Osbourne Lodge Nursery

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If you require this brochure to be posted or emailed please email us following the link to the right or phone us on 01495 752234. Thank you for your interest.

 

 

 

Osborne Road

 

Pontypool

 

Torfaen

 

NP4 6LT

 

01495 752234

 

Email osbournelodgenursery@webster.uk.net|

 

Proprietor Miss Nikola Masters

 

 

 

 

Precious things need precious care

 Welcome to Osbourne Lodge Nursery

 

  

Thank you for your enquiry about Osbourne Lodge Nursery. The Nursery opened in January 1998 after a great deal of work to refurbish a previously disused hall underneath the Scala Cinema. In December 2007 we acquired the cinema floor above which has been fully refurbished to become a fantastic extension to our existing Nursery. The interior was designed with both the children and parents in mind, allowing the children mix with others of all ages on a regular basis and be aware of the surroundings of the whole Nursery. We find this especially important when more than one child from a family attend or when the child moves into the next age group.

 

 Every room in the Nursery has a viewing panel so that the group can be observed during play or activities without disturbing the children or staff by entering the room needlessly. These panels are also used if a parent wishes to watch how their child is settling in or interacting with the staff and other children.

 

 The Nursery is divided into 4 age groups and each has their very own daily timetable to ensure they have lots of fun, structure and get to use the many fabulous rooms that the Nursery has to offer, such as the snug, the soft play room, construction room, imagination room, as well as a secure outdoor play area complete with climbing frame, bikes and many toys.

 

 Breakfast, lunch and tea are provided by the nursery along with drinks through the day, fresh fruit is provided three times a day and our menu is constantly under review to make sure we provide the children with healthy, well-balanced meals. Any dietary requirements are taken into account and provided for. A copy of the nursery menu is available to parents on request.

 

 The Nursery is registered and inspected by the Care & Social Services Inspectorate Wales, who produce an annual report based on their finding. Parents are welcome to view the report and the many certificates we have achieved in the All About Us file in the reception area.

 

 We are all very proud of our Nursery and the contribution we have made to so many peoples lives over the past 10 years.

 

  We Aim To :

* provide a warm, safe, caring environment

    where children can feel relaxed, happy and

    confident.

 

* develop the full potential of each child by

    creating a stimulating and fun curriculum of

    education.

 

* work with parents to aid with the transition

    from home to nursery, and then to school.

 

* to treat every child and adult as an individual,

    respecting their individual needs and qualities.

 

 Aims and Objectives

 

 Osbourne Lodge aims to incorporate a learning environment with a fun and caring atmosphere where a child can feel safe and confident in their ability, thus nurturing their developing skills.

 

The Nursery provides many activities and equipment to assist the staff in teaching the children within a stimulating environment.

 

 Our main aims are to promote the child's - 

 

• · Personal and social development
• · Mathematical development
• · Physical development
• · Creative development
• · Language and literacy
• · Knowledge and understanding of the world
• · Multicultural and bilingualism

 

We do this by incorporating the National Curriculum into our daily planning using English as our main language. Please see the daily and monthly planning sheets displayed and regularly updated in the entrance hall and a copy of each groups daily routine, which is displayed outside each base room. All activities carried out within the toddler and pre school groups are aimed at achieving the Desirable Outcomes which form the basis of the National Curriculum and are followed by every school in Wales. The Nursery currently has Registered Educational Provider Status which qualifies the Nursery to provide the same level of education to all 3 & 4 year olds as the State Nurseries provide. We aim to introduce all pre school children to very basic Welsh.

 

Funding per term is available to parents in Torfaen from the term after their child turns 3 years to pay towards educational provision. This is claimed via the Nursery, more details will be given when you register your child with the nursery.

 

 A diary is completed at the end of each day to inform parents of how the children's day has gone and what they have done. A monthly newsletter is also produced to update parents on changes at the Nursery, activities and topic planning. We also carry out periodical assessments with the baby and toddler groups, which are passed on to parents. The children in the pre-school group have a baseline assessment within 9 weeks of their third birthday, this is also passed on to parents. Every parent has the right to request to view the details held on their child at any time.

