Starting nursery is a significant milestone in a child's life and can be an anxious time for families. At Highbury Nursery, we understand the importance of ensuring a smooth and positive transition for both children and their families.
Every child is different, and our settling plan reflects this by offering a personalised approach that takes into account each child’s personality, previous experiences, and developmental stage. We work closely with parents to gather essential information about their child’s routines, preferences, and comfort items to create a familiar and reassuring atmosphere.
We believe a gradual introduction to the nursery environment is key to a successful settling-in period. Our settling plan typically involves short, initial visits that gradually increase in duration as the child becomes more comfortable and secure. This approach allows children to settle at their own pace, building confidence and reducing anxiety.
At Highbury Nursery, each child and their family are assigned to a key person who will be their primary contact at nursery. Your key person will become your child’s secure base, playing a crucial role during the settling period and beyond and forming a strong and trusting relationship with your child and family. They provide consistent support and promote open communication to form a link between nursery and home. Parents play a vital role in helping their child settle into nursery life and an essential part of the initial settling in is for a parent to be with their child and gradually step back as their child becomes more secure with their key person.
To help children feel at home, we encourage them to bring comfort items such as a favourite toy or blanket which can provide reassurance and help ease the transition into the nursery setting. We also strive to maintain elements of the child’s routine from home, ensuring consistency and familiarity. Open communication between parents and nursery is encouraged to provide a strong partnership with parents throughout your child’s time at nursery.
Throughout the settling period, our staff closely observe your child’s individual needs and stage of development to gauge their comfort level and progress. Open communication with parents provides a consistent and personalised approach to settling your child and gives families reassurance and confidence that your child is secure and happy at nursery.
Our nursery environment is designed to be nurturing, fun and child-friendly. We create engaging and stimulating spaces where children can explore and play with confidence and independence, helping them to feel excited about coming to nursery. Our staff are trained to provide gentle encouragement, support and opportunities to extend their interests, whilst fostering a sense of belonging and community.
Settling into nursery is an ongoing process. Providing a secure, happy and nurturing environment for your little one is a continuous process throughout your family’s time at nursery. Regular check-ins and open communication channels support the child’s unique needs and development.
At Highbury Nursery, we aim to make the transition to nursery life as smooth and positive as possible. Our comprehensive settling plan ensures that each child feels safe, valued, and ready to embark on their early learning journey with confidence and joy.
We invite families to book a visit to see our wonderful nursery and experience our nurturing environment in person. This will give you a sense of how Highbury Nursery can support your child's growth and become part of your family life.
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Explore our collection of helpful resources, including OFSTED reports, the Famly app, and FAQs, all designed to assist you in your child’s early development journey.
