Childcare in the Daisy Room

At Colleges Nursery and Family Centre we aim to develop children's physical, intellectual, emotional and social development through play and first hand experiences, within a secure and caring environment.

By providing facilities to meet all children's needs we hope that they will grow in self-confidence, gain independence, learn new skills and enjoy meeting other children and adults.

At Colleges we place great emphasis on providing equal opportunities for all of the children in our care and aim to promote an understanding and valuing of their differences, building positive attitudes.  In this way, children will begin to understand the diversity of their world.

In the Daisy Room we provide wrap around care for children attending the Nursery School and offer a range of sessions for children from the age of two years of age.

Our purpose built room provides a caring, nurturing and stimulating environment with a home feel.  Our carefully selected staff are well trained and work to the nursery ethos to provide children with a range of activities and experiences, tailored to each child's individual needs, that will encourage them to build new skills and develop all aspects of their development.

Planning ensures that children have access to both Birth to Three Matters Framework and the Foundation Stage Curriculum.  There are a range of indoor and outdoor activities planned for each session in the Daisy Room and children are encouraged to make personal choices and alongside adults and other children will have the opportunity to explore all activities and experiences on offer.  Staff continually monitor children's individual interests and personal development.

Who can attend?

Allocation of places is determined by the following criteria:

1. Children who are allocated an educational place at Colleges Nursery School who have a high level of need and who have been referred by a social worker, health professional, pre-school learning support teacher, special needs officer or the traveller referral team.
2. Children living in the catchment area who will be attending Colleges Nursery School for education.
3. Children not living in the catchment area but who will be attending Colleges Nursery School for education.
4. Children who have an older sibling that will be attending Colleges Nursery School.
5. Children living in the catchment area but who will not be attending Colleges Nursery School for education.
6. Children not living in the catchment area and who will not be attending Colleges Nursery School for education.

In cases of equal merit within these criteria, priority will first be given to children in public care, then to children living nearest to Colleges Nursery and Family Centre, as drawn in a straight line.

The catchment area for Colleges covers areas within the boundary of Histon Road, Gilbert Road, Milton Road and the A14.

 Open Times and Sessions

Child care in the Daisy Room is available from 8.00 a.m. - 6.00 p.m. Monday to Friday for 48 weeks of the year.  There are a variety of different sessions available to fit in with your child's time in the Nursery School or your work commitments. 

 Applying for a place in the Daisy Room

You may apply for a childcare place in the Daisy Room any time after your child's first birthday.  Please complete and return an application form (page 1 and page 2).  You will also need to provide a copy of your child's birth certificate and proof of your home address.  We will then contact you should a place become available.

Please note that we are unable to reserve places in the Daisy Room and that submission of an application form for a childcare place in the Daisy Room does not guarantee a place being available.  The offer of a childcare place in the Daisy Room does not constitute a nursery school place.  Applications for the Nursery School should be made separately.

Keyworkers

You and your child will be assigned a keyworker within the Daisy Room.  When you come for your first visit the keyworker will find out as much information about your child as possible.  This is to help us to provide your child with the best possible care.  Important points to share with us are your child's likes/dislikes, favourite activities/toys, dietary requirements etc.

Although your child and family will have an assigned keyworker your child may well appoint their own keyperson.  This is someone they feel most comfortable with and during their time within the Daisy Room, develop a relationship with this particular person.  This person will assist the keyworker in settling your child, caring for and making observations on your child.

Further information

Please refer to our Daisy Room Information Leaflet.  We welcome enquiries - please see the 'Contact Us' page.