About our Nurseries
Our Aims are:
1. To provide a caring homely atmosphere, which is safe,stimulating and happy.
2. To enhance the development and education of children;
3. To work within a framework, which ensures equality of opportunityfor all children and families.
Both the "a.b.c" Nursery and the "a.b.c" Childcare Centre consists of a baby Unit for children under 2 years, a Unit for 2 - 3 year olds and a Pre-school Unit for 3 + 4 year olds. We also have a separate area in which we provide ‘Before and After School’ care and ‘School holiday care’ for older children called the "Osca" kids club. We take and collect children to and from local schools. We welcome therefore, children from 3 months of age.
The Nursery, Childcare Centre and ‘Out of school Activities’ (O.S.C.A.) are open five days a week, 51 weeks of the year (closed between Christmas and New Year Public Holidays), except for Public Holidays.
Times of Opening:-
We normally are open from 7.30am to 6.00pm but it may be possible to extend these hours, if necessary. Children in the Nursery and the Childcare centre will be accepted normally for a minimum period of 3 hours and preferably for at least two sessions per week on separate days, in order to help them settle more easily.
a.b.c’ Nursery & ‘a.b.c’ Childcare centre Ltd are family run businesses.
The proprietors are Husband and wife - Howard and Margaret Beeley and their daughter Lois Pena. Margaret has many years of experience in child care and the Management of all types of Pre-school Groups with considerable knowledge and expertise of the needs and development of children. She was the Under Fives Adviser for the Hereford Area of the Social Services Department for 15 years, 1975 - 1990 when the `a.b.c` Nursery opened. She has also worked as a Registered Nursery Inspector for OFSTED carrying out Inspections of Standards in Early Year Education settings.
Qualifications:
Margaret has a Certificate in Social Services (CSS) specialising in "Development of Pre-school services with volunteers; working with parents and children with special needs in the community." In addition she has been actively involved in the Training of staff for Pre-school groups. She is a qualified Assessor for the National Vocational Qualification in Childcare & Education (NVQ). She has been a Tutor for NVQ training and undertakes in service training with staff..
Howard was a Civil Servant (Chief Executive Officer) for 39 years most of which was involved in Senior Management. He took early retirement in 1991 to concentrate on the Administration side of the business.
Lois is a qualified Speech and Language Therapist in private practice and also works part time in a National Health Service. She also has an NVQ level 3 in Child Care and Education, plus the Early Years Professional Status (EYPS).
Staff: We have 24 staff who are qualified and experienced for work in the care of children under five years (EYPS, NNEB, NVQ, PLA or other relevant qualification). We have a staffing ratio of at least: 1 adult to 3 children under 2 years, 1 adult to 4 children aged 2 - 3 and 1 adult to 8 children aged 3 and over. The owners are supernumerary. We operate a key worker system.
PLAY Provision
Emphasis is placed upon the needs of the individual child, according to their age and stages of development. Progress records are kept and are shared with parents at each stage. There are opportunities to explore an exciting variety of activities designed to enable the children to learn new skills and develop confidence and self-esteem.
The equipment caters for:- Physical, Intellectual, Emotional and Social growth. Older children are able to enjoy some Pre-reading, Pre-writing and Pre-number experiences through play, under skilled supervision. There is provision for creative development, music and dance plus other aesthetic experiences for all children ready to enjoy. The varied programme is planned to lead towards the Early Learning Goals (ELGs). These are contained in six areas of learning - Personal, social and emotional development communication, language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development. We are inspected by Ofsted (the national regulating authority), the Local Authority Environmental Health Department for Hygiene and Safety and also take part in a Quality Assurance scheme.
There is a qualified Speech and Language Therapist on the staff who can provide advice and support regarding communication.
For all children there are opportunities for ICT experience with a touchscreen computer, interactive whiteboard, laptops etc. A wide range of books, tapes,videos and CDs are used. The very young are cared for by qualified staff who pay special attention to their physical comfort and well-being, in addition to stimulating their intellectual growth.
All Children have equal access to all activities regardless of race gender or ability.
Meals:
We try to promote healthy eating at "abc," and after we were last inspected by the local authority, we received a four star rating ("Very Good") for food hygiene. We have a qualified cook on our staff who provides hot meals for children attending all day. These meals are cooked each day using mostly fresh produce. The meals are healthy and nutritious with low sodium content. All allergies, cultural, religious and personal preferences are taken into consideration when producing the menu , a copy of the current menu is on display at each setting. There is a vegetarian option every day. There is no extra charge for meals or snacks for Nursery children but there is a cost of £2.00 for the meals for older children in OSCA (the school holiday club.) Meals must be ordered in advance.
Alternatively parents may provide a cold packed lunch. we offer guidelines for healthy eating. Drinks and snacks for mid-morning and afternoon breaks are provided free of charge by abc ie. Milk and fresh fruit in the morning and milk with wholemeal bread spread with jam, chocolate or marmite or cream cheese spread in the afternoon.
