Welcome on Board with Wise Owls Childcare

WELCOME ON BOARD

CHILDCARE TO WISE OWLS

WELCOME TO THE TEAM

We are excited that you will be joining our fun, friendly and supportive team at one of our day nurseries and we look forward to getting to know you better. We think you'll fit right in

We are a passionate and pro-active childcare company who values our employees.

We support professional development and are always striving for excellence.

We aim for all staff to be mentored and supported throughout their career with us.

We have clear expectations for goals, targets and achievements at every level.

We care about the planet and we are all responsible for reducing our impact on the environment.

WHAT'S IN THIS HANDBOOK?

Welcome to the team

Story of Wise Owls

Meet some of the team

Employee Enrolment

Staff Uniform and Appearance

Your First Day

Induction programme

What we expect of you

Staff Wellness

Staff Benefits & WOW Rewards

Annual Leave Entitlement

Professional Development

Your future starts here

Your Career Pathway

Questions or Issues?

Wise Owls Curriculum

Page 02

Page 04

Page 05

Page 06-07

Page 08

Page 09

Page 10

Page 11

Page 12

Page 13-17

Page 18

Page 19

Page 20

Page 21

Page 22

Page 24

WISE OWLS

Wise Owls Childcare is a locally owned and run childcare business founded in 2000 by Tanya Galitzine. It has grown into an exceptional childcare service for children between the ages of 8 weeks and 13 years, offering five different services; Day Nursery, Preschool, Breakfast & After School Clubs and Holiday Clubs.

Tanya has a wealth of experience with over 25 years in childcare After training at The Norland College, Tanya gained an NNEB, Norland Diploma in Childcare in 1995, and subsequently spent over 25 years working within the childcare sector As a parent, she also appreciates the many challenges of parenthood and the importance of assuring parents that their child is in very good hands

At Wise Owls Childcare, we believe that children learn best when they’re having fun, with engaging and stimulating activities offered in a safe, caring and encouraging environment. We nurture children’s individuality and prepare them with essential life skills such as sharing, problem-solving, socialising, the art of conversation and caring for others.

Our learning environments are warm, comfortable and age appropriate, and they are thoughtfully resourced to spark curiosity and stimulate imagination.

Founder & Director

Tanya Galitzine

Above all, my aim is to provide a safe, caring and stimulating environment in which children can experience creative play, have fun and make friends.

Wise Owls Childcare employs many people across our nurseries, preschools and clubs. You will get to know the staff working within your setting, but from time to time you will also see staff from head office. Here are a few people you might see.

Tanya has a wealth of experience with over 25 years in childcare She is actively involved in the planning and progression of all nurseries, preschools and clubs You will see Tanya at your setting from time to time as she enjoys getting to know staff and children

MeetLaura,OperationsDirector

Laura has been with Wise Owls since 2009 and has an NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education and she is our DSL and Mental Health First Aider She has 18 years of experience in childcare Laura will be completing your induction into Wise Owls and your future development within the company

MeetViraj,HRManager

Viraj joined Wise Owls in July 2022. He has a Bachelor of Commerce and Master of Business Administration. He will onboard you into Wise Owls and be on hand to support you through any HR queries and people during your employment.

Ally joined Wise Owls in late 2020 She has a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Marketing She has over 15 years experience working in education and 4 years in childcare and out of school hours care You will most likely see Ally taking photos at your setting and gathering content for social media, our website and parent newsletters

MEET SOME OF OUR HEAD OFFICE TEAM 05

MeetTanya,Director&Founder

MeetAlly,Sales&MarketingManager

EMPLOYMENT ENROLMENT

We need to follow vigorous safer recruitment practices before you can start. This includes the following:

DBS CHECK

If you are on the DBS update service please provide HR with your certificate number, dateofbirthandsurnameonthecertificatetoenableastatuschecktobeperformed

IfyouarenotontheDBSupdateservice,pleasefollowthebelowstepstocompleteyour check.Pleasedothisassoonaspossiblesowecangetthisprocessed.

