About Chestnuts Childcare
Chestnuts Childcare adheres to a holistic approach of early childhood education. When we expose children to different environments and various learning experiences, we allow them to explore their self-awareness and gain a sense of the world around them. Once they leave our Nursery, they’re fully prepared for the next stage of their young lives.
Settling in at Chestnuts Childcare
Once a childcare placement has been confirmed for your child, we can then prepare settling in sessions to support their transition into the setting.
The amount of visits a child may need is dependent on the child and their family.
As we understand that each child is unique, and some may require more time to settle than others.
We understand how difficult it is to leave your precious child in someone else’s care and we do encourage parents/carers to contact the setting at anytime to check on their child’s welfare.
At Chestnuts Childcare, the loving and feeling part of a family approach quickly settles children in, even those that are very unsure in the beginning.
Our Baby Room – 0-2 years (Little Tiger’s)
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At Chestnuts Childcare, our emphasis on the baby room is to create a safe and welcoming environment.
It is a warm and cosy haven with a wide range of natural resources and activities to support early learning and development.
The room has been designed to support and allow young children to explore, rest and develop to their full potential.
Routines in the baby room are tailored for each individual child’s needs providing consistency and continuity of care.
Each child’s parent/carer on joining the setting will have access to their child’s online journal.
This will have up to date information regarding their child’s learning and development as well as their day to day needs while in our care.
Information is completed by the child’s keyworker and allows parent/carers to input information accordingly to support their child’s learning and development while in our care.
What we do in our baby room
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What happens in the baby room is underpinned by what we have been taught about babies’ physical needs and brain development up to the age of two years old.
This influences our interactions, the physical environment and the activities planned for these children.
Each child is allocated a keyworker, who is fundamentally responsible to ensure your child’s needs, learning and development is monitored and met.
The secure attachment developed by the key worker will allow children to build on their self confidence in the setting and begin to make relationships with others.
The aim of the key worker is to provide regular information to the child’s parent/carer about their child.
In the baby room we encourage communication through early signs and symbols, promoting the use of signs through singing.
Through our positive interactions, we create a safe and happy environment for all children, encouraging lots of laughter as this is fundamental in early brain development.
Our Toddler Room- 2-3years old (Fun-Loving Fishes)
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In our Toddler Room, we focus on helping children to begin to develop their independence.
At mealtimes, children sit around the table with the members of staff.
They are encouraged to begin to use a fork and spoon, to learn table manners and through discussion about the food they are eating, to begin to develop an understanding of what constitutes a healthy diet.
Toddlers where possible also begin to serve their own meals, practising their developing physical skills and beginning to have some control over what they eat.
We also begin encouraging toilet training. At Chestnuts Childcare, we understand some children take longer than others and this is carefully planned with parents to ensure we are following the child's lead.
We encourage children to sit on the potty or toilet at nappy changing time to encourage their own inquisitiveness.
After dinner, we have quiet time. Some children sleep during this time, these children all have an individual sleep mat and their own bedding along with any comforters needed from home.
Children who no longer require any sleep will be encouraged to participate in quieter activities to allow their bodies to recoup and rest in an alternative format.
What we do in our toddler room
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Toddler children all have an allocated key person who shares information with parent/carers on an ongoing basis.
This is how we keep abreast of children's changing needs and interests and the key person can then ensure that activities are provided that will capture children's interest.
In toddler room, our focus is on learning through play, through play, children learn to interact with others and be part of a community, to experience and manage feelings, and to be in control and confident about themselves and their abilities.
Play in the toddler room is mainly initiated by the children themselves. They can freely choose what they want to play with from a wide selection of toys and resources.
The staff provide additional activities which offer new and exciting opportunities for exploration such as wet mud, cornflour, pasta and gloop.
Staff will interact with the children and help them to extend their language and follow up their ideas.
Some activities, such as wake and shake, story and singing time, are adult led.
These group times are planned to support children's physical development, health and well-being and to encourage skills such as speaking and listening.
All these are skills are then required by children for their future learning experiences.
Our Preschool rooms - 3 to 5 years (The Loveable Lions and Busy Bees rooms)
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As children settle into Pre-School room, the focus moves towards getting children ready for school.
This does NOT mean that we sit and do reading and writing!
We are very clear about what children to be able to do when they go to school.
This include things like being able to dress themselves, go to the toilet independently, being confident in knowing nursery rhymes, able to follow simple instructions, share and take turns.
Children learn through exploring, concentrating and thinking, and carefully planned, fun activities, along with our daily routines ensure children gain the skills they need for school and future learning.
Mealtimes in the Pre-School rooms is a relaxed social event where staff support them to learn table manners, to use correct cutlery properly and to develop an understanding of what constitutes a healthy diet so that they develop skills in making healthy choices.
Children develop social skills and independence as they serve their own meals and engage in animated conversations with their friends.
Children in the Pre-School are encouraged to go to the toilet on their own; with staff supporting where needed.
They are encouraged to look after their own personal hygiene by washing their hands and faces as well as checking their appearance in the mirror whilst in the bathroom.
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What we do in our preschool rooms
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Your child's key person will continue to share information with you so that we can meet their needs and so that we can plan activities which support what they are learning and enjoying at home.
In the preschool rooms, in preparation for school, and in line with children’s developing ability to concentrate for longer periods, the amount of adult-led activities begins to increase.
These activities are carefully planned to be play-based, fun and exciting, so that children are eager to participate and learn.
Some of the routines and adult-led activities in Pre-School are:
< >Self-Registration: This helps children to recognise their name and supports their transition from your care into ours. < >Wake and Shake: As well as being fantastic fun and getting children in a positive frame of mind, the session supports the development of children’s gross and fine motor skills which are essential in preparation for sitting still and writing when they start school.Group Times: These times include discussions, story times, singing sessions, games and French lessons. Group times in Pre-School increase in frequency and variety so that children get used to listening and to speaking in turn.
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Our before, After school and Holiday club
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At Chestnuts Childcare we understand a lot of parents/carers work shifts/unreasonable hours and weekends.
For parents/carers to get high quality care for their older children is often very difficult and can put unnecessary stresses onto parents/carers.
At Chestnuts Childcare we offer flexibility to support all types of parents/carers.
Currently we open on Saturdays as well as up to 7pm in the evenings, Monday to Friday.
We also pick and drop children off local schools.
This helps parents/carers tremendously, as it removes unnecessary stresses from their lives.
Currently, we serve schools in the Shirebrook, Warsop and Bolsover areas.
Early mornings start at Chestnuts Childcare at 5am, this supports local shift workers.
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What we do to support older children
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During morning, evenings and school holidays we support parent/carers of older children. Children of all ages and abilities are welcome and where possible we will try to be as flexible as possible to meet parent/carers needs.
Children during holidays are involved in trips out of the setting.
This can include a range of activities, from swimming to woodland adventures. We try to minimise any extra costs to parent/carers during this time.
Trips are arranged and notices put up on our Facebook page, as well in the entrances of the setting.
We allow parents/carers to make the choice for their children and no pressure is applied if parents/carers do not want their children to participate in these activities.
Activities are provided for older children which are age and stage appropriate and these children are given a wider range of choices due to their ages.
Meals can be provided at an additional cost
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