Frequently asked questions

General

How do I arrange a visit?

Please just give us a call on (01757 269400 Cawood) (01904 5017790 Escrick) or email us and we can arrange a suitable time for you to come and visit the setting.

When are you open?

Cawood
Monday to Thursday from 7.30am to 6pm
Friday 7.30am-5.30pm. 

Escrick
Monday to Friday 7:30am to 6PM

We operate all year round, with the exception of bank holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year.

What happens if I am delayed collecting my child?

Sometimes parents are unavoidably delayed.  Please let us know as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary concerns.  Arrangements will be made to look after your child until you arrive.  In the event that you are more than 15 minutes late, we will have to make an additional charge to cover staff costs.

How do I know my child will be safe and secure?

All our staff undergo enhanced DBS checks before they are allowed to be with the children.  In addition, references are taken up prior to starting work at Mill House.
All the toys and equipment in the setting are of a high quality and regular risk assessments on equipment and procedures are carried out to ensure everything is maintained to the highest standard.
We carry out regular Fire Drills with the children, so that they become familiar with the routine, and should we have an emergency, we will be able to clear the building quickly and safely.
We operate a password system to unknown people picking children up – parents confirm their password with staff when they drop off the child at the beginning of the session.  When the unknown person comes to collect the child they will be asked for the password before being allowed entry and to pick up the child.  Under no circumstances will any child be allowed to leave the nursery premises with an adult the staff do not know and does not have the correct password.

What activities will my child do at Nursery?

Children are offered a mixture of different activities throughout the day, which will include creative play, painting, play doh, messy/sensory play, problem solving, junk modelling, story time, dance and movement and rest and relaxation. We ensure that all activities meet the 7 areas of learning within the EYFS. There is also plenty of opportunity for free play to allow children to be inventive and use their imaginations. 

What about suncream?

We ensure your child is safe from the sun by applying sunscreen to children when they play outside in the warmer months.  We ask that you supply your own suncream. Please make sure the bottle is clearly labelled with your child’s name on it and that it is a new bottle and is a minimum of factor 40.

Starting Nursery

What happens when my child starts nursery?

We want to find out as much as possible about your child and their routine and we’ll ask you to fill out a form, called ‘All About Me’, that will give us lots of information about their home life, routine and what they do and don’t like.  We’ll ask about things like allergies, when they sleep and what their development is like if they are a baby and what kind of things they love to do.  We’ll also ask if there are any activities or celebrations that you would not want your child to do whilst at nursery such as Halloween or Christmas etc.
To ensure your child is happy when they start at Mill House you’ll be asked to bring your child to nursery for some taster sessions.  We do encourage you to leave your child with us rather than staying at nursery to allow your child to become accustomed to this.  We are very happy to call you to let you know how they are getting on if you are worried.  When you come to collect your child we will let you know how they got on and we will also go through the information you have provided to us about your child to ensure we are fully up to speed with your child’s routine, likes/dislikes and any allergies or dietary requirements.

Will my child be required to bring anything with them when starting nursery?

Yes – generally parents send their child to nursery with a bag each day with the relevant items listed below.  However, we can store nappies, wet wipes, nappy cream and a spare change of clothes in their individual box or bag at nursery.  Please consider weather conditions when providing your child with clothes for the day to ensure your child can join in with outside play even in the winter months.  In hot weather children will need a suitable sun hat and we ensure children are protected with suncream.

What kind of day will my child have at nursery?

Your child’s day will be full of fun activities where they will be able to play with other children, learn new things and explore the world around them.  We ensure we take the children outside for play as often as we can, as well as having ‘carpet time’ where we sit down to sing songs and tell stories. We have snack time mid-morning and mid-afternoon and lunch is around midday.  After lunch we generally have quieter activities like story time or baking and for children who need naps in the day we have a dedicated sleeping room as well as soft resting areas.  If your child is staying for a longer day tea-time is around 4pm and then there is more time for playing before home time. Check out or daily routine here

Do I have to provide nappies?

Yes please.  Nappies, nappy cream and a spare change of clothes can be stored at nursery in their individual box or bag. We can provide supermarket brand sensitive wipes. If you do not wish to use these please provide your own. 

Food

What will my child be given to eat and drink?

We ensure we offer the children a varied and healthy diet made from fresh produce and where possible organic cooked by our staff.  For more information please see our sample menu.

My child has a dietary requirement, food allergy/intolerance – can you accommodate this?

We can accommodate all dietary and cultural requirements including vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free & nut free.

Staff

How many staff will there be at Nursery?

The number of staff working at the Nursery depends on how many children are attending that particular day.  We ensure we adhere to the staff to children ratio’s, which are:
1:3 for children under 2 years old.
1:4 for children aged between 2 and 3 years old.
1:8 for children aged 3 years and older.
Check out our staff in our team section here.

What qualifications do the staff have?

All our staff are qualified to level 3 or above Early Years Practitioners.  All staff currently undergo a 3-month Induction period and attend Paediatric First Aid training, Food & Hygiene, and Safeguarding Children.  We ensure this training is continually updated and refreshed.  As an organisation we are committed to the continuous development of our staff and we ensure they also attend other courses relevant to their work such as Creative play and Being a Key Person.
Check out our staff qualifications in our team section here.

Illness

What if my child is ill and cannot attend Nursery?

If your child misses nursery due to illness, unfortunately no refund can be made.  
If your child has a case of sickness or diarrhoea they must not attend nursery until 48hrs after the last symptom has occurred.  In the interest of the other children, it is important that your child is well before returning them to the nursery.
If your child is prescribed a course of antibiotics we ask that your child stay at home for the first day of the course in case of any allergic reaction from the medication.

Fees and Funding

How much will it cost for my child to attend Mill House?

We charge £4.00 per hour.
Breakfast £1.00
Lunch £1.50
Tea £2.00

How and when do I pay?

Invoices are sent out the last full week of the month. These need to be paid by bank transfer within 7 days of receipt. There is a charge for late payment.  

Do you accept childcare vouchers?

Yes, we accept all childcare vouchers from employer schemes.  Check with your employer if they offer childcare vouchers. We also except payments from the government Childcare Choices scheme.  

My child is 3 years old – how do I get the funding from the government?

All three and four year olds are entitled to 15 or 30 hours of free nursery education in the term following their 3rd birthday, for 38 weeks of the year during term time only. This applies until they reach compulsory school age (the term following their fifth birthday).
We will apply for your funding from the local authority for the term after your child reaches three years old and the funding will be deducted from your nursery fees.