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Bright Beginnings



We are a full day care service for children aged 3mths to 5 years.

The nursery is based within the grounds of North Kent College but is open for all children to attend.

We are open from 8am - 6pm, the daily costs are available on request and a deposit may be required to secure your place at the nursery.

We are happy to accept children who are eligible for the 15 hours free childcare for 2 years olds and 3-4 year old funding, we also accept children who are eligible for the 30 hours children (once eligibility has been confirmed)

We have a large purpose build nursery with 1 baby room and 1 toddler rooms for 2-3 year olds and a pre-school room for 3-4 year olds.

We provide all meals for the children and have a cook who prepares all meals with fresh ingredients and on a daily basis, all dietary requirements will be catered.

Who to contact

Contact Name
Lynne Tomlinson
Contact Position
Manager
Telephone
01322 629443
E-mail
lynnetomlinson@northkent.ac.uk
Website
https://www.bright-beginnings-nursery.co.uk/

Where to go

Address
North Kent College
Oakfield Lane
Dartford
Kent
Postcode
DA1 2JT
Notes

We have additional parking directly outside of the nursery 

When is it on?

When is childcare available
Term Time Only, Open All Year
Carescheme Age Range:
0 year(s), 3 month(s) to 5 year(s), 0 month(s)
Opening Times
Opening Times
DayOpening TimeClosing Time
Monday 08:00 18:00
Tuesday 08:00 18:00
Wednesday 08:00 18:00
Thursday 08:00 18:00
Friday 08:00 18:00
Other Availability
Am session 8am-1pm
PM session 1pm -6pm

Other Details

Table of costs
Table of costs
AmountCost Type
£77.00-£79.50 Per day
£54.00 - £49.50 Per session am
£49.50 - £46.00 Per session pm
ECD Type
Day Nursery
Offers pickups
No
Cost(s)
Cost details
Contact provider for details
lynnetomlinson@northkent.ac.uk
Total vacancies
18
Vacancies Details
Places available form September in 2-3 years and 3-4 year old room
Immediate vacancies?
Yes
Contact Provider for Vacancy Details?
Yes
Vacancy range
Vacancy Range
Start AgeEnd AgePlaces
2 3 18
Vacancy Information Last updated Date
25/05/2022
Facilities
Sandpit, Arts And Crafts, Music, Reading, Woodwork, Computers / It, Refreshments, Cookery, Messy Play Area, Books, Paddling Pool, See-Saw, Kitchen, Bike, Environmental Area, Tv/video/dvd, Sleeping Area, Parks/playgrounds, Slide, Gym, Climbing Frame, Sports, Visits and Outings, Garden
Languages Spoken:
English
Wheelchair Access
Yes
Wheelchair access details
The nursery is accessable to wheelchairs and is all on one level

Ofsted Information

Ofsted URN
EY270365
Link to latest ofsted inspection report 

30 Hours Extended Entitlement

30 Hours Partner Details (These are details of any other childcare provider(s) that this provider will work with to offer the 30 hours entitlement)

We offer the 30 hours free entilement free at the point of delivery and we offer the sessions on a full day (10hour) session from 8am-6pm or a half day AM session from 8am -1pm (5hours ) or a half day PM session (5hours). These can be used in a combination of the hours.

A meal supplment is chargeable to cover the meals and snacks offered to the child throughout the day.

Support with Childcare Costs

Free for 2 (families with 2 year olds receiving additional forms of government support)?
Yes
Universal Entitlements
Yes
Working Parents Entitlement
Yes

Service status

Status
Open

Local Offer

Description

We currently have 9 children who are being supporting in the nursery who have got an identified special educational need. They are based in the various room throughout the nursery and are supported by their keyperson SENCO both in the room and in our newly developed sensory room.

We have children who are currently on a joint observation and assessment placement with Ifiled and have a specialist teacher who comes into the nursery to support the children and staff.

We have an array of support staff who attend the nursery including occupational therapist, portage workers, and speech therapists.