 

Admissions Policy

 

 Osbourne Lodge Nursery opens Monday to Friday from 8am - 6pm and is registered for the care of up to 53 children made up of the following groups -

 

 AGE                                               STAFF : CHILD RATIO                         GROUP

 Birth - 1 year                                          1 : 3                                            Baby Group

1 year - 2 years                                      1 : 3                                            Tots Group

 2 years - 3 years                                   1 : 4                                            Toddler Group 

 3 years - 5 years                                   1 : 6                                            Pre school Group

 

 The main factors which are taken into account in deciding which child can be offered a place at the Nursery are -

 

• · The staff : child ratio and group sizes
• · The length of time on the waiting list. This is generally the deciding factor, however priority may be given to families with both parents working or if work would be affected should a placement be refused.
• · Children requiring full time/ full day places will have preference over those requiring part time only.
• · If a child has a sibling already attending the Nursery.

 

 When a new child is due to start at the Nursery, it is recommended that the child is allowed to visit on a few occasions, with or without parents, in order for them to become aware of their surroundings and for parents to get to know the staff. There is no fee for these introductory sessions. The sessions are to be booked in advance with the Manager or Officer in Charge.

 

Prior to starting at the Nursery a registration form must be completed detailing all aspects of the child and emergency contact numbers. The forms are confidential and are filed in the office at the Nursery.

 

 It is also recommended that all children attend for at least 2 full days per week, this will ensure they settle in easier to their new surroundings. Parents are welcome to phone the Nursery at any time to check on their child's progress, and to watch their child play through the glass panels. Preference will be given to children having full days/full time.

 

Children's arrival and departure

 The front door is always locked and admission is by staff approval via the intercom only. The Nursery also has a CCTV system to monitor who is at the front door. Children will always be greeted by a member of staff and escorted to their base room where a Nursery Nurse will take over their care. Their arrival and departure times must always be recorded in the register by parents to ensure an up to date record is always held. Parents are welcome to accompany their child to their base room and equally pick them up from their room.

 

 Nursery opens at 8 am and closes at 6 pm. Early starts can be arranged in advance only and there will be a fee charged for the service. Collections must be made by 1 pm or 6 pm prompt. If collection is going to be unavoidably late parents must contact the Nursery as soon as possible so that staff can be arranged. A late fine will be imposed each time a parent is late collecting their child, this will be £20.00.

 

 Children will only be allowed to depart with a known authorised person over 16 years and staff must always acknowledge the child's departure. If an unknown person is collecting the child, the Nursery must be informed as the child will not be released until permission is sought and received.

 

 Never remove a child without speaking to a member of staff

 

 During the day the children may leave the Nursery to visit the Library, park or shops, all of which are within our local vicinity. All local outings must be authorised by a Senior staff member who will oversee that sufficient staff and volunteers are available to ensure the safety of the children. All local areas have been assessed for safety and new locations must be assessed by a senior staff member prior to visiting.

 

 Any arranged trips must have the signed permission of each parent prior to leaving the Nursery. All trips will be assessed for suitability and safety prior to departure and times arranged with parents for departure and return.

 

Equality Policy

 

 Osbourne Lodge has no place for discrimination under sex, age, race, religion, creed, colour, ethnic origin, physical appearance, political belief, marital status or disability. It is our policy to treat every child or adult as an individual with equal rights and responsibility relevant to their age or duty in the Nursery. We aim to promote anti discriminatory practice across all levels of the Nursery.

 

 All members of staff shall reflect this policy in their day to day dealings with colleagues, children and parents. Failure to do so should be reported to a senior member of staff as soon as possible so that relevant action can be taken.

 

Fees and Payment

 

 Fees are charged monthly in advance and become due for payment within the first week of the month. All invoices are prepared and distributed to parents on the 20th of the month in preparation for the following month. Payments are welcome by cheque, cash and receipts given to acknowledge the payment. Standing order payments are welcome, please contact the Manager for details.

 

 Child care is charged as follows-

 

•  Half day (8am-1pm or 1pm-6pm)  £16.50      
• Full day (8am-6pm) £29.00
•  Full time (8am-6pm Mon-Fri) £126.50  

 

 Fees are paid through out the year unless the child is on holiday when two weeks half fees are allowed yearly, therefore should a child be absent for any reason the fees are still due for payment. The Nursery opens all year except bank holidays when the fees are still charged. A fee of £25.00 will be incurred for any cheque payments that are returned by your bank.

