Frequently Asked Questions
How near are the nurseries to public transport and parking?
Our Outstanding nurseries are in walking distance to public transport and local shops. We are based in North West London, near Edgware and Mill Hill amenities. Edgware Station is on the Northern Line and is an 8-minute walk, through a short cut down Bakery Path. The Mill Hill Broadway Railway Station is also nearby, giving easy access from our nursery to the city and central London. Click here for a map.
There are parking facilities nearby our nursery schools, please speak to our administration department for more information.
Is there anywhere to leave a buggy if I’m walking my child to nursery?
Yes, we have buggy ports outside the nurseries; you can leave it there and collect it in the evening when you pick your child up. The shed prevents buggies from getting wet or damaged.
Why is Shannon ChildCare’s approach different to other nurseries?
We are unique in the way we operate. Unlike any other nursery near to us, we have three specialised houses; each house is dedicated to the age and stage of the children. The transitioning procedure we use enables our children to gain confidence with changes and be eager to progress and learn; they feel secure because our practitioners work across all three settings. Our Nursery and Reception Curriculum ensures our children attain a breadth of knowledge, far beyond their years!
How would you settle my child into nursery?
We have a settling in process, which enables you and your child to relax easily into a new routine. It is really important for you both to feel secure. At Shannon ChildCare we do home visits, whereby your child sees us at their own home, therein after you attend the nursery for an hour with your child where you spend the time with your child’s Key Carers. We then plan with you a gentle settling in schedule whereby the amount of hours your child spends at nursery slowly increases, so that you and your child feel that our nursery is your ‘second home’. During the first month we keep in close contact with you to ensure you are happy with the care we are providing.
How does the nursery inform parents of their child’s day or development?
Our day care nursery works very closely with parents. We understand how important it is to keep you informed of your child’s day. This is the reason we have a special App that provides you with information on time in and out of nursery, sleep times, nappy changes and food intake during the day. Parents very much appreciate our interaction. We do this in a number of ways, through our App and our secure Facebook site where we upload daily pictures of your child’s time at nursery. We inform you of all the activities we have planned via social media and you can share these experiences with your child at the end of each day.
You are also welcome to give us a call anytime during the day to find out how your ‘Angel’ is doing.
Every six months we hold parent meetings. We share your child’s Learning Journal, a detailed Development Summary and ‘Next Steps’ reports. For those children in our ‘Baby House’ we also include a DVD incorporating pictures and video footage of your child’s progress. These are wonderful keepsakes that we know you will cherish.
What curriculum or activities take place at your nursery?
Shannon ChildCare follow the Government Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) guidelines. We incorporate ‘Montessori Initiated Ideas’ into our curriculum and planning for your child’s knowledge and development. Shannon ChildCare believe in adult-led as well as child-led activities throughout the day, therefore we create a varied, enabling environment whereby your child is curious and eager to learn. Providing this quality of education from a young age encourages your child’s inquisitiveness, resilience and knowledge.
Our Nursery and Reception Curriculum including our own personal ‘8 Learning Attitudes’ are shared with parents, on the Parent Area. We provide ideas to our parents to help stimulate and encourage their child’s erudition; through working in Partnership with Parents we are proud to state that our children exceed the Government Early Years Foundation Stage Guidelines. The majority of our children are not only ‘School Ready’ by the time they leave us; they are in advance of their milestones.
Our curriculum section details separately all the main areas we cover within a day at our nurseries. Weather permitting we like to use the outdoor areas providing as much physical exercise as possible. We also introduce our young children to meditation and yoga, teaching them calming techniques.
When not in a pandemic we regularly make visits to our local Care Home, where our pre-schoolers learn to mix with seniors; this is a treat for both generations. We also go to the local library, park and supermarket; this gives our children knowledge and understanding of their community. Teaching children about different cultures and faiths broadens their awareness about the world around them.