Special Needs Support

How does the setting identify children with additional needs or SEND? 

We begin to obtain information regarding your child when we first meet them and the family at the time, we show them around the nursery. We ask you to share with us any information you may feel would be useful for us to know in order for us to care for child, this may include health issues, additional support your child may need, things they like to do and play with. You may have lots of questions for us at this point, so you may want to come with some prepared questions to ask us as we show you around.

We will give you an admission pack, when you come visit us and we will also give you all the information regarding nursery fees. In addition, information on the funding which you may be eligible for, and how you go about applying for this funding. The form will ask you lots of questions about your child, and this gives you a further opportunity to give us more details such as health concerns and medications or allergies your child may have, as well as full details of any additional needs your child may have.

Both the show around and the admission form give an opportunity to identify what we may need to put in place for your child, E.G allergy to cow’s milk, allows us a chance to order soya milk for when your child is due to start. 

We will then book your settling in sessions, on average we usually work on at least 3 sessions, on the first one you will have some additional paperwork to complete which your child’s key person will go through with you. These include;

  • ‘All About Me’ booklet
  • A development checklist to let us know what your child can do.
  • If deemed suitable a Sensory Audit Form.

During these sessions with your key person you will get to share information relevant to the care of your child.

Each session will be longer than the first and we will encourage your child for longer periods in order for them to settle with us. If they become too upset, we will call you and may extend their settling in sessions until they are happy to be with us.

All the above information and your key persons observations of your child during their settling sessions will enable to then to assess their developmental starting point in line with the national document ‘Developmental Matters’.

If we feel that your child would benefit from extra support the key person will seek your permission to talk to the nursery Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) we currently have got 5 trained SENCO’s in the setting whose role includes:

  • Attending specialist training on how to support children’s additional needs
  • Supporting your key person to review your child’s progress regularly
  • Complete all observations and relevant paperwork
  • Liaising with the Local Equality and Inclusion Advisor
  • Work in partnership with you to make appropriate referrals
  • Attend Local Inclusion Forum Team (LIFT) meetings to gain advice and make a further referral to the Specialist and Teaching and Learning Service (STLS).

It may be necessary at this point depending on their advice to put some additional plans and targets in place such as:

  • A targeted plan may be put in place to show we can support the child and what small targets we can set them.
  • A personalised plan may be used for more specific needs and a series of targets will be set for them.
  • A referral to Speech and Language Team may be made if we feel your child would benefit from some support with their speech, language and understanding.

It is always the nurseries aim to ensure that we give the you and your child the best support needed to help them to develop and we will always discuss all plans and actions with you before making any referrals.

 

 

How will I be informed / consulted about the ways in which my child is being supported? 

Each time you visit the nursery you will be able to share any relevant information with your key person, this will help you to build a professional relationship in a positive way.

Our key person approach means that your child’s key person is the person who knows your child best, is an essential part of our ethos within the nursery and a major element of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS).

On a daily basis we will also record on our electronic I Connect system what you child has eaten that day, if they sleep and for how long, how and when nappy changes have occurred, and if they have had any accidents at nursery.

We will always feedback to you in person at the end of your child’s session and you will have a chance to speak to a member of staff in your child’s room. If you would like to speak to your child’s key person we are able to arrange a time which is suitable for both of you to sit and discuss how your child is doing at nursery.

If your child is on a targeted or personalised plan then your key person or SENCO, will work collaboratively with you to ensure that you are both sharing your child’s progress and the targets that you are both supporting the child with.

On a weekly basis you will also see a fully graded observation of your child against the ‘Developmental Matters’ framework, as well as some moments we would like to share with you, this may be in the form of photos, video or written information. You will also get to see what your key person is planning to help support your child on a weekly basis.

After around 2-3 weeks after they start with us the key person will complete a baseline assessment in all areas of their develop which will be shared with you on our I Connect/Parent Zone electronic child care management system, and then every term you will see a full assessment or 2 year check completed by the key person as an overview of their whole development.

