N u r s e r i e s ”
w ww.willowww.willow-cottage.com “One of England’s Best Nurseries”Nurseries”(BBC Radio 4 Food Programme) Programme)
Willow Cottage Nurseries have been delivering delivering childcare “Second to Mum” and a Prere-school Education of Excellence for 25 Years. ears.
We enjoy a longstanding reputation in Oxfordshire for the high standards that our children achieve within the Early Year’s Foundation Stage (National Curriculum). We offer specialist teaching and inspirational leadership from an effective team of highly qualified Early Year’s Professionals, Teachers, Managers and Supervisors. As such we support each departmental team of practitioners to sustain a stimulating environment both inside and out, where children feel confident and are able to explore, learn and develop. At Willow Cottage we set high expectations to inspire, motivate and challenge every child. We provide a balanced and flexible daily and weekly routine to meet the children’s personal and developmental needs and interests. Planning individually for each child encourages and enables them to reach their full potential. Our countryside nursery settings have been chosen to offer ground floor accommodation exclusively and each department has full access to our outstanding garden facilities. We specialise in the care of babies and toddlers and we do not use agency staff.
DIRECTORS – NEIL & VALERIE GRADY We have been “heading up” Willow Cottage Nurseries in Oxford now for more than 25 years and still love the thrill and satisfaction of delivering the quality of childcare and pre-school education that we expected for our own children. . We provide strong leadership for our Managers and Supervisors and are always available to support them as necessary; together we model and implement best practice and foster a culture of continuous improvement, moving forward into challenging new areas and in cutting edge nursery initiatives. We are extremely proud of our fifty something “team” of Early Years Professionals, Managers, Teachers, Supervisors, Cooks, Practitioners, Gardeners & Housekeepers to name but a few.... some family members and friends but all knitted and working together with one common aim;- To deliver childcare “Second to Mum” and a Pre-school education of excellence for our children ... and a more passionate and dedicated company work force we would challenge anyone to find! Valerie & Neil Grady
LOCATIONS We have two settings, situated in beautiful Oxfordshire countryside, both carefully selected to give children a safe, healthy and natural environment in which to develop and grow.
Oxley’s Farm, Cumnor Road, Farmoor, Oxford. OX2 9NS
These spacious premises are purpose built in 3 acres of grounds between Farmoor and Cumnor Villages. Situated in open countryside, close to Oxford with very easy access from the Ring Road, the A420 and the A40. Please view map below for exact location.
Owl’s Leat, Lower Road, Eynsham, Witney. OX29 4EH These spacious Nursery premises are in grounds of over an acre and situated in open countryside on Lower Road between the villages of Church Hanborough and Eynsham. There are farm animals in adjacent fields and excellent views of the area. Lower Road is directly connected to the A40 and is only a few miles from Oxford and Witney. It is also close to Bladon, Kidlington and Woodstock, with very easy access to the Ring Road. Please view map below for exact location.
Map with arrows showing the location of our nursery settings.
OPENING HOURS 7.40 am. until 5.45 pm. Later opening times may be available, please ask. We are open all year with the exception of Bank Holidays and 1 week at Christmas. The standard monthly fees allow up to 9 hours cover per day. Please discuss your required times with the manager when you look around the Kindergarten or Nursery.
OUR PREMISES Each department within the children's accommodation has been carefully designed to create an environment particularly suited to the age group it serves. The Nursery area for example is designed to emulate the home situation. As children progress up through the school the balance then moves gently, but increasingly, towards that of a classroom situation in preparation for “big” school. At Willow Cottage we believe that children learn best through play. Each department, both inside and out therefore sustains a dynamic and stimulating environment where children feel confident and are able to explore, learn and develop at their own pace. We select, prepare and use a range of resources suitable for the children’s ages, interests and abilities. Our continuous classroom provision and individual planning
programmes for each child provides appropriate adult led and child initiated play and activities to enable children to explore play and develop. Our garden facilities for the children are outstanding and have been designed to facilitate learning opportunities as “outdoor classrooms” with many different pockets of natural outdoor interest and learning.
