Frequently asked questions
How do I choose the right nursery?
Finding the right nursery for your child can be very stressful and it takes some time. It is better, therefore, to start collating information about nurseries in your area as early as possible, we would advise at least three months beforehand if not longer as depending on age group, waiting lists can be long. It is also very important to visit the nurseries of your choice more than once. Your child needs to feel comfortable and safe and you need to be relaxed about leaving your child in the safe hands of professionals. You may find helpful the following link to the article written on the very topic by our Principal, Ms Grazyna Anna Sutherland: http://issuu.com/familiesuponthames/docs/issue68/11. Please feel free to contact us any time you wish to receive more information.
What is the ratio of staff to children?
As a minimum, at all times we follow the required ratio of staff to children, as stipulated in the Children Act 1989:
0 to 2 years - 1 staff member to 3 children
2 to 3 years - 1 staff member to 4 children
3 to 5 years - 1 staff member to 8 children
However, most of the time we try to have a higher ratio to ensure a more personal support with plenty of individual attention for each child.
What age range does your nursery take? How are they split into groups?
We are a 72 place nursery for children aged 0-5 years. The children are divided into groups based on their age and the stage of development. We have five children's rooms across the nursery: Kangaroo Room - babies, three toddler rooms: Tiggers, Robins and Rabbits and the 'wisest' pre-school Owls Room. Each group has its own room and facilities. We offer early toilet training options and all our toddler rooms are equipped with special kiddy toilets. All the groups use the outside playground so that children get used to successfully communicating with others, and become tolerant and understanding.
How do I get to the nursery by public transport?
Our convenient location enables you to reach our Nursery quickly by the following buses: 265, 281, 418, K1, K2. The nursery is not far from Tolworth and Berrylands Stations, only a 10 minute walk, and about a 20 minute walk from Surbiton station. There is a 30 minute free parking outside our front door and all the local residential streets offer free parking as well.
Who is responsible for my child's progress?
Every child has an assigned key person who will take on overall interest and responsibility for your child's well-being and development. The priority of our staff is to focus on the needs of the children at all times. Our nursery nurses are professionally qualified, with experience in childcare. We also employ qualified and experienced nursery teachers who oversee the quality of delivered education and monitor each child's progress across all the sever areas of the curriculum (EYFS).
How will I be learning about my child's day?
We have a nursery management software system in use at Sutherland Nursery, which enable us to post photos and observations on daily activities, food menus and send notifications about nap times, nappy changes, food eaten, bottles, etc. so that parents can see straight away what their child has been up to. As a parent, you are able to comment on these observations and upload some of your own!
How do I pay for nursery?
To secure your place at Sutherland Nursery we require a completed registration form, a non-refundable registration fee of £50 and a refundable deposit of £250.00 (more details are included in our Terms & Conditions supplied with a registration form). Once we have received the forms and the £300 and confirmed the place in writing, your place will be secure for your desired start date.
As your start date approaches, the nursery will issue you with an invoice for your nursery fees. Fees are paid in advance and payment is expected before the 15th of the previous month for the following calendar month.
Sutherland Nursery accepts many payment methods such as bank transfers, cash, childcare vouchers and payments from tax free childcare accounts or employers directly.
Many families are eligible for funding and all children over 3 are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare. We have a number of places allocated to funded children and are happy to offer you one, as long as we have a space. For more information on funding, please click the following link: https://www.sutherlandnursery.co.uk/funding
What is the settling process for my child?
Settling is a very important step in your child’s journey at Sutherland Day Nursery. It is vital to ensure that children are comfortable and familiarised with the setting and the staff. One week prior to your start date, you will be invited to attend a week of settling sessions. These will begin with one hour when you and your child will stay and play, meet the staff and get used to the surroundings. It will increase to two and 3 hours throughout the week. You will drop your child off and return a short while later and have feedback from your child’s key person.
The settling week is offered free of charge as we believe it is very important to get it right.
More information on our daily routine can be found here: https://www.sutherlandnursery.co.uk/daily-routine
and fresh food preparation by our full-time chef here:
https://www.sutherlandnursery.co.uk/fresh-food
What happens when my child is ready to move up to another room?
When your child reaches a particular age or stage of development, we will transition and settle them into the next room with lots of care and attention. We issue you with a letter which will explain when we plan to settle your child into the new room, who their new key person will be and the expected start date of the new room.
Your current key person will visit the new room with your child and stay for play sessions. This will allow them to meet the new teachers and spend time with the other children whilst still being supported and encourage by a familiar face.
As our children spend time together in our garden and during many outings, they are familiar with most of the staff and older children so we find that the transition from one room to another is generally very smooth.
Do you have any outdoor space?
Yes, we have a lovely garden area where all the areas of the EYFS curriculum are being delivered. It includes a custom made beautiful wooden home corner, a den for all those important chats and the development of first friendships, a pergola for quiet reading time and nature exploration activities, a digging area where we plant seasonal flowers and herbs, maths and literacy areas, as well as sand and water play. For physical development, children also like using the climbing frame with a slide or a cube, bikes or stepping stones and many many more resources. We have fitted awnings which allow us to take the children out in all weather conditions.
Why not see for yourself by following this link: https://www.sutherlandnursery.co.uk/our-garden