Parent Information | Planet Tiny Nursery & Preschool

Here at Planet Tiny we believe that meal times are a very important part of the day.

Children are encouraged to socialise during their meal but are equally taught the importance of table etiquette and courtesy.

Children will be given a variety of hot meals which are nutritionally well balanced and freshly made on the premises.

If your child has a particular dietary requirement e.g. cultural, religious, vegetarian or allergies please could parents inform the staff at registration.

Meal times are as follows:

Morning Snack: 9:50

Lunch: 12:00

Tea: 15:00

Snack: 17:00

Menus are available daily on the parents notice board.

Our food is prepared and cooked on site using seasonal menus and a 4 weekly cycle.

All children have their hands washed before and after every meal.

Water is accessible for children at all times.

All fees for childcare will be due in advance on the 3rd of each month. The nursery will provide you with two initial invoices and a standing order form. After this period invoices are only given out if requested by the parent/carer.

Please ensure you use the reference given when setting up your standing order, we cannot trace where payments have come from if no reference is given at the time of depositing.

A £10.00 late payment charge will be added to your account each time the payment is late.

If you fail to make payment by the end of the month, the nursery has the right to refuse admission of your child until all payments are up to date.

If you decide to change your sessions, the standing order must be amended for the following month. Any outstanding payment to cover extra costs must be paid immediately via cheque.

Extra sessions are added to your account and must be paid by the end of the week of the extra.

A fee of £15.00 will be added to your account if any cheques or vouchers bounce.

The nursery has the right to hold your deposit if all funds are not cleared once your child leaves.

Any outstanding debts will be passed onto our debt management team who have the right to add admin charges to the account until all fees have been settled. Once the matter is transferred to the debt management team Planet Tiny have no right to intervene and discuss settlement of fees.

Occasionally Planet Tiny can decide to increase the fees for childcare. You will be informed 4 weeks in advance if any changes to the fee structure are to be made.

What is the Keyperson Approach?

Every child deserves to be special to someone and the Keyperson Approach recognises this.

The Keyperson Approach is one of the vital principals in the Early Years Foundation Stage and now a statutory requirement of the framework. It is a reciprocal relationship between a member of staff, individual child and their family. It provides the child with a sense of security so that they feel confident to explore their world and form further relationships.

A Keyperson should usually have 5 or 6 children who they are responsible for monitoring their development and learning in live with the 7 areas of development, during their time at the nursery. This is not to say that the Keyperson is the only person that the child will form a bond with or that they are sole carer for the child. Other staff members will also contribute to the child's teaching and carry out spontaneous observations on all the children.

What is the role of the Key person?

The role of the Keyperson is to know their individual child and to support their sense of identity and individuality. They need to be aware of their individual child's and family's needs, preferences and development.

When a child first settles into the nursery, their interaction with various staff members will be monitored and the appropriate Keyperson allocated to that child.The Keyperson will then ensure that the child settles comfortably with the other children and is happy.

The Keyperson will usually be the person who welcomes the child and carer to the nursery and helps to settle the child into the session. Any information shared with the parents is also done mainly through the Keyperson. Each Keyperson has a 'Feedback Book' which they use to maintain an effective and transparent relationship with their Keychild's parents. Any developments or exciting things that happen in the child's day can be recorded in this book and shared with the parents. In addition, parents can also document their child's activities over the weekend for their Keyperson to read.

What happens when the Key person is absent

Each Keyperson is paired with a 'Co-Keyperson' who takes on the role of the Keyperson in their absence, with the support of the other staff. It is part of the Keyperson's role to ensure that the Co-Keyperson and other staff members are aware of their Keychild's needs.

Parental Involvement

We see our role as a shared process with you the parents and carers. As the parent/ carers you are welcome to visit and discuss any aspect of your child's progress at any time. Any concerns or questions you may have are greatly received.

All our policies and procedures for the nursery are available to view at any time.

Collection of Children

You must come to the front door to bring and collect children and inform the nursery if someone else will be collecting your child on your behalf, a password and photograph must be given to the nursery otherwise we will not let your child leave the nursery. We are only trying to ensure the safety of your child whilst in our care.

We do emphasise that children are collected no later than 18:00. Ideally we recommend that parents/carers come ten minutes before closing in order to get feedback, put on their child’s coat and shoes and collect the pushchair. The nursery insurance does not cover us after 6pm therefore making it crucial that you let us know if you are going to be late.

Settling In

We understand how difficult it is for you to leave your child with us for the first time. Our priority is to help you and your family feel welcome and relaxed.

The smooth transition from the secure environment at home can be traumatic, therefore we have a settling in procedure that all staff are familiar with and adhere to.

Parents/carers are encouraged to make short but frequent visits with their child and join in the planned activities.

Parents should inform the staff of their child's’ temperament, likes, and dislikes.

Leading up to the start date, short visits will be spent without their parents. Care is handed over to the child's key person who will remain with the child throughout the visiting session.

