Frequently Asked Questions

We are open from 7:30 – 18:00 Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery is closed on Bank Holidays and Public Holidays. In addition, we close over the Christmas period and for one training day.  

Yes. We welcome you and your child to visit their room where you can stay and play with them for 30 minutes. This way they see that you are relaxed and confident with the staff in their new setting. You and your child are welcome to do more frequent visits if you wish to do so. If you feel that it would benefit you and your child, we offer home visits so that the child/family can get to know their key person in their own environment before starting nursery.  

The next visit, your child may stay for a short while on their own where they have the opportunity to explore their new environment and build a relationship with their key person before starting nursery. 

Following these visits, your child will hopefully feel more confident and ready to start with us.  

Please bring a bag/small rucksack with a change of clothes. We strongly advise that your child comes to nursery in old clothes and not wear their “bests” as we are always having fun with messy materials! Please provide nappies, wipes, nappy sacks and cream (according to the age of your child).  

Your child’s key person will greet you at drop off. A phone call is always encouraged, so we can pass on how your child is settling in. A staff member will always contact you if they feel your child is finding their first day too unsettling.  

Breakfast, snack, lunch and tea are provided for children over 12 months old. We have milk and water only to drink while your child is at nursery. For babies under 12 months old, please provide sufficient prepared milk feeds and any solid foods your baby may need.  

When your child starts nursery, we encourage you to nominate others who have permission to drop off and collect your child. This is sometimes a grandparent or another family member. We also have a password system in place for emergencies.  

It is important that children are not dropped off too early or collected late as minimum staff ratios must be maintained at all times. If a child is collected late, ratios may be exceeded and staff may have to stay beyond their shift.

When this occurs, parents will be charge £10 for up to 15 minutes and an additional £10 for every 15 minutes there after that your child remains in our care.  

At Stepping Stones Day Nursery, we create a learning journal for each child.

Your child’s key person will complete a monthly page celebrating your child’s learning whilst at nursery. These journals help us acknowledge their achievements and each term you will be invited to share your child’s progress and discuss next steps of their development with their key person.

We use progress review records to assess how children are learning and developing by observing them frequently and use information gained from observations, as well as photographs, to document their progress.

We make termly assessments from the progress review records and observations about your child’s achievements in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage and ensure we are helping your child to progress effectively in all areas of development.  

Yes! We have spaces available for all funding options including 2 year old funding and 3 & 4 year old 15 and 30 hours funding. For more information about eligibility for these schemes please visit https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ 

Yes, we can administer prescribed medication only and will require written permission from the parent/carer. If you child requires long term or emergency medication such as inhalers or EpiPens we will complete a health care plan with you.