Our Baby Unit - Bunnies

The Bunny Group is registered for 12 children between 3 months and 18 months. Staff are allocated on a 1:3 ratio and are all encouraged to undertake specific training for the under twos. If casual cover is needed due to staff sickness or annual leave, regular casual staff are used to ensure continuity of care where possible.

Feeding
All feeding matters will be discussed with parents at the first settling session. We recommend that young babies are able to accept a cup or bottle prior to starting Nursery to aid settling and help maintain their feeding routine.

We are unable to accept bottles already made up at home so we ask parents to provide clearly labelled bottles and powdered milk. The staff will make up a bottle when it is required on a daily basis in our milk kitchen. Empty bottles will be kept in individual labelled baskets in our milk kitchen. We are happy for breast milk to be provided in a bottle but this must have been expressed on the day the baby is attending the nursery and will be kept in our milk fridge. Mothers who wish to come in and breast feed will be offered a quiet area to do so. All bottles, dummies and feeding equipment will be sterilised until the child is a year old.

Weaning
Weaning is started following full discussion and advice from parents. Small amounts of pureed vegetables and fruit are prepared by the staff and frozen in ice cube trays. As weaning progresses new foods will be introduced to the babies diet after consultation with parents. All dietary requirements will be adhered to and new consistencies will be introduced. All babies will be fed on demand and where possible by the same carer until they are ready to join in with the routine of the group. All our produce is purchased from Tesco's and freshly cooked on a daily basis by our resident cook.

Sleep
We encourage young babies to sleep on their backs, foot to feet in cots in the nursery's quiet relaxing sleep room. However, lay flat pushchairs are available and can be used after consultation with the parents. Sleeping babies are regularly checked and their sleep times recorded. Each baby/child will have separate bed linen which will be washed at the end of their week or earlier if necessary. The sleep room temperature is maintained at a comfortable level and recorded.

Nappy changing
All babies will be changed when needed and before they go home. A strict nappy changing procedure is followed by all staff. All nappy changing times are recorded. Nappies, cream, wipes etc need to be provided by parents and a good stock kept at the Nursery in their cubby hole. Parents will be informed when their supply is getting low.

Their day at Highwood
The staff plan around the Early Years Foundation Stage framework allowing the babies to have the opportunity to experience a variety of different sensory experiences including musical instruments, sand, water and other malleable play, various art activities, outdoor play and story time sessions. A role play area, books and a selection of toys are accessible to the babies at all times and they are cleaned and recorded after each use to prevent cross infection.

Transfer to next group
The babies move into the Nutkin group when they are 18 months and will start to settle the month before they move up. Parents are informed of their settling sessions and new key worker by letter. Parents are welcome to be involved in any of these sessions and have an opportunity to speak to the new key worker. Staff will fill in a transition form for the next group informing them of all their likes, dislikes, sleeping habits etc.

Click below for information about a typical Bunny day