The Learning Tree and Kids Club is open 51 weeks of the year from 7.30 am until 6.00pm. We have a team of 8 staff and accommodate children between the ages of 2 and 11 years. The Learning Tree delivers the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and takes pride in offering a safe, secure and happy environment in which children can thrive and develop. Further information on the EYFS is available in this pack and on www.foundationyears.org.uk/early-years-foundation-stage-2012. Each child attending The Learning Tree between the ages of 2 and 5 will be allocated a key person.
Booking Procedure
You MUST book a place before your child attends the setting. The staff have a ‘regulars’ list of children who have reserved places. If you require days that are not regular then you MUST check availability of places before your child can attend. Please ensure that you inform the setting if your child no longer requires their place as soon as possible. There are separate reserved places for children attending between the hours of:
07.30-09.00
09.00-15.30
15.30-18.00
The school holidays are considered a separate booking. All nursery and Kids Club children must reserve their place during the school holidays, please try and do this well in advance as places are limited. However priority will be given to those children using stretched extended entitlement funding. This includes children who have their regular days reserved during term time. To enable the setting to meet safeguarding requirements and adequate staff ratios please do not bring your child any earlier than the time you have booked in for. Unfortunately we will not be able to allow you to enter the building until that time. If you need to cancel any place or need to make any amendments to the days and hours that your child regularly attends, the setting requires 4 weeks written notice. If the setting is currently full for any of the days and times you require, you can request to be put on the waiting list.
Prices
For nursery aged children during both term time and school holidays the setting charges a rate of £4.50 per hour, which is charged by the half hour.
For school aged children attending the setting during term time, the fees between the hours of 07.30 – 09.00 are £4.50 per session.
The session cost for school aged children attending between the hours of 15.30-18.00 is £7.25 per session.
During school holidays nursery aged and school aged children will be charged at a rate of £4.50 per hour. Please find our Fee’s and cancellation policy enclosed for further information. If your child is entitled to a 2 year old funded place, please be aware that the setting must have a confirmation letter before your funded place starts. Please note that your child must attend the setting during headcount week to be entitled to government funding, if you are at all unsure or you would like more information, please see a member of staff. Please note that it is the setting’s policy that there is a £10.00 charge if your child is collected later than the time they are booked in to attend.
Breakfast Club
During the morning session, the children are invited to attend for their breakfast. The breakfast club includes a choice of cereal, toast and preserves, fruit, orange and apple juice. Breakfast is included in the session cost and there will be no extra charge.
Waiting list
The Management and Committee make every effort to be fair and to accommodate as many children and families as possible, however it is not possible to satisfy everyone. The waiting list for both Nursery and Kids Club places is on a basis of first come first served, families first reserved on the waiting list will be contacted as soon as reasonably possible if a cancellation is made and a place becomes available places for children are limited due to ratios and room size. Staffing arrangements must meet the needs of all children and ensure their safety through adequate supervision.
However, the setting reserves the right to have special regard for:
- Children with a statement of special educational needs or Education, Health and Care Plan.
- Looked after children (as outlined in the Education Act 2002)
All three and four-year-olds in England are entitled to 15 hours of free early education and childcare each week for 38 weeks of the year, if a child has been attending the setting for less than 15 hours per week and is due to meet the eligibility criteria for free early education, the setting will prioritise providing the extra hours if the parent wishes where possible.
School lunches and lunch box policy
We offer a meal freshly prepared and cooked by Carlton Miniott Primary School for the children who attend the nursery during term times. They are at the cost of £2 per day. Any cooked lunches which your child has will be charged on your invoice at the end of the month. If you would like to order a school lunch for your child please ensure that the order has been made before 9.30 am. Please contact a member of staff if you require more details.
The setting provides a snack which includes a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables and milk twice daily. Fruit and fresh water is available all day. We encourage parents and carers to provide a nutritious lunch for their children and would like to request that children are not provided with energy or fizzy drinks and treat foods such as crisps, chocolate and cakes are only given in moderation and as part of a balanced diet. The staff will ensure that children are supported to understand the importance of eating healthily. Uneaten food will be returned in the child’s lunchboxes to enable parents to monitor how much their child eats. If you would like any guidance on lunchbox recommendations the staff will be more than happy to support you.
