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What makes us Special
About Us
About Us
Choosing the right nursery for your child is a very important decision. You want a nursery that will offer your child an enjoyable and happy experience, a place that will support their all-round development and somewhere they will flourish and grow in a safe and secure environment. Here at Poppies we provide lots of activities in line with the children’s interests. The needs of the individual child are paramount in our nursery. Supported by kind, caring dedicated staff, safety and happiness is central to everything we do.
At Poppies Nursery we offer exceptional care, great facilities and a nurturing, home-from-home environment. As a parent, knowing that your child is being looked after by caring, professional staff in a comfortable, enjoyable environment will give you peace of mind and the confidence and assurance to get on with your everyday life.
We open weekdays from 07.00 until 18.00 for 51 weeks of the year. (The Nursery closes for the days between Christmas and New Year’s) We offer a flexible approach with regard to sessions and can accommodate parents who work shifts. Within the nursery there are 6 separate units: Bluebells (baby unit), Sunflowers (18-24mths) Tulips (2-3yrs) Daises (Pre-school room) Orchids (Afterschool Club/Holiday Club)
We warmly welcome visits from parents and children. Please contact the Nursery and we will be happy to make an appointment for you to view the nursery and answer any questions you may have.
Staff
• Our annual survey confirms what we already know – Our greatest asset is our dedicated staff
• We believe that the relationships built between the children and the people who care for them are critical. Staff are selected not only for their qualifications, but also for their ability to relate and build strong relationships with children and parents.
• Staff core and personal development training is of high importance, staff regularly attend a variety of training courses, such as First Aid, food Hygiene, Safeguarding and Positive behaviour.
• Children are designated a Key Person when they join the setting.
Facilities
• Children are grouped into self-contained units according to their age and developmental needs.
• We have a unique building which can be adapted to meet varying demands.
• Each room has a designated outdoor area, of which they use as an extension to their room.
• We have a wonderful mud garden out the front of the building where all children can learn about growing food and plants.
Nutrition
• We have kitchen on site with full time chef.
• Menu’s, which are reviewed regularly, are designed to appeal to children whilst providing variety and nutritionally balanced diet. These menus are on view in each of our rooms.
• We use freshly prepared meat and vegetables and offer vegetarian alternative for those children who require it. We also cater for other dietary requirements such as Lactose Intolerance.
• No salt or sugar is used in our cooking.
We offer daily nutritious menus which provide a well-balanced diet for all the children in our care. Our menus are carefully planned with the emphasis on healthy eating. Encouraging children to eat healthily is one of our major goals at Poppies and our staffing team work together to inspire children to indulge in the fruits and vegetables that life has to offer.
Organisation of Nursery
The children are grouped together into self-contained units according to their age and development needs. Each room has a Senior Nursery Nurse and they are assisted by qualified Nursery Nurse and Trainee’s.
Our unit names and age ranges are as follows:
Bluebells: 3mths -24mths
Tulips: 24mths - 36mths
Daisies: 36mths – 60mths
Bluebells: 3mths -24mths
Bluebells: 3mths -24mths, we work on a 1:3 ratio.
Our bluebells room caters for babies up to the age of 18 months. This room provides a safe and stimulating environment with toys/resources suitable for this age range. Our staff cater to each individual child’s routine and welfare requirements to ensure each child’s needs are met. Staff communicates daily with parents to provide daily updates on how their child has been/ eaten/slept etc. Children have daily access outside in their own garden where they will continue to explore and learn through play following EYFS guidelines. Each child’s development is closely followed and monitored and activities are tailored to their individual needs and interests. Staff do this to ensure each child makes positive progress to help reach their milestones. At poppies we believe in healthy eating and children are given healthy freshly cooked food daily but we do cater for those with dietary requirements. Fruit is often given at snack times and for puddings. All nappies and wipes are provided by the nursery, we do ask parents to bring a pot of cream in for their own child. Parents are asked to provide bottles and formula milk for their child.
Tulips: 24mths - 36mths
Tulips: 24mths – 36mths, we work on a 1:4 ratio.
Our Tulips room caters for children ages between 2-3years. This room provides a safe and stimulating environment with toys/resources suitable for this age range. Our staff cater to each individual child’s welfare requirements to ensure each child’s needs are met. Staff communicates daily with parents to provide daily updates on how their child has been/ eaten/slept etc. Children have a busy morning taking part in activities and after lunch have their sleep. Activities continue again in the afternoon. Children have daily access outside in their own garden where they will continue to explore and learn through play following EYFS guidelines. Each child’s development is closely followed and monitored and activities are tailored to their individual needs and interests. Staff do this to ensure each child makes positive progress to help reach their milestones. At poppies we believe in healthy eating and children are given healthy freshly cooked food daily but we do cater for those with dietary requirements. Fruit is offered at snack times and for puddings.