 

Child Protection Policy

 

 The welfare of a child in our care is paramount, therefore, if any member of staff should have concerns as to the welfare of a child they are instructed to inform the Officer in Charge immediately. The case would then be referred to the Care & Social Services Inspectorate Wales for further investigation. A written statement made and signed by the member of staff who reported the suspicion would also be submitted to them. The CSSIW Officer will advise the Nursery on the next action required by the Nursery depending on the situation.

 

Under the Children's Act 1989, the Nursery is not required to inform parents prior to contacting the professional agency to raise concerns, however the families privacy shall be respected fully by all involved.

 

 The above action will also be taken immediately if a staff member or student is suspected of causing any type of harm to a child. No form of abuse will be accepted and all staff have an obligation to the children to report any suspicions, whether it is to the Officer in Charge or direct to the CSSIW team, addresses as below. The Child Protection Officer at Osbourne Lodge Nursery is Jane Sheehy.

 

Police Child Protection Unit             or                          Care & Social Services Inspectorate Wales

Pontypool Police Station                                                 Under 5's Officer

Glantorfaen Road                                                            Civic Centre

Pontypool                                                                           Pontypool

Torfaen                                                                               Torfaen 

01495 764711                                                                  01495 761200

 

Complaints Policy

 

 All suggestions to improve the Nursery or routine are gratefully accepted and will be considered carefully, A suggestion box is available for use by parents, staff or other interested parties and is located in the entrance area and a questionnaire is produced yearly and distributed to parents.

 

 Should a situation arise where a parent or member of staff wish to make a complaint they will be directed to the Officer in Charge or Nursery Manager. We aim to deal with all complaints and reply to the complainant within 7 days detailing any outcome. A full report will be kept of the complaint and the complainant will be asked to sign when they are happy with the outcome..

 If these procedures are still unacceptable, all parents are welcome to make a complaint directly to the Care & Social Services Inspectorate Wales at the address listed above. 

 

Illness

 

 Unwell children must not be admitted to the Nursery in the interest of the other children and the sick child. If, in the opinion of senior staff a child becomes ill , a parent or guardian will be contacted to collect the child as soon as possible. Parents are advised to give as many contact numbers as possible in case of emergency.

 

 All infectious diseases must be notified as soon as possible in case other children show the same symptoms. If a child is reported to have a communicable disease, all other parents will be informed that a child has the condition so that they can monitor their own child and make an informed choice on attending the Nursery. A file is held in Nursery detailing the most common communicable diseases and recommended exclusion periods, the file also holds records of serious illness incidents which have occurred within the Nursery.

 

 All children at the Nursery are checked on a regular basis for head lice and treated if necessary with a Robie Comb. The Robie comb sends electrical pulses which kill live lice but is totally safe for use on the children. All parents are made aware of the use of the comb and if they do not wish their child to be treated they must put their concern in writing. Any child found to have lice must be treated by their parents and will not be able to return to Nursery until they are clear.

 

 If a child requires medication it shall be administered by the Officer in Charge, Deputy or Nursery Nurses only. Written consent must be received or a medicines form completed giving permission for the medication to be given. The administering officer will then sign the medicines form to show the time and dose given, to guard against a double dose and to ensure parents that the medicine has been administered competently. Parents must always make the Nursery aware of any possible side effects to their child's medication.

 

Special Educational Needs Policy

 

 Should a parent approach the Nursery with the possibility of admitting a child with special educational needs, each child will be individually considered. The advice of Social Services and if necessary an independent adviser will be sought. The effect on the whole Nursery has to be taken into account, however every effort will be made to accommodate the child if possible.

 

 Should a child start to show signs of requiring special educational needs, the parents permission would be sought to seek the relevant support of professional workers in the field. An example of this would be the need of a Speech Therapist.