Through your Parent Zone App you will also be able to make comments on your observations and photos, as well as add your own photos of special events and days out that your share with your family and we can use all these lovely moments to your child’s profile to build up an overall picture of your child’s individual abilities, like and dislikes.

 

How will the setting adapt the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum for my child's needs? 

The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS), is the educational framework which includes the ‘Development Matters’ document, which the key person consults to enable them to assess your child’s individual level of development in the 7 areas of learning, broken down into three prime areas and four specific areas of learning.

Below are examples of how we plan and execute play and learning in these areas:

Prime Areas 

Communication and Language & Personal Social and Emotional development.

  • We make our book areas cosy and comfortable for children to relax and enjoy a variety of language rich and interesting age appropriate books.
  • We provide a language rich environment which is adapted to the age and needs of the children in each age group.
  • Included in our planning and daily routine, we give time to share information and participate in small group activities.
  • We obtain key words in a variety of languages appropriate to the language speaks at home.
  • We are planning in the next few months for all staff to engage in ‘I Can Early Talk Boost Programme’ to help support the children’s language development.
  • We are currently developing a lending library so children can borrow games puzzles books and sound boxes
  • We have helpful hits cards and guidance for parents so they can support their child’s development at home with them.
  • We sing lots of lovely songs including phonics with the children, we are happy to supply song sheets for the parents to have at home so they can join in singing with their children.
  • We liaise with speech and language therapists and implement any advice they recommend.
  • The layout of the room will be paramount to support the children to engage in social services activities both adult-led and child-led, E.G home corners.
  • We acknowledge that children need to explore their feelings and accept and manage them in a positive way.

Physical Development.

  • We provide a fully accessible environment for all children’s needs to be met, including cosy quiet areas, angry stamping areas or a space to run.
  • The large outdoor environment allows us to provide a range of activities to support the children’s range of physical abilities.
  • We follow the guidance of specialist therapists to support children’s individual needs in the nursery.
  • We offer a range of activities which suit the children’s large and fine motor, skills in a wide range of activities both in the indoor and outdoor environments.
  • We have an external sports coach to come into nursery to promote physical activity with the children.
  • We will always adapt our menus to meet the child’s dietary requirements.

Four specific areas of learning.

Mathematics;

  • We provide a range of early mathematics activities with the children, we will look at shapes, colours and numbers in a variety of ways with the different age children, including number songs.
  • We provide a numeric, shape and colour environment which enables the children to see them in the world around them.
  • We cover mathematics in both small and large group activities as well as on a one to one basis where necessary.

Understanding the world:

  • We celebrate and share with the children a wide range of festivals and cultural activities which will be aimed at the level of understanding and engagement.
  • The nursery will invite people in to the nursery to share with us their jobs, cultural festivals and disabilities.

Expressive Arts and Design:

  • We offer a wide range of art and craft activities both indoors and outside, and this will be targeted at the children’s abilities and reflect on their own choices.
  • There is a wide range of different music which the children will listen to and enjoy dancing and singing too.

 Literacy:

  • We make our book areas cosy and comfortable for children to relax and enjoy a variety of language rich and interesting age appropriate books.
  • We provide a language rich environment which is adapted to the age and needs of the children in each age group.
  • Included in our planning and daily routine, we give time to share information and participate in small group activities.
  • We obtain key words in a variety of languages appropriate to the language spoken at home.
  • We differentiate the level of books that we offer the different ages of children.

We are now also using the New Milestone Assessment Toolkit which helps us to show progress for the children and helps us to plan the next steps of the children in more achieveable steps.

What teaching strategies does the setting use for children with additional needs or learning difficulties? 

Environment:

The nursery environment is carefully considered to ensure that we enable children to be able to use the whole environment, we start by having a purpose-built building which is all on one level, each room has full access to the garden area. The baby room has one room which has natural light and one internal room which does not have any windows. All other rooms have windows and double doors leading to the garden.