Library time in the garden at Owl’s Leat, Eynsham
Playing in the orchard’s dappled sunshine at Oxley’s Farm, Farmoor
PROVISION OF FOOD Our home-made meals are freshly prepared each day by dedicated and experienced children’s cooks. The children really enjoy them and are having their”5 a day” and more! We thoroughly believe that healthy eating in the early years sets the trend for future lifestyle. We have national recognition for our nutritious home-made food, recipes, menus and innovative “fun food education” for the children; having been awarded national nursery food awards in 2007/8, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Our children’s menus are meticulously planned to include lots of fruit and vegetables, regular oily-fish, meat and vegetarian options. They are modified to be low in salt and sugar with lots of fibre! Our meat is free range, traditionally farmed and selected for extra leanness. The fish we use is sustainable and responsibly caught. Our eggs are laid by our own free-range chickens. We source seasonal, local, home-grown and organic foods wherever possible. We have our own allotment and orchards for English seasonal fruit and vegetables. We do not use any food colourings or artificial preservatives. We buy local and low mileage foodstuffs wherever possible. Special medically diagnosed dietary requirements can normally be catered for. These requirements should be discussed initially when registering your child and highlighted on the Registration Form.
We have also been commended nationally for the innovative way that our teachers and nursery practitioners integrate healthy food education and early year’s cookery within the Early Years Foundation Stage. They involve their children in simple ways in the preparation of their own snacks and meals, and prepare innovative “Fun Food Family Packs” to encourage and role model healthy food practice at home. Here is some of the kindergarten class with Lesley, their Early Years Teacher. Together they explore the home grown plums from the nursery orchard. They learn where plums come from, how they grow and are harvested, They consider food handling and hand washing hygiene, They learn the skills of cutting and chopping, opening up the plum safely to discover the stone. They discover the sensory aspects of touch. smell, and texture and mathematical concepts like counting. They then move onto the mostimportant of the sensory aspects...that of tasting and eating them as a healthy mid morning snack!
THE NURSERY Our youngest members occupy spacious, fully equipped playrooms with adjoining, kitchen and bathroom. We are very proud of our Nursery Departments where our babies are cared for and loved by a longstanding team of highly qualified and experienced Nursery Practitioners. Our staff are “hand picked” for their abilities and expertise with young babies. Our babies enjoy an outdoor music session and they really love exploring the gardens! We are very particular about standards of hygiene and in the Nursery extra care and attention is taken. For example – all the toys and equipment used are regularly washed with anti-bacterial cleaner on a regular basis (especially those toys put into mouths). Dishwashers are used to ensure sterilisation of all cups, dishes and cutlery (this is so for all areas). The developmental activities for children in the Nursery department are planned on a weekly basis using the “Early Years Foundation Stage Guidance” as set out by the Department of Education, by staff who have been trained in child development. This planning is available for parents to view on the notice board and in each child’s profile. For children aged 0 to 2 years we provide a staff-to-child ratio of 1:3. As the toddlers in the Nursery become more and more confident on their feet and progress towards more social and gregarious play we gradually introduce them to the next stages of development in the Lower Kindergarten.
LOWER KINDERGARTEN In the Lower Kindergarten our toddlers begin to encounter a very simple structure to their day. They continue to be given an exciting environment both inside and out offering them a wide variety of early learning experiences. Planning for toddlers in the Lower Kindergarten is sensitively formulated around the interests and developmental needs of the individual children in the room each day. The children in the Lower Kindergarten have lots of fun and their daily routines include language development, singing, art and craft, developmental music sessions, dance, and pencil/scissor control skills. We even try a few French and Spanish words and songs! A Christmas concert for parents
Outdoor “parachute play�
The children are given lots of help and re-assurance when they start toilet training and we work closely with our parents at this important stage. Staff in the Lower Kindergarten have been selected for their experience with children of this age and to ensure that encouragement and cuddles are plentiful. For children aged between 2 years and 3 years we provide a staff to child ratio of 1:4.