 

 Once a child with special educational needs reaches the age of 3 the relevant officer within the Nursery will produce an Individual Education Plan. The aim of the plan is to target certain areas of learning with which the child may need extra help, such as language, gross motor skills or concentration. An early years educational advisor will be consulted at this stage, with the permission and collaboration of the parent. The advisor will help assess the child's needs and suggest areas of development to be included in the individual plan.

 

 The Nursery aims to provide the same level of care, understanding and education to every child regardless of any special needs they may have. The designated Special Educational Needs Officer at the Nursery is Deputy Officer in Charge, Miss Jayne Sheehy.  

 

Behaviour and Sanctions Policy

 

 Children need to have set boundaries of behaviour for their own safety and the safety of the other children. Osbourne Lodge support the Children's Act Guidelines on behaviour and sanctions, namely that sanctions applied in the case of unacceptable behaviour must take into account the age and stage of development of the child, be given at the time, be relevant to the actions and be fair.

 

 Corporal punishment will never be an acceptable practice at the Nursery, parents shall be informed of any continuing unacceptable behaviour to help us find a solution or to modify it. If, in the opinion of the senior staff, it is felt that professional advice may aid a child's extreme behaviour, the parent will be consulted and permission obtained to seek the assistance. Bullying is a form of unacceptable behaviour and will not be tolerated at the Nursery. If bullying exists a record will be kept of the actions and parents informed immediately to help defuse the behaviour as a matter of urgency.

 

 We aim to deal with unacceptable behaviour in the following ways -

 

• · Explanation appropriate to the age of the child will be given as to the possible outcomes of their behaviour.
• · Other activities may be tried to distract the child away from the problem.
• · A child may be removed from a room or group until he / she calms down.

 

 A team member has been assigned the post of Conduct Officer to over see the discipline, behaviour management and sanctions imposed by the Nursery staff to ensure they are fair and consistent, and to be a basis of support and advice. The designated member is Officer in Charge, Miss Lisa James. 

Meals

 

 The Nursery employs a cook who provides hot, home cooked meals daily at 12-1.30 pm, allowing for afternoon children. Morning break is served at 9.30– 10 am and afternoon tea at 3.30-4 pm. The meals and breaks are included in the fees, this includes foods for weaning babies however parents and able to provide speciality foods if required. A copy of our menu is on display in the dining room.

 

 Children with special dietary needs are welcome at the Nursery, however their needs must be discussed and the kitchen prepared for prior to starting at the Nursery. Nuts are not served at the Nursery, however some foods may contain traces of nuts. Some foods may contain genetically modified ingredients, details are available on request.

 

 Contact Information and Staffing

  

Manager                                                               Miss Nikola Masters         Mobile 07970 034552

                                                                                                                               Home 01633 661601

Officer in Charge  NNEB                                   Miss Lisa James                Mobile 07947 914610

 

Deputy Officer and Baby Group NNEB          Miss Jane Sheehy              Mobile 07909 540330

Baby Group Assistant NVQ2                           Miss Kelly Moyle

Tots Group NNEB                                               Miss Samantha Day

Tots Group Assistant NVQ1                            Miss Samantha Evens

Toddler Group NNEB                                         Miss Vicky Lander

Pre school Group NNEB                                   Miss Clare Farrell

Pre school and Toddler Group Assistant    Miss Jodie Hale

Cook                                                                     Mrs Sharon Clarke

 

 

 All staff are registered and Police checked by the Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales. Students are accepted for placement at the Nursery from Usk and Pontypool Colleges. The students are supervised at all times to allow them to learn how a Nursery runs and how to care for a child. Many students attend the Nursery for a long period, others may visit for a few days, but all are closely monitored while at the Nursery.

 

The Nursery has been awarded the following over the last 10 years:

·  

· Baby Effective Early Learning Quality Assurance 2008 (BEEL)

BEEL is a programme of supported self evaluation and improvement for all settings that provide early education and care for young children aged 0–3 years. This quality mark looks at the education, environment and care we provide for all our children under 3 years. The staff constantly observe the children to look at areas which we could aid in their development or adapt the environment to help their education and to provide a high quality service to both the children and their families. We are very proud to be awarded this quality mark which compliments the ESTYN accreditation which looks at the quality of education for the children over 3 years. 

