1. What does your service do?

 We are a children’s privately run nursery offering care, education or periods of respite for children aged 4 months to 5 years of age.  We are open for 51 weeks each year from 8 – 5.30pm Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays.

 We are a unique setting in that our owner and Director is an educational psychologist, with over 17 years experience of working with children in the early years. She also manages our sister site, Goosehill Private Nursery in Morpeth. We offer a range of activities to support children and firmly believe that what happens to children when they are very young has a crucial influence on their well-being and achievement through childhood and into adulthood.

  2. Where is it located and what areas does it cover?

The nursery is situated at Hepscott Park in Morpeth (see above address)

3. Who does your service provide for?

Our whole setting welcomes and celebrates children and families from all backgrounds, whatever your needs. The Nursery school has extensive grounds and a woodland and meadow attached which means that the children benefit from a high percentage of woodland/outdoor learning. ‘A Forest School is an innovative educational approach to outdoor play and learning.’

We run a Woodland Holiday Club each school holiday from 8.30am -4.30pm in which the children attend our forest for the day. This runs every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for children aged 5 – 9.

The philosophy of Forest Schools is to encourage and inspire individuals of any age through positive outdoor experiences.

By participating in engaging, motivating and achievable tasks and activities in a woodland environment each child has an opportunity to develop intrinsic motivation, sound emotional and social skills.

Through play our children have the opportunity to learn about the natural environment, how to handle risks and most importantly to use their own initiative to solve problems and co-operate with others. Our children use tools, play, learn boundaries of behaviour; both physical and social, establish and grow in confidence, self-esteem and become self motivated.

 We have a minibus so that the children also attend our sister site in central Morpeth and visit points of interest in the locality. We also run Beach School sessions. 

We have experience of working with children and families with a range of needs. Early years children who may have a

Physical disability
Sensory impairment
Behavioural, social and emotional difficulties
Autism
Learning difficulties

 4. How can I start using the service?

The service is open to everyone. A charge is levied for a full day however free places are available for eligible 2, 3 and 4 year olds and people can request a place by ringing the nursery on 01670 517770 to discuss their requirements.

A charge is also levied for the Forest Holiday Club. (8.30am-4.30pm) This is £25 for a full day including all snacks and lunch and tea cooked on the fire pit.

 5. How are decisions made about who can use your service?

 Anybody can use our service and attendance is only limited by the number of available spaces at the time of the enquiry.

 6. How do you communicate with service users and how are they

involved in decision making/planning?

 We communicate via day-to-day feedback and general service evaluations, utilising Makaton, PECS/Visual timetables if appropriate. The nursery is also an accredited Tiny Talk setting. Baby signing aids communication and strengthens the child-parent/carer understanding and bond. It also helps reduce frustration, boosts self esteem and self-confidence. We also offer support where English is an additional language.

Progress reviews are made via our own assessment policies, along with EYFS and on going assessments. Sensory assessments or more specialised assessments can be made where needed.

We offer sessions in which the parents can join their children to participate in nursery activities and training and specialised Information sessions covering a range of topics are also available through our sister nursery in central Morpeth.

7. Is your service fully accessible?

 We welcome all children and families whatever you or your child’s needs. Each time we gain a new child and family we re-assess our access and environment and make changes where necessary and possible to accommodate that child and family.

Our play rooms for the babies are upstairs, but facilities for the older children are on the ground floor. We have height adjustable tables, various sized chairs and a range of more specialised equipment. Our garden and woodland offers a lovely sensory experience.

 8. What training are the staff supporting children and young people with

SEND had or are having?

Bambinos have 14 members of qualified staff, each member of staff holds at least an NVQ Level 3 in childcare. Seven members of staff have degrees, our preschool group is run by our Early years Professional and we have a qualified and experienced Forest School practitioner and Beach School leader. We have a named Special Educational Needs Coordinator who has attended the relevant training to hold such a post as well as additional SEN training.

 Amanda Willis is a qualified teacher and an educational psychologist skilled in the identification and remediation of a very wide range of special needs. While she manages Goosehill Private Nursery she is interested in promoting early intervention for any child.  This led her to develop links with JABADAO, Centre for Movement, Learning and Health and to her undertaking research in to the benefits of Developmental Movement. She is particularly interested in developing play-based approaches for pre-school children and feels that movement and sensory activities are often omitted from a child’s Individual Education Plan.  She is currently exploring the area of Neuro - phsyiological psychology and has carried out some innovative projects with children with SEND

  9. Who can I contact for further information?

 Contact the nursery on 01670 517770 for further information or to discuss your child’s individual needs and to enquire about a nursery place or Forest School.