Equal Opportunities

We eliminate racism here at Planet Tiny by welcoming ethnic minority contributions to the policies and practice of our nursery. We provide positive images of different ethnic minorities and cultures, e.g by the use of posters, toys, books, clothing, food and festivals.

We value each child as equal, regardless of race, ability, gender, social and cultural background.

Child Abuse

Here at Planet Tiny, the safety of the children is paramount. All staff will notify the manager of any suspicious signs of child abuse. We will endeavour to follow necessary procedures.

Our staff are regularly attending child safety courses and that we have a child protection officer at the nursery who works closely with Haringey council to ensure that children are kept safe and happy at all times.

Photographs

Occasionally we may photograph the children whilst playing. These may be used in our promotional purposes. If you do not wish your child's photograph to be used in this manner then please inform the nursery when registering.

Children's Pockets

Each child will be allocated an individual pocket. This will be located nearby their pegs. Throughout the nursery day, staff members may add information to these pockets for your reference. It is vital that parents/carers access these pockets at the end of each day in order to be kept informed of any changes.

Also included in these pockets will be the child's feedback books. This information has been gathered by their carers/key workers, and includes any new updates regarding your child. E.g., What they have eaten, what they may have played with or any other matters regarding their progress.

Incidents and Accidents

Children fall and bump frequently, whilst great care is always taken to prevent accidents, bumps cuts and grazes will still occur. All accidents/incidents are recorder in an accident book and parents and carers will be required to sign it once you are satisfied with the entry.

If an accident is to occur at home, please can parents/carers make staff aware at drop off. You may be asked to complete an ‘accident at home’ form.

Clothing

Comfortable and easily washed clothes are essential for the children. When possible avoid dressing the children in clothing that may obstruct them from being independent especially when using the toilet.

Once you have registered your child, please provide the nursery with the following:

Nappies and wipes
Sudocrem or alternative
Spare change of clothes
Sun cream in summer months
Winter hat for outdoor play
Wellington Boots
Comforter if required
Slippers

Toileting

Please could parents ensure their child has been provided with adequate nappies and wipes on a weekly basis.

Here at Planet Tiny we are happy to help toilet train your child, please could parents let us know when they believe their child is ready for this.

If your child is potty training please could you supply us with a large number of pants and socks in addition to extra changes of clothing.

Clothes that may become soiled will be placed in a disposable bag and stored on your child’s peg and taken home for washing.

Children are taken to the toilet at regular intervals throughout the day.

In addition children’s hands are washed after visiting the toilet.

Planet Tiny encourages children, families, visitors and staff to value and respect, it inspires freedom and openness and helps children’s voices to be heard.

Prevent - Preventing radicalisation/ tackling extremism

We have a duty to care for children in our care.

Planet Tiny works along with the community to make sure children and families are safeguarded from radicalisation and extremism. We ensure all staff are fully trained, informed and recognise vulnerability. We have embedded British Values to demonstrate our staff, children, families and visitors to have respect and tolerance toward each other’s values and beliefs and who are within our society.

This includes other policies that are in place to support keeping our children safe.

British Values

Planet Tiny Nursery promotes the fundamental values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, tolerance with those with different faiths and beliefs. This is embedded in the nursery as staff role model to children to learn right from wrong, taking turns, sharing and challenging behaviours and eliminating negative views. The ethos of the nursery is learning through play and we celebrate diversity.

Equality

At Planet Tiny we take great care to treat each individual as a person in their own right, with equal rights and responsibilities to any other individual, whether they are an adult or a child. We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children and families according to their individual needs. Discrimination on the grounds of gender, age, race, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity, ethnic or national origin, or political belief has no place within our nursery.

A commitment to implementing our inclusion and equality policy will form part of each employee’s job description. Should anyone believe that this policy is not being upheld, it is their duty to report the matter to the attention of the Mangers/Owners at the earliest opportunity. Appropriate steps will then be taken to investigate the matter and if such concerns are well-founded, disciplinary action will be invoked under the nursery’s disciplinary policy.

For the full policy please read through Planet Tiny’s policies and procedure handbook.

Government Free Entitlement / Early Years Pupil Premiums

https://www.haringey.gov.uk/children-and-families/childcare-and-early-years/childcare-costs/free-early-learning-education

https://www.haringey.gov.uk/sites/haringeygovuk/files/haringey_early_years_pupil_premium_2015-16_0.pdf

Partnership

Planet Tiny work closely with local centres and nursery as well as Haringey Early Years team. This is to share information, improving our education standard, informed with the latest government policies and procedure, training in all areas of early years this is paramount to us to provide the best service to our families and visitors.

We work closely with educational institutes such as Secondary schools, Colleges and Universities. We offer placements and work experience to students for a range of academic courses.

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Parent Information 2021 - Planet Tiny Nursery, North London

Important dates to remember this year

Healthy Eating - Meal Times

Meal times are as follows:

Childcare Fee Policy

Keyperson Approach