KING’S DAY NURSERIES
Situated in
WESTON EDUCATION CENTRE
MAPOTHER HOUSE
MISSION STATEMENT
King’s day nurseries work to ensure that a safe and stimulating environment is provided, where each child is valued, respected and loved. All children are encouraged to develop to their full potential by ensuring that they initiate their own learning through the development of autonomy.
It is our intention to provide care for children of hospital staff, respectful of their role in the organisation and reflecting the organisation’s diversity. Working closely with parents and carers as partners we seek to encourage and maintain an inclusive practice for all families.
LOCATIONS
King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust runs three workplace nurseries at the following locations:
Belgrave Day Nursery
King’s College Hospital NHS Trust
Mapother House
De Crespigny Park
Denmark Hill
London SE5 8AZ
020 3299 6016
King’s Day Nursery
King’s College Hospital NHS Trust
Weston Education Centre [behind]
Cutcombe Road (off Coldharbour Lane)
London SE5 9RS
020 3299 3472
Mapother House Day Nursery
King’s College Hospital NHS Trust
Mapother House
De Crespigny Park
Denmark Hill
London SE5 8AZ
020 3299 5358
Business Manager/WorkLife Balance Adviser: Irene Pilia 020 3299 5380;
Day Nurseries Manager: Glendalyn Aboagye 020 3299 3472;
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
o To create a stimulating, caring and safe environment for children in our care.
o To actively promote the development of positive self images within the children.
o To work as partners with parents and carers, openly and honestly.
o To develop and maintain strong links with other agencies and for them to recognise our professionalism.
o To create a non-sexist atmosphere by introducing appropriate toys, books and games to encourage equal development of both sexes.
o To welcome the diverse range of family structures.
o To eliminate discrimination and racism throughout the whole structure by:
§ Welcoming all cultural contributions to the policy and practice of the nurseries;
§ Providing positive images of all cultural groups and family structures.
o The day nursery settings have a key-person system in place which consists of a key person who is directly responsible for each child’s learning and development, a backup key person who takes over in the absence of the key person, and a link key person - who takes over if neither is there. This system enables the settings to maintain a consistent transition throughout each individual child’s learning journey.
o On entry to the setting a key person is allocated to each child. The under two years old ratio is 1:3 (one adult to three children); two to three years old ratio is 1:4 (one adult to four children); and the three to five years old ratio is one to eight 1:8 (one adult to eight children).
o All children are monitored and their progress observed and evaluated during their first eight weeks after admission, so that the setting can be aware of the child’s starting point and their individual needs.
o Observations enable us to monitor children’s progress and, through evaluation, produce six-monthly developmental assessments.
o To maintain an inclusive practice with all children and their families this includes children and families with additional needs, supported by Lambeth or Southwark Early Intervention Teams (EIT).
o The nurseries operate an open house policy which encourages parents and/or carers to visit at any time. Parental involvement and participation in the life of the nursery is an essential part of the settings for developing positive relationships.
o To provide a caring, stimulating, and vibrant atmosphere that makes each child and family happy and comfortable within the nursery.
BELGRAVE DAY NURSERY: 020 3299 6016
Belgrave day nursery is based in Mapother House, De Crespigny Park.
We have capacity for 12 children under two (Baby area) and 23 children over two – Stepping Stones area for 2-3 year olds and Learning Zone area for 3-5 year olds.
The facilities include a large open plan area that is divided into smaller play and learning areas.
The nursery also has direct access to an outside garden.
KING’S DAY NURSERY: 020 3299 3472
King’s day nursery was the first of the workplace nurseries and as such is long established. The nursery is sited behind the Weston Education Centre.
We have capacity for 16 children under two (Baby area) and a large open plan area for 39 children over two – Stepping Stones area for 2-3 year olds and Learning Zone area for 3-5 year olds.
The open plan area is divided into smaller play and learning areas which includes a wet and dry creative area.
The nursery has its own outside garden.
MAPOTHER HOUSE DAY NURSERY: 020 3299 5358
Mapother day nursery is based in Mapother House, De Crespigny Park.
In this nursery we have capacity for 27 children under two and 40 children over two, with Stepping Stones area for 2-3 year olds and a Learning Zone area for 3-5 year olds.
Mapother has an additional sensory zone area that offers soft play and heuristic play experiences; this area is shared with Belgrave nursery.
The Learning Zone has its own dedicated space.
All spaces are further divided into smaller play and learning areas and the nursery has direct access to an outside garden.
BABY AREAS = three to 24 months
Staff ratio = 1:3
The emphasis in our baby room areas is to create a warm, loving and stimulating environment where babies feel happy and secure.
Staff working with the baby groups are chosen particularly because they have a strong preference for being with this age range.
