Parents as Partners | Exceptional Day Nursery Welwyn
Term Dates
Please note Fee’s are calculated on a 52 weeks a year basis all bank holidays and inset days are still chargeable. There may be an opportunity to swap your child’s day that week this is only for Children that attend on Monday’s and is not guaranteed.
2025
- Bank Holidays (Nursery Closed):
- Friday 18th April 2025 – Good Friday (Easter Bank Holiday)
- Monday 21st April 2025 – Easter Monday
- Monday 6th May 2025 – Early May Bank Holiday
- Monday 26th May 2025 – Spring Bank Holiday
- Monday 25th August 2025 – Summer Bank Holiday
- Thursday 25th December 2025 – Christmas Day
- Friday 26th December 2025 – Boxing Day
- Thursday 1st January 2026 – New Year’s Day
- INSET Days (Nursery Closed for Staff Training or Well-being):
- Friday 23rd May 2025
- Tuesday 27th May 2025
- Friday 22nd August 2025
- Tuesday 26th August 2025
- Monday 29th December 2025 (not chargeable)
- Tuesday 30th December 2025 (not chargeable)
- Wednesday 31st
- December 2025 (not chargeable)
All bank holidays and INSET days remain chargeable unless labelled (not chargeable) except for the closure period over Christmas sessions can be swapped to alternative days if they fall on your child’s nursery day, subject to availability.
School year 2025-26
- Start of term: 3 September 2025
- Half term holiday: 27 October 2025 – 31 October 2025
- Christmas holiday: 22 December 2025 – 2 January 2026
- Half term holiday: 16 February 2026 – 20 February 2026
- Easter holiday: 30 March 2026 – 10 April 2026
- Half term holiday: 25 May 2026 – 29 May 2026
- Summer holiday: 24 July 2026 – 31 August 2026
Inset Days
- Friday – 2nd January
- Tuesday – 7th April
- Friday – 28th August
- Tuesday – 1st September
- New Year’s Day: January 1
- Good Friday: April 3
- Easter Monday: April 6
- Early May Bank Holiday: May 4
- Spring Bank Holiday: May 25
- Summer Bank Holiday: August 31
- Christmas Day: December 25
- Boxing Day: December 26
All bank holidays and INSET days remain chargeable unless labelled (not chargeable) except for the closure period over Christmas sessions can be swapped to alternative days if they fall on your child’s nursery day, subject to availability.
Our Settling In Process
At Meadow View, we know settling into a new environment is a big step. To ensure a smooth transition, we offer four complimentary settling-in sessions the week before your child starts:
- Parent Stay and Play: Explore the setting together to help your child feel secure.
- Family Meeting and Play: Share important details about your child’s
needs while they engage in activities. - 2-Hour Session (Without Parent): Build confidence and independence in a familiar setting.
- 3-Hour Session (Without Parent): Includes lunch to ease into a typical day.
Our aim is to make the transition as comfortable and positive as possible.
When you accept a place, our first priority is to allocate your child a ‘Key Carer’- a member of our staff who will take prime responsibility for your child at Meadow View.
Your key person will ensure that each individual child’s needs are met, form a secure relationship with the child and build an open, trusting relationship with you.
The Key Carer will oversee the process of settling your child into nursery life.
During the settling-in period we welcome you to attend two 1 hour nursery sessions with your child, helping them to prepare and adjust to their new surroundings.
1st Session
The 1st Session will be a stay and play where you sit back and watch your child engage and take in the surroundings.
2nd Session
The 2nd time you and your child will come in and a meeting with your child’s designated key person will take place so we can gather all the information we need before their first day.
3rd Session
The 3rd session will be a two-hour independent stay, giving your child the chance to build confidence and begin exploring the nursery on their own.
4th Session
Key Person System
At Meadow View we have a key person system in place. We feel that this interaction with a ‘special’ adult is important to your child’s learning experience. The information below outlines what a Key person system is at Meadow View.
A key person system can provide:
Input into the group’s curriculum planning to ensure that your child’s needs are met, including any additional needs.
Individual knowledge of the children which enables the key worker to make a valuable contribution to the group’s child protection system.
Continuity of experience for the children during their time in nursery.
Opportunities to build up positive relationships with the parents and share learning from home.
Assistance with settling your child into nursery.
Close monitoring of your child’s progress in all development areas.
