Philosophy Document
Tiddlywinks Nursery has been established since 1994 after the conversion of an old
farmhouse on Hill Lane in Blackley. We have successfully developed and grown and have
been recognised for our standards and dedication to childcare through national initiatives
including Quality Counts status to a Level 3 awarded by the NDNA (National Day Nursery
Association), Investors in Children and Investors in People.
Our sole aim has always been to provide a High Quality Childcare service ensuring that
your child is cared for in a warm, safe and enabling environment. Furthermore we aim to
support each child and their family on their journey during their time at Tiddlywinks
Nursery, ensuring that all the children have fun whilst growing and developing.
We have a 46 place nursery situated on Hill Lane in Blackley, a 44 place nursery and a 24
place Out of School Club within Higher Blackley Children’s Centre, a 56 place nursery
based in Crumpsall Children’s Centre, a 72 place nursery within Clayton Children’s Centre,
80 place nursery based in Ancoats and a 40 place Out of School Club based at St Clare’s
Primary School, Blackley and St Peter’s Primary School, Alkrington. We are registered
with OFSTED and adhere to all aspects of the Children’s Act 1989, Every Child Matters
and the statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.
All members of staff have been selected with the utmost care and we aim to make their
working environment a happy one, where they feel part of a team and thus creating
stability for all the children in the nursery and out of school club. All members of staff have
extensive valuable experience, in addition to possessing NNEB, BTEC or NVQ Level 3 in
childcare qualifications. OFSTED standards require 50% of the staff team to be qualified;
at Tiddlywinks we thrive to provide 100% qualified staff.
It is the ethos of Tiddlywinks Day Nursery and Out of School Club that staff training and
development is crucial to providing a quality team to care for the children. Members of staff
are encouraged to attend training where they feel it will benefit themselves and their
everyday practise. Long term training is available as members of staff are furthering their
childcare careers, including Foundation Degrees and BA Honours Degrees in Early Years.
Members of staff are keycarers to a small group of children; this named member of staff
will support your child’s development and be a key contact during your child’s time at
Tiddlywinks. Keycarers plan and organise activities for your child each week, taking into
account the age, development stage and interests of your child. Keycarers will carry out
and record observations on their key-children and place them in your child’s Learning
Journey file. These observations may include obvious ‘landmarks’ such as their first word,
first steps, first drawing or practical skills your child had learned together with special
friendships and interests.
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The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
The EYFS is made up of four themes and principles which guide the work of all early years
practitioners.
A Unique Child- Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient,
capable, confident and self-assured.
Positive Relationships– Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of
loving and secure relationships with parents and /or Keycarer.
Enabling Environments – The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending
children’s development and learning.
Learning and Development – Children develop and learn in different ways and at
different rates and all areas of learning and development are equally important and
interconnected.
The seven areas of learning
There are seven areas of learning and development that shape our educational
programme. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected.
Three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for
learning and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. These three
areas, the prime areas are:
Personal, social and Emotional Development: involves helping children to develop a
positive sense of themselves and others; to form positive relationships and develop
respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to
understand appropriate behaviour and to have confidence in their own abilities.
Communication and Language: development involves giving children opportunities to
experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in
expressing themselves and to speak and listen in a range of situations.
Physical Development: involves providing opportunities for young children to be active
and interactive and to develop their co-ordination, control and movement. Children must
also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity and to make healthy
choices in relation to food.
We also support children in 4 specific areas, through which the 3 prime areas are
strengthened and applied. The specific areas are:
Literacy: development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to
begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading
materials (books, poems and other written material)
Mathematics: involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their
skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and
subtraction problems and to describe shapes spaces and measures.
©Tiddlywinks Day Nursery
Understanding of the world: involves guiding children to make sense of their physical
world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about
people, places, technology and the environment.
Expressive Art and Design: involves enabling children to explore and play with a wide
range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for
sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music,
movement, dance, role-play and design and technology.
Out of School Club
For most families, the most difficult childcare to arrange is that which covers the times
when parents have to be at work but school is closed. Tiddlywinks Out of School Clubs
and Holiday Clubs provide a vital service for when school's out but work is still in.
We provide a high quality childcare service in a warm, safe and enabling environment. We
ensure the children have fun whilst undertaking a wide variety of activities; our aim is to
support each child and their family whilst providing stimulating, hands on experiences;
which will assist them in their future life skills.