THE KINDERGARTEN The Kindergarten classrooms are created to be dynamic and enabling environments both inside and out, offering children a wide variety of early learning experiences and opportunities to explore and investigate. The Kindergarten department planning and delivery is overseen by Early Years Professionals (EYPS). The children are taught, cared for, and supervised by a team of Early Years professionals (EYPS), fully qualified early year’s teachers, nursery nurses (N.N.E.B. or B.Tech. qualified) and experienced nursery trained staff. We use the six areas of learning from the Early Years Foundation Stage Guidance to plan for each child and promote development on an individual basis. All areas of learning are equally important and underpinned by the Themes and Principles of the EYFS. Each child has an ‘Individual Play Plan’ (IPP) compiled by their Key Person. An IPP will run alongside our chosen Theme and provides specific activities and experiences designed around that child’s interests to promote their personal development. Learning to cook is really fun!
Healthy morning “snack time” in Café Willow
EDUCATIONAL PLANNING Within the Early Years Foundation Stage each child is planned for sensitively and individually in order that they might learn, progress and achieve their own personal best. The six areas of learning used for planning are:• Personal, Social and Emotional Development • Communication, Language and Literacy • Mathematical Development • Knowledge and Understanding of the World • Physical Development • Creative Development • Through our planning we encourage each child with: • Language and literacy development -through reading, poetry, finger rhymes and an extensive use of books, stories and story sacks (books with puppets/props that bring the stories alive). • Letter formation, progressing to unaided writing of news and stories. • Number recognition, counting skills and basic mathematical concepts. • First level Information Technology and use of computers. • Colour recognition. Early science, geography, history and religious concepts. • Early “European Languages”, (normally French and Spanish). • Physical play and development through extensive use of movement, dance and drama. • Developmental music, rhythm, listening skills and singing. • Craft activities encouraging independence and imagination, and sensory, creative and manipulative skills. • High standards of personal and social behaviour. • Christian values and education.
MUSIC At Willow Cottage we encourage interesting and exciting music for every age, even our younger members of the Nursery Department! We enable children to use a wide range of instruments and listen to a variety of different types of music. We include the imaginative use of puppets, story sacks, and materials to make the sessions fun and have lots of “music to movement” and dance. We encourage the children to: • Sing songs (and poems) from memory. • Investigate the sounds made by a variety of musical instruments. • Explore Pulse and Rhythm patterns. • Listen to and explore classical music. • Listen to and enjoy different types of music and also music varieties from around the world. • To understand concepts such as; “high” and “low”, “fast” and “slow”, “long” and “short”, “loud”, “quiet”, and “silence”.
Some of our music sessions even happen in the garden!
EARLY YEAR’S FOUNDATION STAGE PROFILES Each child's interests and learning progress is carefully recorded, and monitored throughout their time with us. These records compile their “Early Years Foundation Stage Profile” and we encourage parents to be actively involved in contributing to their child’s profile and share with us the important knowledge they have of their child. The profile will be finalised with a comprehensive “Early Years Foundation Stage Report” written by your child’s Key Person in the term before your child starts school and will be passed to you or to your chosen Primary school at the appropriate time.
Gathered together for an early learning session
COMMUNICATION At Willow Cottage we understand the importance of working in partnership with parents and carers. Effective communication and feedback is encouraged and valued as an important part in monitoring and planning for your child’s well being, learning and development. There is normally time for verbal communication/feedback at the beginning and end of each day which will complement the written records that are kept. For our younger children (Nursery and Lower Kindergarten) Feedback diaries are kept carefully in order that concise information about food intake, sleep times, and any other happenings can be given to parents on a daily basis. The Kindergarten staff and children produced a daily notice board to tell parents of the activities that have been happening that day. We produce regular newsletters to give our parents important dates, information and articles of interest.
STAFFING It is our policy to recruit professional and dedicated staff at all levels in order that we might deliver the quality and reliable service that we are renowned for . As a long established and well reputed local Nursery we retain a stable and reliable team of Nursery Practitioners committed to delivering “Second to Mum” childcare and a pre-school education of excellence. We are proud to boast therefore in our ability to “hand pick” and build effective departmental teams. Our staff are well qualified and experienced and include practitioners holding Early Years Professional Status, qualified teachers, NVQ Levels 2 , 3 & 4. All of our staff are trained in Food Hygiene and Handling skills, and are trained in house by The Red Cross or St. John Ambulance in paediatric First Aid .Appointed First Aid staff are always present on our daily rota . *Please note that we use our own employees at all times to cover staff absences and holidays, in order to ensure that our children have continuity of care. We do not use Agency staff.
