For parents
From settling-in sessions and everyday routines to nursery fees, funded childcare and our approach to learning, you'll find helpful information below.
Whether you're looking for a nursery place for your baby, exploring options for your growing toddler, or preschool provision, you'll find helpful information about life at Happy Mindz, our approach to care, fees and funding, and the practical arrangements that matter to your family.
We understand that choosing childcare involves practical considerations as well as finding the right environment for your child.
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We're happy to help families understand our arrangements and work through the paperwork needed for registration, funding and school applications.
Here to help
Practical information for parents
Nursery fees and funded childcare
Looking for information about nursery fees or funded childcare?
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Visit our dedicated fees page for details of our fees and funding arrangements. We actively encourage parents to ask for help completing the relevant paperwork, and our team can work through the forms with you.
Policies and important information
We want parents and carers to have access to the information they need about our setting and the care we provide.
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Our policies are available on our website, including our SEND Policy, which explains more about our approach to supporting children with additional needs.
Here's some of the questions we're most often asked by prospective parents
Frequently Asked Questions
We offer show-around visits for prospective families, during which a senior leader will show you around the setting and answer any questions you may have. We don't currently offer taster sessions, but a show-around is an opportunity to learn more about Happy Mindz and discuss your family's needs.
We usually ask families to attend at least three one-hour settling-in sessions. These give us time to get to know your child and help you and your family become familiar with the nursery.
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We understand that some families need childcare urgently, so the timings are flexible. In exceptional circumstances, it may be possible to arrange the sessions over the course of a week. Please speak to our team to discuss your circumstances.
Our Manager or Deputy can help with admissions enquiries. If you call during office hours, any member of staff will be happy to help or direct you to the right person.
We welcome babies from three months old. For babies younger than six months, we ask parents to provide their breast milk or formula feeds, as appropriate.
Yes. We actively encourage parents to work with us on the paperwork involved in joining the nursery. We can help you complete forms relating to registration, childcare funding and school applications.
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If you're unsure which forms you need, please speak to our team, and we'll be happy to help.
We usually arrange at least three one-hour settling-in sessions to help your child become familiar with Happy Mindz and give us time to get to know them and your family. The timings are flexible, and in exceptional circumstances it may be possible to arrange these sessions over one week.
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During your first settling-in visit and the registration process, we'll also work with you to complete an All About Me booklet. This helps us understand your child's individual routines, preferences and needs.
Getting Started
Joining Happy Mindz
Yes. During registration and your first settling-in visit, we'll complete an All About Me booklet with you. This includes information about naps, feeding times, preferences and favourite toys, helping us plan your child's day around the information you share.
We aim to provide at least two hours of outdoor time each day. Children have open access to the garden, and we also explore the local environment through village walks, river walks, trail walks and trips to the local park.
We aim to go outside in all weathers. We ask children to bring suitable clothing, including coats, hats and wellington boots, to help them stay warm and dry. Staff-to-child ratios are maintained during outdoor activities.
Yes. We take children on walks and outings in the local environment to help them explore their surroundings and develop their awareness of the world around them. Activities can include shopping trips and nature hunts.
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Consent is obtained during registration and through Famly, an app which we use to communicate with parents and guardians. Parents are informed on the day of a visit.
Happy Mindz is a fully inclusive nursery where every child is welcomed and valued. We believe every child is entitled to high-quality education and care, whatever their individual needs, background or circumstances.
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Our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO), Shane, is supported by our practitioners. We work to identify barriers to learning and adapt the environment, teaching approaches and support strategies to help meet each child's individual needs.
We value parents' and carers' knowledge of their children and listen to their views when making decisions about their child's support.
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Please contact us if you'd like to discuss your child's individual needs. You can also find more information in our SEND Policy, which you'll find in our policies document.
Yes. Allergies are discussed during registration so that a plan can be agreed for your child. Children with allergies have their food prepared separately and served on a different-coloured plate. All staff have Level 2 Food Hygiene training, and Shane has Level 3.
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Please discuss your child's specific allergies with us during registration so that their individual needs can be explored.
Yes. The relevant medication form must be completed through Famly. Medication is stored safely away from children, and when medication is administered, this is recorded in Famly for a parent to acknowledge.
If your child has sickness or diarrhoea, they should only return to nursery once 48 hours have passed since their last episode.
If your child has been prescribed new antibiotics, we ask that they wait 48 hours after the first dose before returning, to allow for any possible allergic reaction.
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Sick days are non-refundable. Please call us if your child is too unwell to attend and let us know the reason, so that we can inform their key person.
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For further information, please refer to our nursery policies and any relevant illness and exclusion guidance.
Your child's care is our priority
Care, Routines and Wellbeing
We use the Famly app as our preferred method of communication with parents. You'll be issued with a login when your child is registered as a Happy Minder.
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Famly also provides access to your child's learning journey, helping you see snapshots of their achievements and progress in relation to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
Your child's learning journey is a record of their learning, achievements and progress in relation to the EYFS. It includes observations and snapshots of their experiences at nursery.
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Not every activity will be recorded, but there should be a new entry each week, sometimes more frequently and sometimes less.
Yes. Registered parents, guardians and relatives can add comments, photographs and short video clips to share things from home. This might include a special visitor, something your child has made, a family celebration or another experience you'd like to tell us about.
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You can also reply to observations shared by staff.
Happy Mindz staff can access the children's learning journeys, while registered parents and relatives can access their own child's journey.
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Sometimes photographs may include other children in the background or show children playing together. If you don't want your child to appear in photographs that may be included in other children's learning journeys, please let staff know.
Use the email address you've provided to Happy Mindz as your username; you'll be able to set a password the first time you log in.
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You can access Famly through their website or by downloading the app.
We operate an open-door policy so there's no need to book, but if you'd prefer, you can absolutely arrange a meeting in advance. We keep you informed about your child's progress and next steps every term. We value communication with parents and carers about their child's development, and welcome conversations with parents anytime during our opening hours.
Yes. During office hours, any member of staff can help with your questions or direct you to someone who can. For admissions enquiries, please ask for the Manager or Deputy.
How we stay in touch
Communication and Learning
Please visit our 'Free childcare and fees' page for information about our nursery fees and funding arrangements. If you have questions about registration or funding paperwork, our team will be happy to help.
Please visit our 'Free childcare and fees' page for details of our funded childcare and information about different options for eligible families (as well as how to establish your eligibility). This page includes information about details such as holidays, costs for food, and anything else you need to know about what's included and what you'll need to provide from home.
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We actively encourage parents to ask for help to ensure they receive the funded childcare they're entitled to, and complete the relevant funding paperwork with our help. We know it's complicated and we're here to support. If you're unsure about your circumstances or which forms you need, please speak to our team.
Yes, however we're unable to reheat or cook any food brought in from home. This is because we cannot verify its ingredients, potential allergens, preparation methods or how long it has been stored before arriving at nursery.
Arrangements for children remaining in preschool are made in conjunction with the receiving school. The process is not complicated, and priority is given to children born in the summer and children with SEND.
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Please speak to us about your child's individual circumstances so that arrangements can be considered together with the receiving school.
We have strong relationships with receiving schools and recognise that starting school is an important transition for children and families.
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Our curriculum focuses on change, and we support children through stories, visits from receiving teachers and open conversations with parents about school and the changes ahead.
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You can find out more about our approach to learning on our 'Life at Happy Mindz' and 'Our curriculum' pages.
If you need to take a break from childcare, a retainer fee of 50% of the normal fee applies to allow us to hold your child's place for when you return.
Because practicalities matter
Funding, fees and starting school