 

  Healthy Eating Schools Award Scheme 2007

The scheme is run via Sure Start and encourages Nurseries and Schools to look at many areas not just centred on healthy foods. The Nursery chose to look at Healthy Eating, Circle time and Road Safety. The whole Nursery took part in sessions teaching everything from good and not so good food, fruit and veg portions, how to cross the road and safety awareness. We then looked at our policies and daily routines to ensure they were up to the expected standard and implemented changes, reflected in the introduction of lower fat foods, at least 3 portions of fruit and veg a day and the reduction in squash at meal times.

· Investors in People May 2001, 2004 & 2007

 **************************************************************************************

Breaking news - we passed our Investors in People re assessment    - with flying colours!!!

 **************************************************************************************

 

This accreditation is in recognition of the way the Nursery involves its staff as a functioning part of the business overall by providing access to suitable training and literature, having the correct policies in place and treatment of parents as customers. To meet the standard the inspector views evidence from every aspect of the business to assess compliance. This standard is usually followed by major employers and companies but due to ELWA's funding it was made available to small business such as ours in 2001. We are very proud to have achieved this standard and aim to maintain it in all areas of work. Our last reassessment was carried out and passed on 19 June 2007.

· Disability at Work symbol

This symbol was awarded to the Nursery in recognition to our continued commitment to make work and educational placements accessible to people with disabilities where ever possible.

 

· Bronze Award for Hygiene

 

The Nursery has been awarded the new Bronze Award for Hygiene by the Environmental Health Department for the past 3 years.

 

· Other awards include

 

Winner Peachey's Training award 2002

 

Gwent Young Entrepreneur Of The Year- Runner up 2003

 

Gwent Business Awards 1998 - Runner up Best New Business

 

Shell Live Wire Awards - Start up Merit

· We are members of the following associations for the purpose of business advancement and quality 

 Wales Preschool Playgroup Association

 

 Federation of Small Business

 

Quality Inspections

 

The Inspection of child care provision in Wales is very strict to ensure the safety of your child and the staff working there. These are the inspections which are carried out on a regular basis to ensure your child is in the best hands possible: Inspection 1 - CSSIW Every Day Nursery in Wales is inspected by Care & Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) on a notified and un-notified basis. Every year we have a notified inspection by CSSIW which means an Inspector is present from when we open at 8am until we shut at 6pm on one day. The Inspector looks at all aspects of child care from the qualifications of the staff to where we put the children to bed. They make suggestions for improvement or change and report on good points also. The reports are available for parents to view in the recpetion - see the All About Us file. CSSIW can also carry out un-notified visits through out the year and can arrive at any time to check that the Nursery is operating safely and within the law. Reports from these visits also form the basis of the annual report on the Nursery.   Inspection 2 - ESTYN   As Registered Educational Providers for Torfaen we are also subject to notified Inspections from ESTYN who regulate and report on the Education provision at the Nursery. As Educational Providers we are required to provide the same level of education to all 3 and 4 years olds as they would receive in State Nursery School. We were last inspected by ESTYN in November 2007 and the report is available in the reception area for parents to view– see the All About Us file.   Inspection 3 - Trading standards and Environmental Health   Environmental Health and Trading standards visit at any time to inspect the safety of the Nursery, kitchen hygiene and food provision, and Risk Assessments. Both bodies leave reports of their findings along with areas for improvement; these visits are totally un-notified and have the right of entry at any time. Our last inspection was June 2006, when we were nominated for the second year running  by Environmental Health for a bronze award for environmental standards.   Inspection 4 - Fire Service Fire officers also visit un-notified at any time to inspect the safety of the nursery and equipment in case of fire or emergency escape. The Nursery has to produce and maintain a Fire Risk Assessment report as well as carry out emergency evacuations on a regular basis. The fire officers can attend at any time to inspect these reports.   Inspection 5 - Investors in People The Nursery was awarded Investors in People status in May 2001. As an Investor we must under go re- appraisal every 3 years. Our last notified inspection was on 18 June 2007 when the inspector looked at all aspects of the business in relation to staff training and provision, quality of information for parents and staff, business planning, educational planning and staff appraisals and supervisions. We retained the prestigious accreditation and look forward to our next appraisal. This is a voluntary accreditation which we put ourselves forward for. Inspection 6 - Baby Effective Early Learning Quality Award (BEEL)    The Nursery was inspected for the first time under the BEEL Quality Mark in March 2008 and were very proud to be awarded the quality assurance mark following submission of self evaluation reports, supporting evidence, parental interviews and a half day inspection. This quality mark, which is not compulsory, looks at the education, environment and care we provide for all our children under 3 years. The staff constantly observe the children to look at areas which we could aid in their development or adapt the environment to help their education and to provide a high quality service to both the children and their families. We are very pleased to be awarded this quality mark in recognition of the outstanding work the staff do, which also compliments the ESTYN accreditation which looks at the quality of education for the children over 3 years.