Each room has fully moveable furniture which can get moved to create quiet spaces or be moved to create a larger floor space. Rugs and carpets are positioned around the room which enable both small and large group activities.

All tables and chairs are low level, appropriate for the age of the children in each room and we ensure that all the toilet facilities are fully accessible for both the children and the adults.

Resources:

We are fortunate to have a well-equipped nursery, which allows us to have a range of toys and equipment for all ages. If it is recommended by a SENCO or a Specialist Teacher, that a child or baby requires any specialist equipment then we obtain this to ensure that we can support their learning. In some cases, we have access to additional funds which can be used to augment the staff, in order for them to complete reports and meet Specialist Teachers as well as attend meetings.

Teaching Strategies:

All the staff in the nursery are fully trained to work within the early years sector. We also have two Early Years Teachers (EYT’s) who support the staff in enhancing the learning for the children. We are also have several SENCO trained staff who have undergone specialist training, in order to ensure that children and babies access the support. They assist with any help the child may require as well as giving guidance to the keyperson to support the child’s needs. The SENCO will also ensure that all relevant paperwork is complete and is shared with the parents/carers and professionals.

The key documents we use to support our teaching are:

Developmental Matters – This links the into the Early Years Foundation Stage

Best Practice Guidance – This has been designed by the Specialist Teaching and Learning Service (STLS), which sets up a range of strategies to support the variety of needs the children may have including: visual resources and Makaton.

Targeted and Personalised Plans- This are documents which are shared and developed with Specialist Teachers and parents/carers on a regular basis.

The SEND code of practise is fully embedded in the nursery practises, and children are supported in:

Communication and Interaction

Cognition and learning

Social and Emotional and mental health

Physical/Sensory difficulties.

 

What additional support does the setting provide for children with additional needs or SEND? 

We have a comprehensive SEND policy in place within the nursery which sets out how we aim to support children with additional or SEND needs in the setting.

We begin by getting to know you and your child and will discuss any identified needs which may need supporting. When your child is not making progress within the EYFS then we would consider starting a targeted plan in conjunction with yourselves, this will mean setting small targets for your child to achieve.

If this is not successful then we will consider referring them to the Specialist Teaching and Learning Service, where we will present our concerns at the Local Inclusions Team Forum (LIFT). If it is accepted a Specialist Teacher will be allocated. They will then visit the setting and offer us some additional advice and guidance on how we can support your child in the nursery.

In some cases, there may be a team of specialists who support your child and we are happy to be involved with meetings to gain further ideas and suggestions to support your child.

In order for the staff to support the needs of the children they are encouraged and supported to attend a variety of training courses which support child’s learning, staff have recently attended Makaton training, and the prime importance of communication of language.

We have in the past undertaken additional medical training to ensure that we meet the needs of the children, training included Epi pen training and the administration of insulin training.

 

 

 

How will the setting monitor my child's progress and how will I be involved in this? 

From the very beginning we will be drawing on your expert knowledge of your child and their needs. We encourage you to engage with your child’s key person as they will be the person who will be undertaking observations, planning and supporting your child whilst they are at nursery.

Each time a targeted or personalised plan is reviewed we will do this with you. If we need to make any additional referrals or suggest any further support we will always complete all paperwork with you and will keep you updated of the progress that is being made.

Your key person will be posting regular observations on I Connect and you will also see a termly assessment on your child’s overall development. We hope you will make comments on these as well as adding some lovely photos and observations of your child when they are having fun with you too.

There are two statutory assessments we also carry out with the children they are:

  • a progress check at 2 years old, this should be shared with your health visitor and you can discuss any concerns you may have with them. As she will be undertaking a developmental check of her own at the point.
  • Early Years Foundation Stage Profile when they are going off to school, this will be shared with your child’s new school and teacher who will use it to look at the starting points for the children when they start in September.

We pride ourselves on the great partnerships with the parents and we are also happy to meet with you to discuss your child’s progress at any time.

How do you ensure children with additional needs or SEND can be included in the same activities as other children, including trips? 