Babies:
Parents/carers are required to provide prepared feeds to be brought in labelled bottles. If necessary a daily supply of disposable nappies and cleaning items are provided by the parents/carers. Toddlers are helped and encouraged with toilet training, as soon as parents/carers decide they are ready.
Careful attention to good hygiene practise is encouraged in all age-groups.
We deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (September 2008). This directs providers to observe children, note their interests and plan activities accordingly.
Parents are encouraged to be involved with the work of the Nursery and Childcare centre as much or as little as they wish. We particularly ask parents to take the time to ensure that their child's introduction to the Nursery or Childcare centre enables them to settle in as smoothly as possible, especially with the very young child. We encourage 'Taster' sessions with a parent/carer present to begin with because parting with a parent can be a very traumatic experience for all concerned, therefore, a sensitive approach is needed at this difficult time.
Newsletters are sent periodically to keep parents informed. We also operate a ‘home to nursery’ notebook but staff are always available to advise parents and carers about a child’s progress or welfare.
We have policy statements for the following for people to look at:
Admissions. Behaviour Management. Safeguarding Children.
Confidentiality. Complaints Procedure. Health and Hygiene. Equal Opportunities.
Outings Parent Involvement. Play Equipment & Toy Selection. Safety.
Settling In. Special Needs. Staffing and Employment. Student Placement.
also the latest Ofsted report.
(Some of the above will be available to view online very soon...)
Sensory Room Thanks to the support from the "Friends of abc" there has been installed a well equipped Sensory Room at the Child Care Centre. Pictures of this can be seen on our news page.
Visits
We welcome visitors to look round the Nursery and the Childcare centre but we ask you to telephone beforehand if possible, to arrange a convenient time in order to avoid several sets of parents coming at the same time and also to avoid meal times which are very busy. We try to keep our waiting list to the minimum. We can only include a child's name on it upon receipt of a completed application form and a deposit of £5.00 to cover administration costs.
Children eligible for the Nursery Education Grant (received in term time only) are welcome at both nurseries. Those who attend for more than the Grant hours per week will be charged top up fees. Full weekly fees are due during the various school holiday times. Discounts are available e.g. to parents when more than one child attends. Child Care Vouchers from employers are acceptable for payment of fees. Assistance with payment of fees is available through the Child Tax and Working Tax Credits. More details on fees, payments etc are shown in our fuller prospectus and 'Terms and Conditions.'
1. To provide a caring homely atmosphere, which is safe,stimulating and happy.
2. To enhance the development and education of children;
3. To work within a framework, which ensures equality of opportunityfor all children and families.
Both the "a.b.c" Nursery and the "a.b.c" Childcare Centre consists of a baby Unit for children under 2 years, a Unit for 2 - 3 year olds and a Pre-school Unit for 3 + 4 year olds. We also have a separate area in which we provide ‘Before and After School’ care and ‘School holiday care’ for older children called the "Osca" kids club. We take and collect children to and from local schools. We welcome therefore, children from 3 months of age.
The Nursery, Childcare Centre and ‘Out of school Activities’ (O.S.C.A.) are open five days a week, 51 weeks of the year (closed between Christmas and New Year Public Holidays), except for Public Holidays.
Times of Opening:-
We normally are open from 7.30am to 6.00pm but it may be possible to extend these hours, if necessary. Children in the Nursery and the Childcare centre will be accepted normally for a minimum period of 3 hours and preferably for at least two sessions per week on separate days, in order to help them settle more easily.
a.b.c’ Nursery & ‘a.b.c’ Childcare centre Ltd are family run businesses.
The proprietors are Husband and wife - Howard and Margaret Beeley and their daughter Lois Pena. Margaret has many years of experience in child care and the Management of all types of Pre-school Groups with considerable knowledge and expertise of the needs and development of children. She was the Under Fives Adviser for the Hereford Area of the Social Services Department for 15 years, 1975 - 1990 when the `a.b.c` Nursery opened. She has also worked as a Registered Nursery Inspector for OFSTED carrying out Inspections of Standards in Early Year Education settings.
Qualifications:
Margaret has a Certificate in Social Services (CSS) specialising in "Development of Pre-school services with volunteers; working with parents and children with special needs in the community." In addition she has been actively involved in the Training of staff for Pre-school groups. She is a qualified Assessor for the National Vocational Qualification in Childcare & Education (NVQ). She has been a Tutor for NVQ training and undertakes in service training with staff..
Howard was a Civil Servant (Chief Executive Officer) for 39 years most of which was involved in Senior Management. He took early retirement in 1991 to concentrate on the Administration side of the business.
Lois is a qualified Speech and Language Therapist in private practice and also works part time in a National Health Service. She also has an NVQ level 3 in Child Care and Education, plus the Early Years Professional Status (EYPS).