Web Link to access the system: https://disclosure.capitarvs.co.uk/crvs

New employees > Standard / Enhanced DBS Application > Start application

To login enter the following:

Organization Reference: EY416753

Password: CHILDREN16

Please follow the instructions and enter your ID document details

YOUR DETAILS

HR will register you on our staff website whereby you can complete all your personal details - this will come in a separate welcome email and you will receive a secure password.

The staff website is staff.wiseowlschilcare.co.uk.

To access the site, please enter your email address and the password in your welcome email You will then receive a one-time passcode to enter

Please then go to ‘Amend My Details’ and enter all information, you must complete the reference information for us to be able to contact two suitable references. There is a wealth of information for you to read, please do look at our policies, procedures, and handbooks.

Payroll will send you an email requesting a password for your payslips, please do reply in a timely manner and ensure you make a note of your password

STAFF UNIFORM & APPEARANCE UNIFORM

Staff are required to wear the Wise Owls uniform provided and you will be asked to select a size on the staff website. They demonstrate to parents that you are a member of staff and not a volunteer, casual worker or member of the public while at the nursery.

You are required to wear your uniform at all times during your working hours; however outside of your working hours DO NOT wear them for smoking, vaping and drinking i.e. to and from work.

Day nurseries – Purple polo shirt and pink fleece

It is your responsibility to keep your uniform clean, tidy and in good condition. Your uniform will need to be returned when you finish working with Wise Owls.

STAFF APPEARANCE

Staff should be mindful of their appearance when working with children

Hair should be back off your face.

If wearing nail varnish, it should be neat and inoffensive

Nails cannot be too long (over finger tips) due to health and safety of the children and to enable completion of tasks

If wearing make-up, it should be neat and inoffensive

Footwear should be smart and appropriate with a back, sandals are permitted if there is strap around the back of the foot, staff cannot wear flip flops due to health and safety risks.

If you have offensive or large body art this must be covered during work.

If you have pierced ears, please ensure that studs are small, and no hoops are worn Other body piercings on show are not appropriate unless small and inoffensive; please check with your manager or the office

YOUR FIRST DAY WHAT TO EXPECT

Please report to our Manager or Deputy Manager on arrival and please be punctual.

You will be shown the sign in system and you will be required to sign in to the building on arrival and sign out when you leave the building

The Manager or Deputy Manager will give you a tour of the nursery, show you the amenities, the kitchen, fire exits and evacuation procedure. You will also be introduced to the team in each of our rooms and to your Room Manager and line manager.

You will have a written training plan that we will work through with you to ensure that your induction is thorough, in depth and informative so that you can confidently do your job You will be given some time in the morning to read through our policies and procedures. You will be shown some practical tasks, like changing nappies, preparing food, sleep checks etc

Lunch and snacks: You will have your allocated break time You can bring a packed lunch and we have a microwave available to heat up food.

What to wear on your first day: If you do not yet have your uniform, please wear something comfortable and appropriate for the role Please see page 12 for more about uniform and appearance.

Mobile phones: We have a strict policy on mobile phones. This is to safeguard our children and staff. Mobile phones are not permitted anywhere in the nursery except for the staff room and the main office. You will have a designated place to store your mobile phone throughout the day.

INDUCTION PROGRAMME

Our induction programme will take approximately 3 months, during which time you will be on probation. The induction programme will include:

Checking your personal details, including your contact details, emergency contacts and financial details needed for payroll.

Reviewing and signing our policies and procedures

Providing an outline of the daily routine

Ongoing training programme

Meetings with key staff members including, Operation Director, HR Manager, your room leader and your Manager

Some brief testing on policies, processes and best practise so we are able to review any support you need to be your best practitioner

Progress Review

We will continuously monitor your progress throughout your 3-month induction. At the end of the 3 month probation period, you will have a progress interview where will will check your understanding of our policies and procedures, review your performance and provide feedback from your colleagues.