We have a fully accessible building with low level chairs and tables, this ensures that all children can access all areas of the nursery.

We believe in supporting all the children’s individual needs and we are fully committed to inclusive practice and ensure that it is paramount in our minds when we look at planning and the deployment of staff.

Due to us having a very spacious nursery which is well staffed, this enables us to work in both small and large groups with the children and have additional staff with the children.

All children will be encouraged to participate in all activities and the keyperson will ensure that any differentiation that may be required to carried out so all children can have fun and participate in all activities.

Due to the high numbers of children in the nursery we currently are not going on any trips or outings, but in the new year we hope to be part of a new forest school scheme within the college. This will enable all the children to participate in the scheme, we will ensure adequate and suitable car seats are purchased and an increased number of staff will be present on the trip to ensure full participation by all the children. One to one support will be considered if it is deemed necessary depending on the individual needs of the child.

 

How accessible is the building for children with mobility difficulties / wheelchair users? 

The nursery is within the grounds of North Kent College, we have direct parking outside the nursery, the building has been purpose built and is fully accessible. The nursery is laid out all on the ground floor and access to the garden is also through the main rooms.

The children’s toilets are based within the group rooms and children can access these. We have an accessible toilet in the main corridor of the nursery.

All fire exits lead out to the main college areas and there are no steps or tricky surfaces to negotiate.

The whole building is DDA approved and monitored by the college Health and Safety Team to ensure compliance.

 

 

How will you support my child's transition to a new setting or school? 

When your child is ready to move onto school we will be completing their final assessment, which will form part of their transition report. You will receive a copy of and once you are happy with it and it is signed we will send it off to your child’s new school.

Your child’s teacher will also generally come to the nursery to visit them and have a chat with there key person who will discuss their transition report. We will let know how that visit goes at the time when you come to collect your child from nursery.

In the nursery we will be preparing your child for school by reading a series of stories and adding school uniform into the home corner. This will aid with them practising getting dressed and undressed. We also have books about their new schools which some of the schools provide to us to share with the children.

If it is deemed necessary, the keyperson will go to your child’s new school with you to support both you and your child and to share information with the school about your child. We can share all other relevant paperwork and reports at this point as well.

How does the setting assess the overall effectiveness of its SEN provision and how can parents / carers take part in this evaluation? 

We assess our SEN provision by:

  • Reviewing our SENDCO policy on a yearly basis to ensure that we have updated the policy to include in changes in practise which may have occurred in the past year.
  • By attending LIFT meetings and are acting upon the guidance given.
  • By attending SENCO forum meetings and sharing the information with all SENCO’s
  • By working with parents and the children and using their feedback to improve our practise.
  • By holding regular SENCO meetings in the nursery so staff can support and give guidance to each other where necessary.
  • By reflecting on feedback from specialists who visit the setting and share this with staff at both the SENDCO and staff meetings.

 

Who should I contact if I am considering registering for a place at the setting? 

  • By following our admission policy. Make direct contact with the nursery and we will book a show around.
  • Once we are able to offer you a place, this will depend on availability. You will then be invited in to attend settling sessions.
  • On this first session, you will be asked to complete documents including All About Me, Sensory Audits, and starting grids. These will be shared with the key person.
  • We will then arrange an additional meeting with the SENCO to consider whether additional funding to support the your child could be sought, such as SENIF funding, or DAF funding depending on the needs of your child and if you are currently in receipt of certain benefits.

 

What arrangements does the setting have for feedback from parents / carers, including compliments and complaints? 

  • Within our policies we have a complaints procedure which also clearly displayed in the nursery.
  • All policies and procedures are available to view on the nursery website.
  • We can receive feedback through the I Connect/Parentzone app which can create a two-way conversation between the parent and the key person or SENDCO.
  • We ask parents to add comments to the comment and suggestion board which is displayed in the nursery entrance.
  • We keep copies of emails, letters and cards from parents wishing to express there appreciation for the nursery and our staff.

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