HEALTH, SAFETY & SECURITY Throughout the nursery premises Health, Safety and Security matters are monitored very carefully. We engage “the� leading provider of Health and Safety services in the UK (Peninsula Business Services) who carry out an annual audit for us to ensure high standards at all times and offer a 24 hour support service. (Peninsula Business Services is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Our toys, resources and equipment conform to the British Safety Standards. Toys and equipment are of the highest quality and are appropriate for each department of the nursery school. All equipment, toys and play areas are regularly cleaned and an exceptionally high standard of hygiene is maintained at all times.
CAN WE HELP YOU? We provide a variety of flexible daily programmes aiming to suit the needs of most parents, from full time (5 days per week) to our minimum part-time place of 2 days, subject to availability. If you would like to consider a place at Willow Cottage for your child then please visit our website and choose Request availability tab on the left hand side.
PAYMENT OF MONTHLY FEES Fees are calculated annually and divided into twelve equal payments. Each payment being due on the first day of each month, in advance, by standing order/direct debits. We do not charge for Bank Holidays and so our daily rates vary according to which days you choose. You can visit our Fees page on the website for more detailed information. Please note that our charges are fully inclusive of meals and nappies. In order to provide optimally for the educational, developmental and social needs of the children that attend Willow Cottage and to deliver continuity of friends and classmates for their comfort, our minimum programme is normally two days per week (subject to availability). Our fees are subject to an annual review on the 1st April each year and can be found by returning to our website.
There is a 10% reduction for twins or siblings attending full-time. Babies and toddlers under three years of age, because of the specialised staffing requirements carry a 10% surcharge; this is removed the month after your child is three.
CHILDCARE VOUCHERS We may be able to advice you on various options that may help you to claim your full entitlement of Tax and National Insurance. We publish a Parent Information Sheet on this subject which lists a number of helpful Government Web-Sites. We accept all Salary Sacrifice Vouchers which can reduce your child’s fees substantially each month. Please visit the Fees page on our website. All enquiries please contact beryl@willow-cottage.com
CONTACT INFORMATION For additional information please visit our Website www.willow-cottage.com. If you would like to enquire about a place for your child please go to our website and complete the information requested in the “Request availability” application form tab on the left hand side. We need this information (your child’s D.O.B. the days required, your preferred nursery location, requested start date etc.) before we are able to assess our current or future availability.* Please also note that we do not show visitors around our nursery settings unless we have first established that we have availability, and that we are therefore able to offer you a place (or should you wish to join our waiting list). This is in order to safeguard the children that attend Willow Cottage.
Contact Us -General Enquiries for Willow Cottage Nurseries – Contact Enquiry
TELEPHONE NUMBERS General Enquiries - Oxford Central office Accounts & Voucher Administration
01865 864604
Central office- 01865 865854
email beryl@willow-cottage.com Recruitment Central office- 01865 865854 Maria Ragoussi E.Y.P.S. – Quality Manager & Recruitment Email Maria@willow-cottage.com Telephone Numbers for Nursery Settings :-
PARENTS ONLY
Willow Cottage Nursery, Owl’s Leat, Lower Rd. Eynsham. OX29 4EH Julie DeBanks – Area Manager & Manager of Owl’s Leat, Eynsham julie@willow-cottage.com
01993 883583 01993 880175
Willow Cottage Nursery, Oxley’s Farm, Cumnor Rd. Farmoor. OX2 9NS 01865 865206 Ruth Salway B.Ed.Hons.E.Y.P.S Head Teacher & Manager Oxley’s Farm, Farmoor 01865 861595 ruth@willow-cottage.com Directors: Valerie Grady B.Sc. Hons. P.G.C.E. E.Y.P.S Valerie@willow-cottage.com Neil Grady B.Sc. Hons. neil@willow-cottage.com updated 2012 03 – VBG File Ref: PROSPECTUS 2012 03