If there is anything you are unsure about throughout our induction programme, it is extremely important this is raised with a manager as soon as possible.

Our company policies and procedures must be followed at all times. They should be referenced if you have any questions or require clarification

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WHAT WE EXPECT OF OUR STAFF

PUNCTUALITY

You are in ratio and therefore it is important that you are at work on time and ready to start your shift at the contracted time.

BEHAVIOUR

You are a role model for young children and it is your role to keep children safe at all times. We expect you to behave in a professional and courteous manner to all children, parents and your colleagues. Under no circumstances should staff raise their voices to shout at a child or another member of staff If you have any issues, frustrations or concerns, please see Page 27 of this guide for how to handle this.

APPEARANCE

We expect all staff to be neatly presented in staff uniform Please see our policy on appearance on page 11 of this guide.

PRODUCTIVITY

You are coming to work to work and your job is not only to take care of children, but to help them reach their potential. We hope to see you using your initiative, planning activities, setting targets for your key children and ensuring they have lots of fun throughout the day.

SAFEGUARDING

We expect all staff to read, understand and follow policy and procedure at all times. This is important in order to safeguard our children and our staff

OUR ENVIRONMENT

All staff should respect the space we work in, keep it clean and tidy, put things away after you have finished with them and look after our resources. We also encourage staff to think about ways they can be kind to our environment through the planning of eco-friendly activities.

We have a dedicated and supportive culture within Wise Owls that encourages and promotes positive mental health of all staff and an open organisational culture

We have a Wellness Action Plan and staff who are experiencing mental health issues are encouraged to complete an action plan so we can facilitate supportive conversations and put in place support so employees can stay well and at at work.

We have two Mental Health First Aiders across the company to support and assist all employees with their mental health issues and we have a dedicated team including our Operations Director, HR Manager and Quality Assurance Manager who will support you alongside the management in your setting.

Social events are arranged throughout the year to help build positive relationships with colleagues and promote physical and mental wellbeing.

We encourage open and honest feedback from staff and regularly issue staff surveys to give employees a voice that will help us to continuously improve our company culture and workplace

We aim to be over ratio in all our settings to provide adequate cover for holidays, sickness and life’s little dramas. We cannot always guarantee this but we strive to achieve this

"

...You are treated very much as an individual. Your ideas are listened to and your mental health is very important to them. The company worked very hard during the pandemic to make sure we were all safe and felt valued."

STAFF BENEFITS

FROM DAY ONE

Childcare discount for up to 2 children while physically working

depending on role and age of child and operational costs the discount is from 25-50%. This can be accessed from your first day with Wise Owls. Subject to T&C’s and operational costs.

Company pension dependent on earnings. Further information will be provided to you from Payroll if you meet the criteria.

If you are not entitled to receive a free flu vaccination, Wise Owls will cover the cost of this if you request this in advance and ensure your booking is made at a convenient time

Refer a friend to work for Wise Owls and you could earn up to £1000 (subject to T&Cs and staff longevity)

Company events in Summer and at Christmas

Free eye test every 2 years if you work on a computer (office staff/management) there is a budget for this and further details can be found in our Employee Handbook.

AFTER PASSING PROBATION STAFF BENEFITS

Access to our wellness programme, Health Assured. The wellbeing of our employees is of paramount importance to Wise Owls and Health Assured offers a compassionate and supportive service to all

SERVICES AVAILABLE

• Life support: Access to counselling for emotional problems and a pathway to structured therapy sessions at your convenience

• Legal information: For issues that cause anxiety or distress including debt management, consumer, property, or neighbour disputes

• Bereavement support: Health Assured offers qualified and experienced counsellors who can help with grief plus legal advisors to help with related legal matters

• Medical information: Qualified nurses are on hand to offer support on a range of medical or health-related issues offering practical information and advice.