A point of personal contact between home and Nursery.
Input into the group’s curriculum planning to ensure that your child’s needs are met, including any additional needs.
Individual knowledge of the children which enables the key worker to make a valuable contribution to the group’s child protection system.
Continuity of experience for the children during their time in nursery.
Opportunities to build up positive relationships with the parents and share learning from home.
Assistance with settling your child into nursery.
Close monitoring of your child’s progress in all development areas.
A point of personal contact between home and Nursery.
Input into the group’s curriculum planning to ensure that your child’s needs are met, including any additional needs.
You’re Child’s Key Person:
Will join your child in her/his group for meal or snack times
Will assist with toileting as necessary
Will ensure that your child’s in the moment observations are recorded and extended for what your child’s interests and learning ensuring that the activities remain stimulating and exciting and be actively involved in recording and tracking of your child in his/her group, in reflecting on what the observations show about the children’s current needs and development
Will build up a close relationship with each child’s parents, enabling them to be more fully involved in the life of the nursery as a whole sharing any new from home which could help extend the child’s learning.
Will keep an especially watchful eye on the child during the settling in process, reassuring both child and parents as necessary.
Will assist your child as necessary to become integrated into the life of the nursery, ensuring that your child knows and understands the boundaries and feels comfortable with the people and activities at Nursery.
Will Builds up a relationship with your child and is there to comfort and reassure them if necessary at times of distress.
Will try to be aware of any changes in your child’s home circumstances which may affect her/his behaviour or needs in the nursery
Will join your child in her/his group for meal or snack times
Will assist with toileting as necessary
Will ensure that your child’s in the moment observations are recorded and extended for what your child’s interests and learning ensuring that the activities remain stimulating and exciting and be actively involved in recording and tracking of your child in his/her group, in reflecting on what the observations show about the children’s current needs and development
Will build up a close relationship with each child’s parents, enabling them to be more fully involved in the life of the nursery as a whole sharing any new from home which could help extend the child’s learning.
Will keep an especially watchful eye on the child during the settling in process, reassuring both child and parents as necessary.
Will assist your child as necessary to become integrated into the life of the nursery, ensuring that your child knows and understands the boundaries and feels comfortable with the people and activities at Nursery.
Will Builds up a relationship with your child and is there to comfort and reassure them if necessary at times of distress.
Will try to be aware of any changes in your child’s home circumstances which may affect her/his behaviour or needs in the nursery
Although children in nursery get to know their key Person very well, the key worker is not the only person they get to know Key workers DO NOT:
Shadow their children throughout the session
Liaise only with their own group of children
Prevent other adults from forming relationships with their key child
It is also important to note that if the key worker for your child is not in the nursery for any reason, another key Person will be allocated for your child.
Safeguarding
The nursery manager and Owner are available to discuss initial concerns with parents/carers and offer support and assistance. Should a member of staff have concerns about the well-being of a child they will inform the nursery manager or owner who will take the following action:
speak to the child’s key worker
speak to parents/carers
At Meadow View Childcare we comply with all the legal requirements set out in the ‘Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage’
All members of staff are registered with Ofsted and have undergone enhanced DBS checks which are updated each year and always in date.
All students are supervised at all time (see policy on students).
Written parental permission will be obtained before children are taken on outings.
Staff will keep records/observations of all children in the setting.
Staff will inform Ofsted without delay, of any allegations of serious harm or abuse by any person working or looking after children at the premises (whether that allegation related to harm or abuse committed on the premises or elsewhere), or any other abuse which is alleged to have taken place.
Staff will also notify local children’s services and, if appropriate, the police of any allegations as above.
All concerns will be kept confidential.
All staff at this nursery has an up-to-date training and understanding of safeguarding children issues and are aware of how to respond to:
Significant changes in children’s behaviour
Deterioration in their general well-being
Unexplained bruising, marks or signs of possible abuse
Neglect
Comments children make which give cause for concern
DESIGNATED SAFE GUARD OFFICERS
Joanne Ward (Nursery manager)
Elizabeth Borrowski (DEputy)
Heather brooks(DEputy)
We are proud to be registered with Operation Encompass. This means we work in partnership with local police and safeguarding agencies to ensure that we can provide immediate and appropriate support to children who may have been exposed to domestic abuse. The wellbeing, safety, and emotional support of every child in our care is always our highest priority.