Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Here we list some of the frequently asked questions you may have, and perhaps some you hadn’t thought of, to help give you all the information you need.
If you have any other queries please do not hesitate to contact us.
Please email us at humptydumptynursery@gmail.com or call us on 01788 521038 and we can arrange a convenient date. We offer visits at 10am or 2pm as we find these times affect our nursery children the least.
We are open Monday to Friday from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. each day. We operate all year round, except for bank holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year.
We cater for children from 2 years to school age.
We take child safeguarding very seriously:
We have 4 Designated Safeguarding leads within our team.
All our staff undergo enhanced DBS checks before they commence employment with us.
All our staff have full Paediatric First Aid qualifications.
All the toys and equipment in the nursery are of a high quality and regular risk assessments on equipment and procedures are carried out to ensure everything is maintained to the highest standard.
We carry out regular Fire Drills with the children, so that they become familiar with the routine, and should we have an emergency, we will be able to clear the building quickly and safely.
The nursery is securely enclosed within the gated school grounds. We have a strict entry and exit procedure. Parents and carers are required to wait at the green security gate, buzz through on the intercom, letting us know who they are and who they are collecting. Access will then be granted.
We appreciate that sometimes plans unexpectedly change, in addition to the above, we operate a password system to ‘unfamiliar’ people picking children up – parents confirm their password with staff when they drop off the child at the beginning of the session or via a phone call.
When the unfamiliar person comes to collect the child they will be asked for the password at the gate before being allowed entry to pick up the child.
Under no circumstances will any child be allowed to leave the nursery premises with an unfamiliar adult and does not have the correct password.
We also have CCTV in operation so we know who is coming on and off site at all times.
The children will play indoors and outdoors as well as being invited to join in with story and singing times. Most of the activities will be child initiated with careful interactions of an adult who will enhance the child-led activity. This is called ‘planning in the moment’. It focuses on children’s interests with an adult providing teachable moments where appropriate.
It is well known that one of the most important ways to help children to eat healthily is by establishing good food habits in their formative years. Children have independent access to a healthy morning snack and drink of either milk or water. Children can bring a packed lunch, or you can pre-book a hot lunch from the school kitchen for them which is charged at £2.75 per day (available term-time only). Children who attend an afternoon session are provided with a light tea.
We can accommodate all dietary and cultural requirements including vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free & nut free.
Yes, we strive to help in all areas of your child’s development, we take this at your child’s pace. We follow your routine from home as close as possible and keep you in touch at every step.
Whilst at nursery your child needs to be comfortable and dressed appropriately for the weather as we like to spend time outdoors. Please ensure they have warm hats and coats in the winter and a sun hat and sun cream in warmer weather. We have our own supply of puddle suits and wellies, however you are welcome to bring your own if you prefer. We also ask that children wear slippers or indoor shoes whilst at nursery and bring a bag with a change of clothes and nappies as needed. Please remember to label everything.
If your child is ill they must stay at home. If your child has sickness or diarrhoea, they must stay at home for 48hrs after the last symptom has occurred.
We write on our activity board each day to tell you what we have been doing. A member of staff will be able to give you a brief run-down of your child’s day at nursery and share their achievements with you, no matter how small. Every child has a learning journal to detail their progress which is sent home termly for review. We also send out a fortnightly newsletter to all families by email which gives you the latest nursery news.
We understand that sometimes parents are unavoidably delayed, please let us know as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary concerns. If you are regularly late, we will have to make an additional charge to cover staff costs.
Please take a look at our fees page for further information on the fees payable. If you have any queries, please contact us.
We are very happy to accommodate a request for extra sessions if we have the places available and are within our ratios. Please speak to a member of staff for availability.
Yes, we accept all childcare vouchers from employer schemes. Check with your employer if they offer childcare vouchers. For Tax free childcare please visit the HMRC website for more details. For more options and detailed information on eligibility, you can visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.
Most children from 2 years old are entitled to 15 hours of free nursery education per week from the term following their 2nd birthday, for 38 weeks of the year. You can access this over a 3 or 6 hour period. This applies until they reach compulsory school age.
It is parent’s responsibility to apply for their funding code and give it to us, then re-apply each term. To check eligibility and apply online, please visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk . We will apply for your funding from the local authority at the beginning of each term.
2Help funding is also available for families who are entitled to various benefits or tax credits. You will need to apply yourself for this funding via www.warwickshire.gov.uk/childcarecosts.
30 hours funding is available to most families. It is parent’s responsibility to apply for their 30 hours code and give it to us, then re-apply each term. To check eligibility and apply online, please visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk .
The Early Years Foundation Stage is a curriculum set up by the Government that states how we as early years practitioners support children’s learning.
We ensure that all children experience the awe and wonder of the world in which we live. We do this through the 7 areas of learning:
3 prime areas: Communication, Personal social and emotional, Physical
And 4 specific areas: Maths, Understanding the world, Literacy, Expressive art and design
Within these areas we must ensure children are making progress in each area.
We do have nursery polo-shirts and jumpers available to purchase costing £12 per item. The uniform is optional. If your child does not wear a uniform we ask that they come in clothes you don’t mind getting messy!