• Online CBT: We recognise the value of self-help tools in dealing with a range of issues, which is why we have a range of CBT self-help modules, informative fact sheets and invaluable advice videos from leading qualified counsellors

With this you have ‘My healthy advantage app’ which we will help put on your phone at the end of probation The app includes Live chat and support, personalised news feed, weekly mood tracker, four-week plans, mini health checks and breathing techniques

This can trigger and support before you know yourself you need help It also can help catch you quickly which enables you to be supported quickly before anything gets out of hand

STAFF BENEFITS

GYM MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT

Dive into wellness at Nuffield Health 20% off for employees who aren’t covered by our business healthcare plan Wise Owls employees will enjoy access to many of the 114 centres nationwide, depending on the primary gym they choose.

SERVICES AVAILABLE

With a seven-day free trial on offer too, they can try all these before they buy: State-of-the-art gym floors. Swimming pools and spa facilities. 100s of group exercise classes including LES MILLS. Beauty suites at some venues

SERVICES AVAILABLE

Feel good with a Hussle Monthly+ pass. 33% off for employees who aren’t covered by our business healthcare plan. Hussle helps your employees find a way to feel good that works for them and their lifestyle, without being tied down to one gym or routine

EDENRED SHOPPING DISCOUNTS

Access to Edenred Shopping discounts – hundreds of discounts across wellknown retail brands across supermarkets, electricals & tech, shopping, travel and leisure, entertainment, food and drink, home and garden, health and fitness, motor This great benefit saves you ££ on all of your daily essentials!

STAFF BENEFITS

WOW MOMENT REWARDS

Each department is given a budget for WOW moments for staff These will be little treats, anything from a box of chocolates to say well done, to a spa experience to say you're amazing! We celebrate staff achievements and want to recognise the great work you are all doing

‘ I cant believe you got me such a personal gift it was so thoughtful and caring and something I cant wait to do.’ (Tickets to an event)

‘ My girls are going to be beside themselves, I am so grateful we would never have done this without your generous thought and it will last a lifetime memory.’ (Tickets to an event)

‘Sending us for a cream tea was a special moment for us both thank you for seeing me.’

‘Thank you for my coffee voucher, I really needed it the other day and you saw that.’

‘Thank you for my wellness pack, everything you sent me made me cry with joy, you cared and saw me tickled with flowers and chocolates to make me smile, your caring way is so Wise Owls.'

‘ Taking me for a special meal with you was time that I will always value we spent time together and it was nice and relaxing thank you.'

‘Thank you for the gift voucher. I will treat myself to something I would not normally get.’

‘Thank you for my pot of jam, it was the tastiest I have ever had and makes me now have my breakfast each and every day like a good girl!’

STAFF BENEFITS

AFTER 1 YEAR OF LOYALTY

SICK PAY

We will top up your SSP to cover sick pay of up to 5 days annually subject to Terms & Conditions

AFTER 2 YEARS OF LOYALTY PRIVATE MEDICAL COVER SABBATICAL

Private medical cover for Managers, Deputies & Room Managers. This involves an AXA doctor at hand, treatment with comprehensive cancer cover and support, up to 4 specialist consultations a year, 24/7 health information helpline from nurses, counsellors, midwives and pharmacists. Working body service with physiotherapists, fast track appointments with GP and a second opinion service. Plus, discounted gym membership. Help us look after you!

You can request a sabbatical after you have been employed for 2 years

AFTER 5 YEARS OF LOYALTY PRIVATE MEDICAL COVER

Private medical cover for all roles within the company This involves an AXA doctor at hand, 24/7 health information helpline from nurses, counsellors, midwives and pharmacists Working body service with physiotherapists, fast track appointments with GP and a second opinion service Plus, discounted gym membership Help us look after you!

TRIP TO TALK ABOUT

Launched in 2023, if you remain with the company for 5 years from now and work in a full time childcare role, you will have up to two weeks additional paid leave to experience a fun 'bucket list' experience that gives you learning opportunities to share with our little people about your experience. We will give you up to £1000 towards this adventure so that you can really do something amazing!

