Admissions Policy

At the YMCA Beacon Nursery we welcome all children and their parents/carers into our setting, allowing them to feel at ease and relaxed whilst at the nursery. All attempts will be made to encourage the child to engage in activities and to leave their parents/carers side when and if they are ready to do so. At all times the needs of the child are paramount and we work at the child’s pace.

Our aims

Our aim is to ensure child and parent/carer feel welcomed and respected at all times, to ensure a smooth transition into nursery from home and or a previous setting. The child’s key person will be introduced to the parent/carer at the earliest opportunity. We will ensure that the needs of the child and level of understanding are respected at all times whilst encouraging to engage with a variety of activities and to engage in play.   

Gradual admissions

Arrangements for inductions/visits will be made with the parent/carer for times and days that are convenient for the parent, child and nursery. At all times we will work with parents/carers to settle child into the nursery environment.

The induction stages are as follows

• The duration of the first session is one hour. Within this first hour parents/carers are asked to stay in the room, this allows the staff and parents to become acquainted and enables staff to be informed about the child’s needs.  Forms such as the All About Me and parental permission forms will be discussed, policies and procedures and relationships between staff and family will be built. Please see key person policy.
• The duration of the second session is one hour. Within this hour staff will ask parent/carer if they would like to leave child only if they feel comfortable in doing so. 
• The above arrangements will be extended to enable child and parent/carer to become confident and relaxed with the nursery if needed.
• If child attends Beacon Nursery along with another setting the child’s key person will contact the setting, with parental permission, to seek out child’s profile and to arrange meetings to discuss child progress within both settings.  If the child has previously attended another setting the child’s key person with parental permission will contact the setting with regards to developmental records/progress information, this is to enable the staff to become aware of where the child is in terms of their development and to incorporate this into current and future planning.

Children with a medical condition or specific needs:

• Before your child is enrolled in the nursery you will have a meeting with the SENCO and the key worker for your child in order to identify and assess how the nursery can best meet your child’s needs.

• If necessary an IEP (Individual Education Plan) will be written and agreed with the child’s parents.  We will also involve other relevant outside agencies.   This plan will only be shared as necessary with other professionals.

• If needed, your child will be offered extra visits until both parent and nursery are happy for the child to start.

Staff will be honest to parents about the child’s progress whilst settling into nursery and they will inform parents/carers about the child’s day via daily diary and verbal feedback.

Information shared via the All About Me sheet will remain confidential at all times. Staff will use this information as a bases for planning to ensure child’s needs are met.