Daisies: 36mths – 60mths
Daisies: 36mths – 60mths, we work on a 1:8 ratio.
Our Pre-school room cater for children aged between 3-5 years. This room provides a safe and stimulating environment with toys/resources suitable for this age range. Our staff cater to each individual child’s welfare requirements to ensure each child’s needs are met. Staff communicate daily with parents to provide daily updates on how their child has been throughout the day. Children have a busy morning taking part in activities and after lunch activities continue again in the afternoon. Children have daily access outside in their own garden where they will continue to explore and learn through play following EYFS guidelines. Each child’s development is closely followed and monitored and activities are tailored to their individual needs and interests, Staff do this to ensure each child makes positive progress to help reach their milestones and help the children prepare for school. At poppies we believe in healthy eating and children are given healthy freshly cooked food daily but we do cater for those with dietary requirements. Fruit is offered at snack times and for puddings.
Orchids - Our Afterschool and Holiday Club
We also offer an Afterschool and Holiday Club called Orchids. We provide an after school collection from, Ferndale, St Marys School and Swindon Academy school (Beech Avenue). Our Afterschool and Holiday Club ranges from ages 4yrs to 12yrs. The ratio is 1:8 for under 8’s and 1:10 for children aged between 8-12 years old. This room caters for children who attend school during the day. Once the children have arrived back at Poppies we provide a light afternoon tea and can also help children with their reading homework. Activities are available for the children and they also use the local park/field for outdoor activities.
Holiday club is available throughout the school holidays. Again various activities and theme weeks take place to keep the children entertained and engaged.
We open our holiday club in line with published school holidays from Swindon Borough Council.
We provide breakfast, hot cooked lunch and tea throughout the day for the children.
Each of our rooms are self-contained with nappy changing/potty/toilet facilities.
All of our rooms work in accordance to the National Framework called The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). We are continuously monitoring and supported through our Early Years Consultant from Swindon Borough Council. We work closely with other professionals such as Speech and Language Therapists, Health Visitors and Services such as Children’s Centres, Sam’s and other SEND professionals.
The Early Years Foundation Stage continues on to the Reception Year when the children go to school. We work closely with the schools that we feed into to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible for every child.
We offer parents evening twice a year in January and July, this is an opportunity where you can discuss your child’s progress and to see their Learning Journey. Staff will always keep you updated and informed daily of how your child has been, what they have been doing, where they are in their learning this is an extra time dedicated to your child where you can come in and meet with your child’s Key Person. It is important to work closely with the children’s parents as together we are stronger, parents know their children best and we encourage parents involvement in their child’s Learning Journeys. In order for us to provide good communication between parents and staff on the well-being of their child, we operate an open-house policy in which parents are able to visit the nursery school at any time. We do a newsletter each half term to keep you in touch with what is happening at Poppies.
Fee Structure
A registration fee of £50.00 is required to reserve a place for your child this is non-refundable. Please contact the team for the latest session pricing. No sibling discounts are given on funded sessions or meal charges.
• Full day session includes breakfast, snack, lunch, & tea. It also includes nappies and wipes. Please provide any nappy cream that your child might require whilst at nursery,
• Morning session includes breakfast, snack, & lunch, nappies and wipes. Please provide any nappy cream that your child might require whilst at nursery.
• Afternoon session includes tea, nappies and wipes. Please provide any nappy cream that your child might require whilst at nursery.
• School day session includes snack & lunch, nappies and wipes. Please provide any nappy cream that your child might require whilst at nursery.
• Children are required to attend a minimum of two sessions per week. These can be on a rotating shift depending on the family requirements. These can be a mixture of full days half days and school days.
• Children are required to attend regular sessions to be ensured a place at our setting, we do allow holidays for a maximum two week period of absence.
• We ask Parents to provide all baby formula milk, breakfast cereal and food if you do not wish for your child to have what is on the nursery menu. The Bluebells room is able to warm food up if food is brought in from home.
• Parents are required to provide all medications like calpol, teeth gel etc…
• Parents are required to provide sun cream for their child or children.
If you do not wish to use our disposable nappies then you must supply your own. No discount is given.
Poppies Nursery and Pre-school have a variety of ways to which you are able to book your childcare
Fixed Bookings
You will pay for 51 weeks of the year inclusive of bank holidays and any holiday days taken off. The 3 days that the nursery closes at Christmas time you will not incur a charge for.
Flexi Bookings
We also have the option of using our month to month booking form. We ask parents to hand these booking forms in by midday on the 15th of the preceding month to ensure they get the sessions they require for that month. If the booking form is handed in later than this date then there is a chance you will not get the sessions you require. There is also a late handing in fee of 10% added to the total bill. This means holidays and bank holidays are not charged and you have the flexibility to book whichever sessions you require on a monthly basis this is the flexible booking option.
