Settling your child at Nursery
At St. Nicholas Nursery, we understand that starting nursery is a big step for both children and their families. That’s why we offer settling-in sessions so that both parents and children get more of sense of how the nursery is. These sessions are carefully designed to ease the transition into nursery life, helping children feel safe, secure, and confident in their new environment.
We offer three settling-in sessions for you and your child which usually take place two weeks before the start date. Settling sessions are normally two hours and more are available if required. About 4 weeks before the start date, as appropriate, we will contact you again to confirm with you the dates of the three settling-in sessions.
You are welcome to stay with your child. Normally by the second settling, we would ask that you leave your child with us so he/she gets used to you not being in the room.
We will review the settles and finalise the details for the actual start date after which, we look forward to welcoming you and your child into the nursery.
Our experienced practitioners are here to support you at every step during the settling-in process, and will share their advice and tips on how to ensure it is as seamless for all involved and that your child is happy.
Why Settling-In Matters
The early days at nursery can shape a child’s entire experience. Settling-in sessions allow children to:
- Gradually adjust to new surroundings, routines, and people at their own pace
- Build trust with their key person and other staff members
- Explore the environment with the comfort of a familiar adult nearby
- Develop a sense of belonging, which is vital for emotional well-being and learning
For you, as a parents, these sessions offer an opportunity to:
- Observe how their child interacts and responds in the nursery setting
- Meet the team and ask questions about routines, care, and curriculum
- Share important information about their child’s needs, preferences, and personality
- Feel reassured that their child is in a caring and professional environment
Further Settling In Information
We ask you to complete a child personal record form during your first settling for you and your child, telling us names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses and also providing us with a signature and password. We would like to know all the key people who may be dropping off and collecting your child and the password comes in handy as an extra layer of security.
At the settling in sessions we will go through the completed care plan of details about your child which tell us about routines, sleep patterns, diet, allergies, previous nursery experience and everything we need to know to ensure we settle in your child as efficiently and comfortably as possible. Consent forms will also be completed at settling-in sessions.
We know how far ahead some families are planning their child's early years care and if you are booked many months in advance, we invite you to come and see the nursery again before the start date. Please feel free to bring a partner, friend, or other relative.
