Settling in at St Aidan's

St Aidan's Settling In Policy is in place to ensure a smooth transition from home to nursery life creating a positive experience for parent and child.

We work in close partnership with parents to facilitate the smooth settling in of children into the nursery.

• Prior to the first full day of attendance, arrangements will be made for four ‘settling in’ sessions at the nursery so that the child and parent can meet nursery Management, visit the room they will be based, meet the child’s ‘Key Person’ and the rest of the team in the room.
   
• During your first visit, further details relating to your child’s individual needs will be taken by completing a Parent and Child Information Exchange Form and a Declaration of Consent Form, including medical, dietary and other relevant information and consents (or otherwise) for various things such as medical treatments, trips etc.
   
• The first settling in visit lasts around an hour and requires the parent to remain in the room. Parents don’t need to bring anything along to the settle other than their child, as we have anything else they might need on site.
   
• During the second settling in visit we encourage the parent to leave the child in the room on their own. This visit typically lasts around an hour.
   
• Third and subsequent visits may be made prior to full attendance commencing. These can be either made in advance or agreed at the time if felt necessary. These additional settling in sessions can be booked as half days or full days and are chargeable at the usual rates.

Key Person System

St Aidan's operate a Key Person system, whereby each child has a designated team member who will take lead responsibility for the relationship between the family and the nursery. The Key Person provides a point of contact for parents however they do not have sole charge of the child and parents are free to discuss their child and their requirements with any team member.

Suggested Start Dates

Please note that when children attend nursery for the first time they may pick up illnesses more easily whilst their immune system improves. We therefore suggest you start nursery 3 -4 weeks prior to your start back at work date. Children who attend nursery develop a very good immune system, which is widely reported in the media, to improve children’s long term development against illness when they are older.

For information about progressing from one base room to a new base room as your child grows up in the nursery, please refer to the Transition Policy.