

When a child joins us we like to gain as much information as possible about them so that we can make this new experience happy, safe and enjoyable for all concerned. We have an open door policy to welcome parents and carers to spend time with their child or to speak to their Keyworker or Manager about any issues.

Any child who has, or develops, an infectious illness must be kept at home in order to help prevent the spread of illness. This includes conditions such as vomiting, diarrhoea, discharges from eyes or mouth, conjunctivitis, sore throat and obvious rashes. In particular, any child suffering from vomiting or diarrhoea must be kept at home until clear of symptom for a minimum period of 48 hours. Please call the nursery before 9.30 am if your child is unable to attend. For more details speak with the Nursery Manager.

Welcoming a child to the nursery

Children about to start nursery are encouraged to make one or two familiarisation visits to help them settle in.

On their first ‘proper’ day with us they will be welcomed by their Keyworker and re-introduced to the other children. Whilst we try not to encourage children to bring their own toys from home with them, sometimes a teddy or blanket can be a comfort during the first few days. However, most children quickly settle in and enjoy their new surroundings.

Security
All visitors to the nursery are greeted and released by a member of staff. Only those who are pre-authorised to collect their child from nursery will be allowed to do so, unless approval is given by the parent / carer. Parents / carers are asked to leave an emergency number where they can be contacted.

Babies
Baby milk is not provided by the nursery. Formula or expressed milk must be supplied by the parent / carer in bottles clearly labelled with your child’s name. Weaning foods must be supplied in clearly labelled containers. All milk and food must be passed to the Manager on arrival for safe storage in the refrigerator.

What to bring with you
Each child should have sufficient clothes for their daily needs plus a spare set in the event of accidents. Parents are asked to ensure that children do not bring valuable items with them, as the Nursery cannot accept responsibility for any subsequent loss or damage.

Please bring sunhats and an adequate sun block during the summer months, Wellington boots, gloves and suitable outdoor clothing during the winter to ensure that your child can benefit from outdoor pursuits.

All clothes should be clearly labelled. Parents of babies and children who are not fully toilet trained are asked to provide enough nappies to last the day.

Medication
Medication maybe given at the nursery. This must be clearly labelled with your child’s name and date and given to the Nursery Manager, who will ask you to sign a permission slip to administer that medication.

Accidents & incidents
Despite extensive risk analyses and all efforts to remove hazards, accidents can happen. All such incidents are recorded, monitored and reported back to the parent/carer, who will be asked to sign an accident book. Where an accident is of a serious nature we will contact the parent / carer or the emergency contact to advise them of what has happened and what action is being taken. Where necessary we will contact the child’s doctor or the emergency services.