Our Out of School Club enables parents/carers to carry on working, safe in the knowledge
that their children are well cared for, and give children a great opportunity to explore learn
and have fun in a supportive, relaxed and happy environment
The nursery has a responsibility to ensure that all staff members are aware of the
indicators of child abuse and neglect and they know how to follow the correct procedure.
For the procedure and contact numbers please refer to the Nursery’s SafeguardingPolicy.
This along with all other policies and procedures is available for you to read at any time
convenient to yourself.
We cater for parents/carers, offering flexibility with our extensive opening hours. Places
can be booked from one session a week to a full time place. (See price list for times of
sessions)
As parents are the most important carers and educators in a child’s life, we encourage
parents and nursery staff to work together as a team. Parents are welcome into the
nursery at all times. The staff team are always available to discuss any comments, issues
or concerns you may have. The nursery holds two Parent Gatherings throughout the year;
this is a social occasion to discuss your child’s development and network with staff and
other parents.
All children take time to settle into a new environment with new people. As much as
children want to play with toys and other children, it is natural that they will be anxious
about new settings.
We offer parents/carers a home visit as we feel that for the first meeting it can be
beneficial and more relaxed as there are no distractions and your child is in familiar
surroundings. The visit will be undertaken by the nursery manger and your child’s key
carer. The manager will spend time with you to discuss your child’s likes and dislikes and
any preferences with regards to sleeping and eating. This information is recorded and
shared with the whole team, whilst the key carer will spend time playing with your child.
©Tiddlywinks Day Nursery
We will then arrange a visit to the nursery; we ask that a parent/carer stay with the child for
this first visit which will last for approximately an hour. At this time you will be introduced to
the staff team who will help to settle your child into nursery. This is a special time where
you can build a relationship with your child’s key-carer.
From this visit we gradually increase the time your child spends with us in nursery until
they are happy and ready to start nursery, no charge is made for the Gradual Admission
period.
In today’s multi-cultural society we encourage the children’s awareness through reading
and learning about what each festival celebrates, the role children take in these
celebrations, cooking traditional meals and welcoming visitors into the nursery to talk with
the children.
All children who attend the nursery are treated equally and with respect, regardless of their
race, culture, religion/belief, ability and gender.
Good manners, behaviour and politeness are of paramount importance, encouraging
respect for others and to promote social attitudes. We have a strict no smacking policy. All
members of staff use positive strategies, e.g. praising and rewarding children for their
behaviour and achievements this also turns the children into role models for their peers.
The nursery provides a mid-morning breakfast snack, a two course lunch and afternoon
snack. All meals are nutritious and are planned to give regard to choice, diet, culture and
specific needs. A choice of fresh vegetables and fruit are offered daily. Meals are freshly
prepared on the premises by our cook and we have a four weekly menu, which is
displayed in the entrance. Fresh drinking water is available at all times.
As the nursery is a place for children, we ask all staff, parents and visitors to be aware of
health and safety i.e. closing doors behind them, no hot drinks and being aware of the
children at all times. The nursery operates a strict no smoking policy.
We realise that choosing a nursery for your child is not easy;everybody wants the best for
their child. I hope this information has been helpful to you and answered some if not all of
your questions. You and your child are very welcome to visit the nursery at anytime.
If you have any further questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact us.
116 Hill Lane, Blackley, Manchester, M9 6PW. Tel:0161 721 4278 (Manager Rachel Hyde)
rachelhyde@tiddlywinksnursery.com
160 Victoria Ave, Blackley, Manchester, M9 0RN. Tel:0161 795 4689 (Manager Gaynor Mott)
gaynormott@tiddlywinksnursery.com
1 Cromhurst St, Crumpsall, Manchester M8 5FN. Tel: 0161 740 0767
(Manager Jennie Mansell)
jenniemansell@tiddlywinksnursery.com
101 North Road, Clayton, Manchester M11 4WE Tel: 0161 219 6160 (Manager Amanda Nash)
amandanash@tiddlywinksnursery.com
Taunton Street, Manchester, M4 7FA Tel: 0161 273 6820 (Manager Lori Carroll)
loricarroll@tiddlywinksnursery.com
Area Manager Tracy Makin
tracymakin@tiddlywinksnursery.com
©Tiddlywinks Day Nursery