We operate a key-person system so that you as a parent can relate to one main person, with a back-up, who develops an in-depth knowledge of your baby and all his/her specific ways. The key worker is responsible for ensuring that her/his key child reaches their developmental milestones.
Activities in the baby room include:
o soft balls and shapes to encourage movement;
o singing games and nursery rhymes to stimulate language;
o sorting games to differentiate size and shape;
o water play to encourage social interaction;
o wet and dry sand to offer textual experience (and sometimes taste!).
Most of all, life should be fun!
By 18 months the babies are beginning to move on to other activities and are becoming increasingly explorative. Activities planned for this stage reflects these developments and focus on increasing their fine and large motor skills through the use of water and sand play, painting and writing, games and outside activities – such as climbing and bike riding.
All these activities and more will be part of your baby’s day. We believe you are never too young to learn.
Any member of staff will be happy to share the experiences of the day with you and as a parent you are always welcome to join us in the baby room.
OPEN PLAN AREAS = two to five years
Staff ratio = 1:4 (2-3 year olds) Stepping Stones areas
1:8 (3-5 year olds) Learning Zone areas
A key-person is allocated to the care of each child and will develop an in-depth knowledge of each child in his or her group.
Curriculum activities are planned each day with the children’s involvement, based on an overall theme chosen by the children. The theme chosen is then displayed for parents to see how the under fives curriculum is implemented within the nursery.
The curriculum includes:
o Personal and social development: such as independence, autonomy, having respect for themselves and each other, treating living things and the environment with care and concern, being aware of right and wrong and having respect for different cultures and religions.
o Communication Language and literacy: stories, singing games, role-play, letter and sound recognition, writing skills, listening skills and writing their own name.
o Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy: sand and water play, volume and capacity, weight, time, sorting, matching, sequencing, counting and cooking.
o Knowledge and understanding of the world: exploring living things, families past and present, similarities and differences, patterns and change, technology – including tape recorders and computers.
o Physical development: (1) fine motor co-ordination through activities such as pencil, brush and scissor control; (2) large motor co-ordination through activities such as outdoor play that includes climbing, hopping, jumping, obstacle courses, spatial awareness and balancing.
o Creative development: through art, craft, music, dance, imaginative play and role-play.
o Festivals celebrated include: Chinese New Year, Ramadan, Diwali, Christmas, West Indian carnivals, Kwanzaa and a whole host of other festivals.
The children in the nurseries also participate on a regular basis in activities run by external professionals such as yoga, P.E, music sessions and drama workshops.
A nursery is always a fun place to be, so if you ever have a few minutes to spare please drop in and visit, you are always be welcome.
OPERATING PROCEDURES
All nurseries need a few rules and regulations to run as smoothly as possible. Ours are listed below:
o Please inform us by 10am if your child is going to be late or absent.
o Please mark all clothing, buggies or prams with your child’s name. If your child’s belongings do not have your child’s name on them the nursery cannot accept responsibility for loss or theft (as parents often shop in the same places children can end up wearing the same clothes. Because of this sometimes items of clothing can be taken by mistake).
o Please dress your child in clothing suitable for a messy nursery day!
o When children are on medication they must remain at home for the first 48 hours, or two full nursery days, of the course. We will then continue the medication at the nursery. We will only take responsibility for giving your child medication prescribed by a GP and which has a current date not exceeding two weeks from the date it was dispensed.
o If your child is to be collected by anyone other than the usual person, please let us know. If we don’t know the person we won’t let your child go!
o If your child sustains a bump or bruise at home, please let us know. We in turn will tell you if she or he has an accident in the nursery.
o It is important for parents and staff to communicate with each other about the shared care of the child. Try to spend a few minutes at the nursery each day to talk about your child.
o The nursery opens at 7am and closes at 6pm (late collection is distressing for the remaining child and also incurs a financial penalty).
EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT
King’s Day Nurseries recognise that people who have additional needs are often discriminated against in ways that devalue them and prevent them from reaching their potential.
We are committed to the integration of children and parents with additional needs within our nurseries and seek out proper resources to make this successful.
We therefore:
o Ensure all children have full access to the play opportunities within the nursery curriculum.
o Encourage and facilitate discussion about disability and inclusion to ensure that children and parents within our nurseries develop attitudes that combat discrimination against all people in the wider community.
o Seek out resources, such as posters, books, jigsaws, etc., that portray positive images of people.
o Ensure that attitudes and language that devalue or discriminate against people with disabilities or marginalised groups are challenged.
o Operate a key person system and high adult to child ratios to ensure that each child receives plenty of adult time and attention.
o Welcome the opportunity to work with other professionals, such as Early Intervention Teams, therapists, health visitors, social workers and other agencies in order to meet the child’s specific needs.
o Monitor children’s needs and progress on an individual basis.
o Ensure whenever possible that staff receive in-service training on inclusion and equality of opportunity.
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Nursery Prospectus 0311