Childcare (under 3's)
Childcare
Over the Rainbow Day Nurseries welcome children between the ages of 4 months and 10 years. Both nurseries are structured into different rooms based on children’s development. These rooms include the Baby Room, Tiny-Tot Room, Toddler Room, Pre-School Room and After-School Room.
Babies
Babies are cared for with a staffing ratio of 1:3 in a bright, spacious room. We have a separate nursery where each baby has their own cot.
Throughout the day our babies play outside in the garden and go for walks in the local area.
Our babies are also given the opportunity to paint, play with sand and water and join in our “sensory play” routine which consists of fun-filled, activities that incorporate all the senses.
Although staff will always take time to discuss your child’s day, information about their appetite, digestion, sleep patterns and disposition are recorded in your child’s personal daily diary. These have become a precious keepsake for many parents.
Tiny Tots
On average a child will join this group at 17 months and remain until almost 2 years old. Again the staffing ratio is maintained at 1:3.
A whole new world of adventure, discovery and exploration has opened up for these infants now they can walk and investigate without help. Much of the equipment and materials, therefore, are stored within the child’s reach and are consistently in the same place, which becomes familiar to them as they move about and explore, promoting their creative and problem solving abilities through first hand experiences.
Each day these infants go out to Discovery Play where they are given the opportunity to play with materials such as sand, water, paints, soil, shavings and many other types of sensory materials which stimulate their senses and creativity.
The Tiny-Tots room leads directly out to the soft-surfaced enclosed garden where the children are free to ride trikes, tractors etc. and explore nature.
Toddlers
A beautiful bright room with direct access to the high-quality soft-surfaced garden has been purposefully designed and equipped for the 2 – 3 year old age group. This room has a staffing ratio of 1:4.
The inquisitive mind of a two year old knows no boundaries and the playroom is designed with this in mind with low level shelving, a children’s book area and a wide range of appropriate toys to satisfy the curious needs of these independent thinkers.
Our staff are experienced and can provide parents with support and advice during this stage which can sometimes be challenging as children are learning to assert their independence. We also support parents with potty training.
Our Staff
We have a highly-qualified and dedicated team at Over the Rainbow. All our staff hold a qualification of NVQ Level 3, with a number of staff also holding bachelor’s degrees in Early Years Childcare. Our management team members are qualified to a minimum of NVQ Level 5 and the owners and staff that comprise senior management are fully qualified and experienced teachers.
We provide continuous training and development for our staff members as we believe it's vital to keep our team well-informed about the changing practices and developments in childcare.
Key Worker
In each room, your child will have a Key Worker who completes their care routines, observes and records developmental milestones and carries out small group time activities with them. Information about your child’s appetite, sleep routine and general disposition is recorded by the Key Worker in each child’s personal diary which is sent home each evening with the parents.
The High Scope Approach
At Over the Rainbow, we follow this child-centered approach which recognises that all children are active learners from birth. At Over the Rainbow our staff plan the children's day carefully, to meet each child’s well-being and learning needs. They plan the use of space inside and out to meet each child’s next developmental steps.
Providing children with a structured daily routine not only helps children feel secure, but ensures they have a varied day full of stimulating activities. During the day the children have an opportunity to participate in Large Group Time, Small Group Time, Outdoor Time and Discovery Play (including sand, water, sensory play and arts and crafts).
Children also have Choice Time each day during which they are able to freely choose activities that test their abilities and make new discoveries within safe boundaries. Appropriate resources are available and easily accessible to promote the children’s all-round development. While closely interacting and supporting the children at play observations are carried out regularly and recorded in each child’s individual developmental record which they later share with the child’s parents.
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