Staff: We have 24 staff who are qualified and experienced for work in the care of children under five years (EYPS, NNEB, NVQ, PLA or other relevant qualification). We have a staffing ratio of at least: 1 adult to 3 children under 2 years, 1 adult to 4 children aged 2 - 3 and 1 adult to 8 children aged 3 and over. The owners are supernumerary. We operate a key worker system.
PLAY Provision
Emphasis is placed upon the needs of the individual child, according to their age and stages of development. Progress records are kept and are shared with parents at each stage. There are opportunities to explore an exciting variety of activities designed to enable the children to learn new skills and develop confidence and self-esteem.
The equipment caters for:- Physical, Intellectual, Emotional and Social growth. Older children are able to enjoy some Pre-reading, Pre-writing and Pre-number experiences through play, under skilled supervision. There is provision for creative development, music and dance plus other aesthetic experiences for all children ready to enjoy. The varied programme is planned to lead towards the Early Learning Goals (ELGs). These are contained in six areas of learning - Personal, social and emotional development communication, language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development. We are inspected by Ofsted (the national regulating authority), the Local Authority Environmental Health Department for Hygiene and Safety and also take part in a Quality Assurance scheme.
There is a qualified Speech and Language Therapist on the staff who can provide advice and support regarding communication.
For all children there are opportunities for ICT experience with a touchscreen computer, interactive whiteboard, laptops etc. A wide range of books, tapes,videos and CDs are used. The very young are cared for by qualified staff who pay special attention to their physical comfort and well-being, in addition to stimulating their intellectual growth.
All Children have equal access to all activities regardless of race gender or ability.
Meals:
We try to promote healthy eating at "abc," and after we were last inspected by the local authority, we received a four star rating ("Very Good") for food hygiene. We have a qualified cook on our staff who provides hot meals for children attending all day. These meals are cooked each day using mostly fresh produce. The meals are healthy and nutritious with low sodium content. All allergies, cultural, religious and personal preferences are taken into consideration when producing the menu , a copy of the current menu is on display at each setting. There is a vegetarian option every day. There is no extra charge for meals or snacks for Nursery children but there is a cost of £2.00 for the meals for older children in OSCA (the school holiday club.) Meals must be ordered in advance.
Alternatively parents may provide a cold packed lunch. we offer guidelines for healthy eating. Drinks and snacks for mid-morning and afternoon breaks are provided free of charge by abc ie. Milk and fresh fruit in the morning and milk with wholemeal bread spread with jam, chocolate or marmite or cream cheese spread in the afternoon.
Babies:
Parents/carers are required to provide prepared feeds to be brought in labelled bottles. If necessary a daily supply of disposable nappies and cleaning items are provided by the parents/carers. Toddlers are helped and encouraged with toilet training, as soon as parents/carers decide they are ready.
Careful attention to good hygiene practise is encouraged in all age-groups.
We deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (September 2008). This directs providers to observe children, note their interests and plan activities accordingly.
Parents are encouraged to be involved with the work of the Nursery and Childcare centre as much or as little as they wish. We particularly ask parents to take the time to ensure that their child's introduction to the Nursery or Childcare centre enables them to settle in as smoothly as possible, especially with the very young child. We encourage 'Taster' sessions with a parent/carer present to begin with because parting with a parent can be a very traumatic experience for all concerned, therefore, a sensitive approach is needed at this difficult time.
Newsletters are sent periodically to keep parents informed. We also operate a ‘home to nursery’ notebook but staff are always available to advise parents and carers about a child’s progress or welfare.
We have policy statements for the following for people to look at:
Admissions. Behaviour Management. Safeguarding Children.
Confidentiality. Complaints Procedure. Health and Hygiene. Equal Opportunities.
Outings Parent Involvement. Play Equipment & Toy Selection. Safety.
Settling In. Special Needs. Staffing and Employment. Student Placement.
also the latest Ofsted report.
(Some of the above will be available to view online very soon...)
Sensory Room Thanks to the support from the "Friends of abc" there has been installed a well equipped Sensory Room at the Child Care Centre. Pictures of this can be seen on our news page.
Visits
We welcome visitors to look round the Nursery and the Childcare centre but we ask you to telephone beforehand if possible, to arrange a convenient time in order to avoid several sets of parents coming at the same time and also to avoid meal times which are very busy. We try to keep our waiting list to the minimum. We can only include a child's name on it upon receipt of a completed application form and a deposit of £5.00 to cover administration costs.
Children eligible for the Nursery Education Grant (received in term time only) are welcome at both nurseries. Those who attend for more than the Grant hours per week will be charged top up fees. Full weekly fees are due during the various school holiday times. Discounts are available e.g. to parents when more than one child attends. Child Care Vouchers from employers are acceptable for payment of fees. Assistance with payment of fees is available through the Child Tax and Working Tax Credits. More details on fees, payments etc are shown in our fuller prospectus and 'Terms and Conditions.'
| admissions_policy_2011.doc |
| behaviour_management_policy.doc |
| confidentiality_policy.doc |
| complaints_policy.doc |
| how_to_complain.doc |