Please Note

 

 This booklet provides the most relevant information required for parents to make an informed choice as to attending the Nursery, which is intended to complement the information which we can visually show you on visiting. The Nursery also holds a complete Policy and Procedures Guide intended to cover all aspects relevant to the whole Nursery, this is available to parents for viewing in the reception in the All About Us file. 

Additional Policies included in the Guide are—Access to Information, Confidentiality, Medication, Nursery Outings/Lost Child, Sickness & Illness, Emergency, Heath & Safety, Staff Recruitment, Staff Training & Development, Smoking Drugs & Alcohol, Disciplinary, Outside Contact with Parents.

 

Guidelines for Osbourne Lodge Nursery Pontypool

 

• · Invoices are prepared monthly in advance and are payable in the first week of that month. Any returned cheques will incur a charge of £25.00.
• · Any unpaid fees on leaving the Nursery must be paid within one month. Failure to do so will result in legal action.
• · Working Families Tax Credit will be advised should a child leave after the forms have been completed by the Nursery.
• · Extra days are invoiced separately for that day and is payable immediately.
• · Four weeks notice is required to reduce days or to remove a child from the Nursery, otherwise fees are due in full for the notice period. Working families tax credits will be advised of any change in sessions.
• · If your child is absent from the Nursery for any reason the fees are still payable in full to retain the place.
• · Half fees are payable for 2 weeks annual leave per year. Payment is due for Bank Holidays although the Nursery is closed. A fee of £20.00 is payable on late pick up of your child after 1pm or 6pm.
• · Parents are requested to provide nappies, toothbrush and toothpaste for their child which are then labelled for use by that child only. Similarly if you prefer a particular cream or wet wipes please supply them labelled.
• · Bottle fed babies are to be provided with ready made feeds or breast milk for the day. Bottles will then be rinsed and returned in the babies bag.
• · Please label your child's clothes and possessions - especially dummies and bottles in order to avoid confusion. Please keep possessions to a minimum as their safety cannot be guaranteed. Please also realise we cannot be held responsible for items of jewellery on a child attending the Nursery and would prefer it to be removed prior to attending the Nursery.
• · An accident book is maintained and must be signed should your child be entered in it. Every care and attention is taken with your child, however, occasionally children receive bruises or cuts etc accidentally due to the nature of children and their natural need to play and explore. We will do our best to protect from this in every situation.
• · Please send your child to Nursery in old clothes as we feel a child benefits more from paint and play than clean   clothes even though every effort is made to cover up using aprons.
• · It is advised that a minimum of 2 sessions per week is taken in the best interest of continuity for the child.
• · College students are advised their child's sessions will be the same as the college hours and if the child's place is required during out of term, the parent is liable for all payments in full for the sessions required.

 

• · I / we the parents / guardians have read the information brochure and the above guidelines and understand and agree to their content.

 

• · I / we the parents / guardians understand that the Nursery operates under a Policy & procedure guide which is available for viewing at any time and agree to its content.

 

• · I / we the parents / guardians agree to my child being included on outside visits from the Nursery, such as to the Library or park.

 

• · I / we the parents / guardians agree to my child receiving emergency medical attention if we cannot be contacted.

 

 Signed ................................................................. Date ........................................………….

 

 Child's name .........................................................................................................………….

 

 Start date…………………………………………………………………………………….

 

 Agreed days to attend Nursery……………………………………………………………..

 

 ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

 ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

 These guidelines constitute a contract between the above named person and Osbourne Lodge Nursery