So, if you started employment with Wise Owls Childcare in a full time role prior to 2023 this reward will come into effect from 2028, if you were employed in 2023 this reward will come into effect in 2029 and so on

AFTER 10 YEARS OF LOYALTY

Enjoy a complimentary meal out with the Directors of the company

ANNUAL LEAVE ENTITLEMENT

Annual leave entitlements (full time equivalent). We understand that working in childcare is lots of fun but also very energetic work and we all need time to rest and recoup so we can perform at our very best at work.

LOYALTY LADDER

ANNUAL LEAVE ENTITLEMENT

YEAR 1

YEAR 2

YEAR 3

YEAR 4

YEAR 5

28 days practitioners

30 days management

29 days practitioners

31 days management

30 days practitioners

32 days management

31 days practitioners

33 days management

32 days practitioners

35 days management

You are required to book your annual leave in January each year for the year. You are required to take the period over Christmas as annual leave and any bank holidays that fall on your work days. If by 1st February you have not booked all of your leave entitlement, the rest of your leave will be spread evenly throughout the year to ensure you get the respite you need and so that we have adequate cover at the nursery for you. These can be changed if the day you wish to take is available but we may not be able to guarantee this due to staff ratios. Annual leave is assessed at a site level to ensure other staff are available to look after your key children and ensure that your workload is managed.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

We strive to embed excellent practices across all our settings and we encourage continued professional development in order to maintain best practice standards in care and education

We are committed to finding opportunities for career progression and we believe everyone can achieve their true potential through hard work and dedication. We treat all employees as individuals and understand that every individual wants to learn and progress at different stages. Your manager and room leader will work with you to plan your continued professional development that will align with your career ambitions

We support professional development and offer regular one to one meeting to talk about your performance, your personal wellness and progressional targets to achieve We will review your 1:1 targets and ensure you have the necessary support to spread your wings and grow.

After probation you can apply to join Wise Owls Qualifications programme to become a Level 3 Early Years Educator

We support Millie's Mark and wish all our staff to be paediatric first aid trained. You will undertake this training as soon as possible after 6-months service with us, as one target from your 1:1 performance review.

I’ve had the opportunity and encouragement to learn a lot and grow in my role. I’ve come in to the company at a really exciting time as we are working hard to grow and enhance the quality of our service. It’s a dynamic company and I’ve had the chance to work with some very interesting people.

YOUR FUTURE STARTS HERE

By creating great opportunities for our practitioners, as we do for the children in our care, we see amazing things happen in the workplace. When our teams thrive, our children thrive, and our staff bring energy, passion, and joy to one of the most important journeys in life: the learning and growth of young children

Be part of a community of childcare practitioners across our nurseries, preschools and clubs where you will experience a sense of reward that comes with being part of a team who know and value you, and who inspire and support you every day.

Loyalty - we highly value and reward loyalty with competitive pay and staff benefits.

Quality - We set and maintain the highest standards for our staff.

Growth- We care about your dreams too and offer meaningful training and development opportunities that support you to grow and thrive in your career

Family - We believe in you!

YOUR CAREER PATHWAY

NURSERY MANAGER

TheroleoftheNurseryManageristoensureallchildrenattendingWiseOwlsChildcare Nurseriesreceivehighqualitycare,arekeptsafeandareprovidedwithplannedand stimulatingplayexperienceswhichmeettheirindividualneedsandsupportallaspectsof theEarlyYearsFoundationStage(EYFS)curriculum.Managersarerequiredtodeliver effectivemanagementofthenurseryandensurethenurserycomplieswithallrelevant legislation,pluslocalauthorityandOFSTEDrequirements.Asanurserymanageryoumust promoteandmaintaintheWiseOwlsChildcarereputationforprovidingexemplarycare

DEPUTY MANAGER

TheroleoftheDeputyManageristoassisttheNurseryManagertoprovideprofessional leadershipandmanagementofthenurseryandtohelpensurethatallchildrenreceivethe higheststandardsofcareandeducation.Youareexpectedtoleadandalwaysmaintainthe safeguardingofchildreninthenurserybyensuringthatriskassessmentshavebeenadequately carriedout AsadeputymanageryoumustpromoteandmaintaintheWiseOwlsChildcare reputationforprovidingexemplarycare

