Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about Bluebell Children's Nurseries
What is included in the fees?
At Bluebell Children's Nurseries, we take care of everything, meaning that you can drop your child off without any worries. We provide breakfast, healthy snacks, lunch and high tea. Babies receive organic purees and formula milk where required. In addition to this, we provide nappies, wipes, Sudocrem and sun cream. Main meals are provided by Zebedees (www.zebedees.co.uk).
Is there a provision for storing buggies?
We have buggy sheds at all of our nurseries for you to store buggies and car seats.
How often do children play outside?
We encourage the children to play outside in all weathers and have the opportunity to access the outdoors at all times. Therefore we ask that you provide wellies and a waterproof coat or all-in-one. We do have some spare wellies and waterproofs for emergencies.
What does my child need to bring to the nursery?
All you will need to bring is your child and some labelled spare clothes ( we love getting messy). During the summer we will ask for you to provide a hat and in the winter wellies and warm clothing.
How do I settle my child or children in?
One month prior to your child’s start date, your child’s key person will contact you to arrange a home visit and settling-in sessions before your child starts with us. All children are different and the amount of time that a child takes to settle into nursery can vary enormously. Therefore, children will be given time to settle in at their own pace, to make them feel welcome, safe and confident in a new environment. You can visit as many days as you feel necessary during the two-week settling-in period and we recommend a minimum of 4 visits. Parents are asked to stay in the nursery each day until they feel confident that their child is settled.
Do you offer any extra activities?
We offer a wide range of extra activities such as yoga, music and movement, woodwork sessions, BabyBallet, Hartbeeps sessions, Spanish and French lessons. We alternate these termly and often incorporate other exciting activities, such as visits from our local firefighters, police and zoolab.
What qualifications do your child carers hold?
Every room has a lead senior practitioner with a minimum level 3 qualification. The majority of the team are Level 3 qualified, right up to and including degree level. Any staff who are at Level 2 progress onto a Level 3 qualification as soon as possible. Every staff member is paediatric first aid trained. All our staff regularly attend in-house and external courses, to ensure they are kept up-to-date with their knowledge and maintain the highest professional standards.
Are all your staff DBS checked?
Yes, all our staff have been DBS checked. We also request health checks for our staff and a minimum of two references.
What happens if my child is ill?
If your child is unwell and requires pain relief, such as Calpol, we ask that you keep your child at home to rest and recover. Your child will be able to come back to the nursery once they have fully recovered, or once the Calpol has worn off (after 4 hours).
If your child becomes ill at nursery, his or her condition will be immediately brought to the attention of the manager or a senior member of staff. Symptoms, including any visible signs and body temperature, will be closely checked and monitored, and you will be immediately informed. We will discuss with you how best to deal with the matter, including whether you will need to collect your child from the nursery.
We recognise that it can be frustrating when a child is excluded, but it is important to bear in mind that the exclusion is for the benefit of all children in the nursery. Bluebell Nurseries adheres to the Department of Health guidelines regarding incubation periods and exclusions.
Will I get regular feedback on my child’s progress?
Your child's progress will be recorded on a safe and secure database called Nursery in a Box. This is where parents will receive daily updates, including photographs, activities they have participated in and observations, how much food/milk they have consumed, and any nappy changes and sleep they have had during the child's session. Our parents’ evenings are held twice a year.
How do you monitor access to the nurseries?
Our nurseries are safe and secure. All parents/carers have to use the intercom before being admitted. Only people who are pre-authorised by parents can collect children from our nurseries (collection authorisation forms have to be filled in and signed) and no one is allowed access to the building without being acknowledged by a member of staff. Visitors will not be left on their own and our children are always supervised by our vetted staff.
Do I have to pay for Bank Holidays or Christmas closure?
No – we do not charge parents for Bank Holidays or Christmas closure because the nursery is closed on these days.
Do I still have to pay if we’re on holiday?
Yes - you do still have to pay while you are on holiday to reserve your child’s place at the nursery; however, you do have the ability to sell your sessions while you are away, just let the nursery manager know. Families whose children attend four or five full days per week will be entitled to one calendar week's holiday per year.
What is the EYFS?
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the statutory curriculum guideline for all early years providers. The EYFS provides guidance and support for childcare providers in meeting the overall emotional, physical and developmental needs of all children.
How do you keep in touch with parents?
We value our relationships with parents and believe establishing good parent partnerships is very important. We regularly update our website to communicate helpful information to parents, we send out regular newsletters and correspondence via email and we display notices with details of any special events or activities that are taking place at the nursery.
Who should I talk to if I have a problem?
Should you have a problem, however big or small, your child’s key person and/or nursery manager will always be available to talk to.
What happens if my child is upset or won’t settle?
No child will ever be left distressed at any time. A few tears on separation from a parent can easily be overcome, but if a child became very distressed, and staff could not comfort or distract them, parents would be contacted.
What about toilet training?
When children are ready to start toilet training, our staff are happy to support parents and children in this process.
How many sessions do you think my child should do when they first start?
We recommend that your child attends a minimum of 2 sessions a week. However, we understand that parents and children have different needs.
How can I become involved in my child's early education?
Our three nurseries offer 30-minute stay-and-play sessions. These sessions are a lovely way for parents to see all the fun and exciting things their child likes to do at nursery. Each nursery also has many home learning bags that all of our children can take home and share with their families.