Teaching our young children ‘Life Skills’ provides them with the confidence to be independent and have belief in their abilities, it is wonderful to watch them develop into inquisitive, confident and independent people. Their cognitive and interaction skills are encouragingly excellent and this is through our practitioners ‘Open-Ended Questioning’ and constant collaboration. We are sure you will be delighted with your child’s progress at Shannon ChildCare.
What security measures do Shannon ChildCare use to keep children safe?
We adhere to our ‘Safer Recruitment’ policy when employing new staff. Before joining our team, all staff members undergo an enhanced DBS Police check and register it on the ‘update service’ allowing this to be checked regularly. We ensure that our practitioners are knowledgeable on all safeguarding regulations.
All our toys and equipment are of a high quality and we conduct regular Risk Assessments of the premises and equipment, this ensures everything is maintained to the highest of standards. Children are familiar with our regular Fire Drills so they understand the procedure in case of an emergency.
Our App enables our parents to upload pictures of any persons collecting their child; security is paramount to us at Shannon ChildCare. Passwords are also used to identify family and friends who are collecting a child. Furthermore, within one of our nurseries we have CCTV footage and walkie-talkies, ensuring all our practitioners are in constant contact with each other.
Prior to entering the nurseries any person not employed by Shannon ChildCare has to sign in and out of our visitor’s book and are accompanied at all times.
What type of food does your nursery provide?
The Environmental Health have awarded Shannon ChildCare with a 5* Rating.
Our menus are both pescatarian and vegetarian and we use a variety of fresh vegetables and fruit within all our meals. We ensure that our menus are well-balanced and we provide proteins in the form of fish, Quorn, tofu, eggs, dairy products; feta, mozzarella, cheddar, yogurt. We also use pulses, beans, lentils, chickpeas, green peas, Quinoa, barley, buckwheat, rice, couscous, pasta, egg noodles and oats within our menus. Please see Nutrition & Menus for more detailed information.
Our children certainly enjoy our meals, seconds are always requested!
We are proud to have achieved a Bronze Award from the Healthy Early Years London (HEYL) Mayor of London
What are the nursery rules on comforters?
Should your child use a comforter we ask parents to provide us with an additional article to be kept at nursery, this will be placed in your child’s personal box. All items must be marked with your child’s name. We don’t recommend the use of dummies unless for nap time, however we work closely with parents to ensure each child feels safe and secure. Sometimes just the scent of a parent on a muslin cloth can make a child settle more easily.
How does the nursery meet my child’s individual needs?
Prior to your child starting we ask you to provide us with detailed information on your child and their routine. We then ensure continuity, so that your child feels safe and secure. Your child will be allocated two Key Carers who will be responsible for your child’s progress. Our senior staff have many years of experience working with children; they are professional and knowledgeable. Through working together with parents we make sure our children’s individual needs are met. When settled we detail your child’s starting points at our nursery and we then write up their milestone ‘Next Steps’. We adapt our care as your child develops, planning activities and learning according to their achievements and needs.
How do you help children with special educational needs and disabilities?
Our professional team of practitioners have a wealth of experience with children with special educational needs and disabilities. We work together with you and other outside agencies providing outstanding care for your child.
A number of our staff have SEND knowledge. With our expertise we are able to identify any additional needs and reduce the impact by providing immediate care, utilising external agencies. We are also able to support your child by gaining a statement from the Local Education Authority; we also work alongside schools to help with transitioning.
What happens if my child becomes unwell whilst at nursery school?
We follow our Medication and Temperature Policy. Should your child become sick during nursery we will contact you, if we are unable to speak with you we will call the emergency contacts you have provided us.
Shannon ChildCare take infection procedures seriously and we keep exposure to infectious diseases under control. If your child is showing signs of an infectious virus, high temperature, vomiting, diarrhoea or is not settled, we will send them home. We only ask you to collect your child if we believe they are unwell and can infect other children and persons working within the nursery.