ROOM MANAGER / DEPUTY ROOM MANAGER

Asaroomleaderyouwouldberesponsiblefortheoverallrunningofyourassignedroomin thenursery Thisroleincludesdeliveringandmaintaininghighqualitycarethatstimulates childrenandaidseachchild'spersonaldevelopment.Atthislevel,youwillbeexpectedto supportthedevelopmentofotherstaffthroughgoodleadershipandbysettingapositive example.Youwillneedtomentoryourteammembersandyourapprenticessothatthey canmeettheirowndevelopmentalgoals

LEVEL 3 QUALIFIED

Atthislevelyouwillplanandsuperviseengagingandstimulatingadultledplay-based activitiesbasedaroundtheneedsandinterestsofeachindividualchildinlinewiththeEYFS. YouwillsupportchildrentodevelopacrossallsevenareasoftheEYFSandinlinewithour WiseOwlsCurriculum.Itwillbeyourroletoobserveeachchildandshapetheirlearning experiencetoreflecttheirobservationsandinterests Youwillbeaskedtosupportthe developmentofotherstaffthroughgoodleadershipandsettingapositiveexample

LEVEL 2 QUALIFIED

ALevel2qualificationallowsyoutoworkwithchildrenundersupervision Atthislevel,you willinteractdirectlywithchildreneachdaysupportingtheplanninganddeliveryofadultledplay-basedlearningactivitieswithinoneofournurseries Youwillworkaspartofa professionalteamensuringthewelfareandcareforchildrenundertheguidanceand supervisionofanEarlyYearsEducatororothersuitablyqualifiedprofessional.

UNQUALIFIED ASSISTANT

Youwillworkwithchildcareundersupervisiontosupportthedeliveryofplanned educationalactivities Youwillberequiredtoupholdhealthandsafetystandards,liaise withparents,andprovidecareandnurtureforallchildreninthenursery Asanassistant youwillcarryoutthedutieswithinthenurserythatyourroomleaderrequires,for example,preparingmealsandsnacks,changingnappies,assistinginactivitiesandsoon

QUESTIONS OR ISSUES? WHAT TO DO

Designated safeguarding leads (DSL) for each site are the Manager and Deputy Manager

You will have completed your safeguarding training prior to starting so will be aware of the signs of abuse and how to report it.

If you have any safeguarding concerns involving a staff member, child or parent, please speak to the DSL immediately.

If you have any questions, issues or concerns that do not immediately or directly impact on the safety of a child or a staff member, please fill in a report of concern form and submit this to your line manager.

If you require clarification of a policy or procedure, please speak to your Line Manager

If you have an issue regarding your employment, please do speak with HR

Be happy in your work, get the most out of each and every day. Be proud that you are part of something special because you are making a difference in the life of a child and because of the kindness & care you show to every one of the children and to the staff around you.

“Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances.”

WISE OWLS CURRICULUM

We believe that children learn best through play and we prioritise learning in the great outdoors every day so come prepared for lots of outdoor play.

At Wise Owls Childcare, we believe that children learn best when they’re having fun, with engaging and stimulating activities, and we have a strong belief that learning in the great outdoors benefits the health & wellbeing of both children and childcare practitioners.

We nurture every child's individuality and we make it our business to understand each child; their needs and their interests.

We believe in the countless benefits of outdoor play and the positive impact it can have on a child's understanding of and respect for the world around them, as well as the positive benefits to physical, emotional and mental wellbeing for children and staff

Our ethos is to encourage all of our children to learn outside in a safe, stimulating and happy environment so they will spread their wings and grow.

We adhere to the British Values and ensure these are embedded in the delivery of our curriculum. Please see overleaf for the way we live our British Values through our practice and read our curriculum thoroughly to ensure you understand it fully.