Medicines
Parents and carers are expected to fill in a consent form prior to the administration of any medicine. The medication must include clear instructions on the dosage and times that the medicine is to be administered. This must be signed by parents/carers. The first aider who administers the medication must also sign the consent form once the medicine has been administered.
Medicines will only by administered if they have been prescribed by a doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmacist. Non- prescribed medicine, for example, pain and fever relief or teething gel will only by administered at the managers discretion and with the prior written consent of the parent. A child under 16 should never be given medicines containing asprin unless it has been prescribed for that child by a health care professional.
If your child has been prescribed antibiotics they can not return to nursery until 24 hours after having their first dose of the antibiotics.
If your child is unwell you will be expected to collect them from the nursery.
Accidents at home
If a child arrives at the setting with an injury of any kind it is important that the injury is reported to a member of staff. The injury will be recorded on an accident form and will be signed by the parent or carer and the member of staff that the injury was reported to, or the staff member who asked the parent about the injury. Injuries will be highlighted on a body map so that records are clear. Any accident or injury that occurs in the setting will be recorded on an accident form and reported to the child’s parent or carer that day.
Sickness exclusion policy
If a child becomes unwell while at the setting, the child’s parents or carers will be asked to collect the child. If the child’s parents of carers cannot be contacted, the child’s named emergency contact on their registration form will be contacted and asked to collect the child. Children who have suffered with vomiting or diarrhea should not attend the setting for 48 hours after the last sign of illness. If a child becomes ill with a contagious or infectious disease, other families will be notified as appropriate. Confidentiality of all families and children will be respected at all times.
If a child is not collected at the end of the session
In the event of non-collection, the child’s parents or carers will be contacted. If the child’s parents of carers cannot be contacted, the child’s named emergency contact on their registration form will be contacted and asked to collect the child. All reasonable attempts to contact the child’s parents or carers will be made. The setting will not allow the child to leave the premises with anyone other than those named on the registration form without prior notification from the child’s parents or carers as a matter of safeguarding. If a child is uncollected after one hour and repeated attempts at making contact are unsuccessful, we will apply the procedures for uncollected children and we will contact our local authority children’s social care team. The child will remain at the setting with a minimum of two staff members until the child is safely collected either by the parents or by a social care worker. Social care will aim to find the parent or relative if they are unable to do so, the child will become looked after by the local authority. Under no circumstances do staff leave the premises to look for the parent or take the child home with them.
Mobile phones, cameras and social networking
Parents, Carers and visitors are not permitted to use a mobile phone or camera on the nursery setting premises, including outdoors. Visitors are asked to kindly pass their mobile devices on to a staff member to be kept in a safe place for the duration of your visit, to be returned on departure. The setting would like to request that parents and carers do not send staff members friend requests via social networking sites and they are mindful not to discuss The Learning Tree on any social networking sites.
Keeping our children safe
It is very important that your child is collected promptly as the end of their booked session, this is to ensure the safe running of the nursery and maintaining the correct child to adult ratios at all times. Please remember if your child, for any reason is not going to attend their booked session please inform the nursery at the earliest possible time. Please close all gates on your arrival and departure of the setting. We would like to also request that parents please do not hold the door for anyone else to enter the building. It is the sole responsibility of the staff to monitor exactly who enters the building. Please securely shut the main door on arrival and when leaving the nursery.
Commitment to safeguarding
The Learning Tree believes that every child has the right to be safe and that the welfare of children and young people is paramount. The setting follows a robust safeguarding policy. The policy sets out agreed guidelines, relating to responding to allegations of abuse, including those made against staff and volunteers. We are committed to the welfare, protection and safety of every child.
Complaints
We are committed to providing an excellent service to children and their families, but in the unlikely event that you may have a concern about any of our practices, you are welcome to request a copy of our complaints policy which outlines the procedures to follow when making a complaint, or feel free to speak to a member of the management team at any time. All of the settings policies are available for our parents to read at any time. Our staff will be happy to make copies on request.
Committee
We are a committee run registered charity. The management committee would be grateful to hear from anyone who is interested in learning more about the committee and would be grateful to hear from anyone who may be interested in joining the committee. Please find enclosed a brief overview of the roles and responsibilities of committee members.
If you require any further information or have any queries please do not hesitate to contact a member of the management team. On behalf of The Learning Tree Nursery and Kids Club
Emma Raisbeck,
The Learning Tree Nursery and Kids Club Manager