Once a booking has been confirmed it cannot be cancelled without charge unless one months’ notice is given to cancel.
Settling sessions are advised for all children before a child starts fully at nursery/pre-school. We ask that all parents book their child in for 1 x 1hr initial settling in session where the parent/guardian remains with the child. During this session the child is able to explore the room at their own pace but has the reassurance of their parent if needed. It is also a nice time for the staff to liaise with parents and discuss any concerns regarding the child. It is also extremely important this session takes place if the child is in the Bluebells/Sunflowers room as staff will discuss with parents a child’s routine requirements such as bottles/sleep times etc. Further settling in sessions can be booked after the initial first session. These sessions can involve the parent staying for the hour or leaving the child for the hour. During any settling in session in which the parent remains full the full hour then there will be no charge applied.
We do advise a child is booked in for at least 1 more settling session in which the parent leaves for the full hour. During this time it is a perfect opportunity for the child to explore and interact with others without the parent present. If a child is left for longer than half hour for a settling in session you will be charged the hourly rate.
We offer families a sibling discount of 10%, and is applied only to the older child only.
The term after your child’s 3rd birthday, they are entitled to 3-4 year old funding. They are entitled to 15 funded hours or 30 hours* a week during term time, or you can spread these hours throughout the year and use 11 or 22* hours per week. These are the maximum hours used for each week.
No discounts are given when doing funded sessions only this includes Meal Charges.
Please note these hours are only available if you qualify for the additional funding. The nursery will not be able to apply for the additional hours for you. All parents must access the government website and apply themselves. You will be given a code which you then need to give to the nursery. Failure to provide this code will result in us not being able to offer you the additional hours. We can only offer the additional hours once we have received your code and received confirmation from our funding portal that you are entitled.
We do also have space availability for those children who have been allocated 2 year old funding. They are entitled to 15 funded hours a week during term time. These are the maximum hours used for each week.
No discounts are given to when doing funded sessions only this includes Meal Charges.
Late collection charges are:
The cost will be the current hourly charge for the nursery if a child is collected late after the end of the booked session (if within the opening hours of the nursery 7-6pm).
If a child is picked up late pass nursery opening hours the late collection charge will be £25.00. We will also notify social services after 15 minutes if contact has not been made with parents/guardians.
If you drop your child off before their designated session time or if you collect your child passed the session time you will be charged £15.00 late collection fee. If the nursery has to place a call to inform a parent that their child has not be not been collected within their booked session time, they will incur a £25.00 late collection fee. An additional £25.00 fee will be incurred every following 30 minutes you are late to collect your child.
We would advise parents to collect your child at least 10 minutes before the end time of their session to allow a handover from staff of how your child has been during their session at nursery.
2 Year Funding
If your child is eligible for 2 year funding, we are able to accommodate their 15 hours a week of funding during term time. If you do not use the maximum amount each week you are unable to carry hours forward.
The funding does not allow for Food or Nappy care. We provide very nutritious balanced menu. You can pay an additional fee and your child can have a freshly made home cooked meal. If you would prefer you can bring your child a snack and packed lunch. It must be a healthy packed lunch and not contain things like.. crisps, chocolate, fizzy drinks, cake etc… Parents also will be required to pay for Nappy care items or again you can provide your own wipes, Nappies and Nappy bags.
3 Year / 4 Year Funding
When your child/children will be eligible for the 3 / 4 year old Government funding they are entitled to 15/30 funded hours a week during term time, or you can spread these hours out throughout the year and use 11/22 hours per week. These are the maximum hours used for each week. If you do not use the maximum amount each week you are unable to carry hours forward. We will also need to know at the beginning of the funding year, whether you will be using the hours term time or spreading the hours across the year. Once you have decided whether you would like to use your funded hours during term time or throughout the year then you are unable to make any changes or adjustments to your funding booking. You are only able to spread funding if your child is eligible to start funding from a September)
If you take your funding hours term time only, your child will only get funding for 38 weeks of the year.
The funding does not allow for Food or Nappy care. We provide very nutritious balanced menu. You can pay an additional fee and you child can have a freshly made home cooked meal. If you would prefer you can bring your child a snack and packed lunch. It must be a healthy packed lunch and not contain things like.. crisps, chocolate, fizzy drinks, cake etc… Parents also will be required to pay for Nappy care items or again you can provide your own wipes, Nappies and Nappy bags.
What we Offer
- Open Mon-Fri 7am to 6pm
- Registered and Insured Provider
- Qualified Nursery Staff
- Meals and Nappies included in fees
- Flexible Childcare
- Monthly Bookings, only pay for the sessions you need
- All Childcare Voucher Schemes accepted
- Free funded Nursery Grant sessions