We want children to feel safe and happy in the absence of their parents, to recognise other adults as a source of authority, help and friendship and to be able to share with their parents afterwards the new learning experiences enjoyed in the Nursery. We also want parents to feel welcome and involved from the beginning.
In order to accomplish this, we aim to create a partnership with parents in the following ways:
By creating opportunities for the exchange of information, using, among other resources, a copy of the Nursery’s prospectus and a shared approach to the registration form.
By ensuring plentiful opportunities for parents to inform the Nursery about their children’s current achievements and interests.
By encouraging parents to visit the Nursery with their children during the weeks before an admission is planned.
By introducing flexible admissions procedures, if appropriate, to meet the needs of individual families and children.
By making it clear to families from the outset that they will be welcome and supported in the Nursery for as long as it takes to settle their child there.
By reassuring parents whose children seem to be taking a long time settling into the Nursery.
By introducing new families and children into the group to their Key person.
By encouraging parents, where appropriate, to separate from their children for brief periods at first, gradually building up to longer absences.
Children cannot play or learn successfully if they are anxious and unhappy. Our settling procedures aim to help parents and children to feel comfortable in the pre-school, and to ensure that children can benefit from what the group has to offer and feel confident that their parents will return at the end of the session/day.