Unlike other childcare provisions we have a separate cleaner that follows meticulous hygiene and cleaning procedures, the premises and toys are cleaned daily and weekly.
Do your nurseries give medication?
Shannon ChildCare’s Medication Policy states that we only administer prescribed medicine to your child with prior written agreement from the parent. After giving the first Antibiotic dose at home we ask parents to be vigilant and not bring their child back if they are unwell. A minimum period of 48 hours is required prior to your child coming back to nursery, depending on the severity of the illness.
Should your child get a high temperature whilst at nursery school we will, with your consent, give Calpol, Nurofen (depending on the medication you have supplied). We then ask you to collect your child within two hours to minimise infection within the nursery.
What is Shannon ChildCare’s registration procedure?
A ‘Show Round’ at Shannon ChildCare’s nurseries can be arranged, with prior request or we can organise a Virtual Tour for you. Please complete our General Enquiry Form.
We welcome new parents to meet with our practitioners and other personnel and watch our children at play. Through seeing our unique, caring style parents can appreciate the warmth we impart.
Once we have received your ‘Application for Registration’ form, together with a non-refundable Registration Fee we confirm your child’s place at nursery. We do have a Waiting List and we endeavour to provide our parents with their preferred days and sessions. Our administration department is in regular contact with you and will arrange a home visit or a Zoom meeting, the settling in days and start date. We recommend a slow settling in period, around two to three weeks for three hours then more at a time, to ensure that your child feels that Shannon ChildCare is their second home.
All new parents are provided with information on ‘Getting Your Child Ready For Nursery’ plus, once registered, access any of Shannon ChildCare’s parenting workshops.
What happens if I take my child on holiday?
We would appreciate you informing us if you are going on holiday; this can be recorded on our register and within your ‘Focus Child’s’ planning. If your child is absent due to illness or holiday, payment is still due in full.
Please note we are not able to swap or credit back sessions.
What dates are Shannon ChildCare closed?
Shannon ChildCare is only closed a period between Christmas and New Year and the last week of August, which includes the bank holiday, plus other statutory public bank holidays.
All renovations take place during the time the nursery is closed and we like to have a thorough ‘Spring Clean’. Keeping our nurseries hygienic and well maintained is important to us.
Can my child attend extra sessions?
Many parents take advantage of our flexibility in adding additional days or hours, this is subject to availability. However we do the best we can to help support our parents, we ask you please to email us with your request and provide a minimum of 24 hours’ notice. All additional sessions are invoiced and paid in full at the end of the month.
Can I make permanent changes to my child’s attendance?
We are able to change your child’s schedule, as long as you abide by our minimum attendance of two days a week. This is subject to availability and we will place you on our Waiting List, should the day be unavailable. Furthermore, we require a minimum of two full calendar months’ notice in writing if changing days. If you require additional days please speak to our administration department and we will do our best to support you.
What happens when my child leaves nursery?
Our contract requests twelve weeks’ written notice when leaving our care. Furthermore, as we provide both 15 and 30 hours free childcare for our over 3 year olds the Local Authority requires advanced notice. Please note government funding is calculated on a termly basis and this coincides with our written notice period.
For those children over 3 and 4 years of age we ask you please to share your plans for your child. This enables us to prepare them for their future learning; Shannon ChildCare has good relationships with local schools. Our detailed Development Summaries provide excellent transition information for the new school. Additionally we offer them to come to our nursery and meet their future child, at play. We have a graduation ceremony celebrating your child’s time with us, which the children enjoy immensely.
How are fees calculated?
Our fees are calculated as a fixed monthly rate based on your child’s weekly sessions. We multiply the number of sessions x 52 weeks, which is then divided by 12 months to produce an average monthly cost. If you are starting your child at Shannon ChildCare mid-month we calculate the number of sessions within that month. Only in the month of August will the cost be re-calculated due to our one-week closure.