Here at Little Acorns and Stepping Stones, our aims and objectives are to provide, a caring, safe and stimulating atmosphere for your child. All our staff have a clear understanding of these and work hard to ensure this every day. They achieve this by providing your child with a challenging and stimulating environment, having a strong two-way communication with parents/carers, maintaining consistency and structure and by offering your child well planned activities to suit their individual needs.

We want to develop your child's self esteem and promote good self image, compassion and respect for others; we hope that your child will enjoy their time here at Little Acorns and Stepping Stones and help give them the best start to their life.

Partnership with parents

We place a lot of emphasis on self-evaluation, training and re-investment. Feed back from parents/carers is always sought and valued and acted on.

We believe that partnerships with parents is of the utmost importance as, after all, who knows your children better!

Whilst at nursery, your child will be allocated a Keyworker and a buddy through our Key person and buddy system. If for any reason your child's Keyworker is not in, then the buddy will take over the care and well being of your child.

Your child's key person will be responsible for the day to day care of your child ensuring routines are regularly reviewed and updated and for keeping records of your child's achievements and ongoing development.

They will provide you with progress reports on a regular basis, and of course meet with you to discuss your child at a time to suit you.

If your child is under three, they will be provided with a daily diary. This will include all information about your child's day and any comments from their key person. These book are sent with you at the end of your child's session and have a large space for you to write any information or comments you feel may be useful.

If your child is over 3 years of age, verbal feedback will be given about their day at the end of each session.

Our company started November 2004 in a small cottage in Frampton Cotterell, we pride ourselves on offering affordable child care whilst maintaining the highest standards of care.

If you're interested in working for a small, but growing group of nurseries, where each employee is valued and seen as an individual, we might be just what you're looking for.

Lisa and Jude (the owners) are passionate in offering the highest standards of care to the families who use our nurseries, we aim to employ staff who demonstrate care, commitment and passion for the role they have been employed to do.

We are looking for staff that understand, the importance of the role they have been employed to do, caring for young children and meeting their individual needs and supporting families.

We want committed individuals who are keen to take on further training, and always looking at ways to improve their /our practice.

Staff are offered, a generous salary and benefits package. In return we expect dedication and commitment to the children in our care.

• Excellent remuneration.
• 20 days paid holidays.
• Paid staff meetings.
• Paid non contact time for key groups and planning time.
• Flexible working hours.
• Career opportunities to progress.
• Training opportunity to obtain all levels of qualifications.
• Stakeholder / pension scheme.
• 25% off child care.

For further information please contact enquiries@littleacornsnurseries.com or telephone us on 0117 9326484.

Equal Opportunities

This policy is reflected in all areas of the operation of the nurseries. Discrimination of ability, gender, religion or culture will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Behaviour Management

We have a strict NO SMACKING and NO SHOUTING rule in each nursery. All of our staff receive in house training from our Area Manager on how to manage children's behaviour in line with our policy. Behaviour management strategies are tailored to each individual child and situation.

Safeguarding children

Our safeguarding policy is a very extensive policy on safeguarding children as we believe this to be of the utmost importance. We work with the children, parents and the community to ensure the rights and safety of the children and to give them the very best start in life.

The above policies are our three key nursery policies. For more information and copies of these or our other policies, please contact the nursery direct. We will be happy to email/send you a copy.

All our policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated to keep in line with any current changes.

1. Guidance on Infection Control in Schools
2. Safeguarding Children and Child Protection
3. Administering Medications
4. Achieving Positive Behaviour
5. Making a Complaint
6. Anti-Bullying

Little Acorns & Stepping Stones (Hundred Acre Wood) Day Nurseries supports raising money for Meningitis research.

Current Fund total as of September 2013 is £65,777.50

We are committed to raising money for Ryan's Forever Fund, each year we hold an annual BBQ/Fayre at our Thornbury nursery and carry-out fund raising activities throughout the year.

We sell the meningitis bracelets all year round so please see the nursery manager if you wish to buy one. Please follow the link if you wish to read more or to make an online donation.

Local Tots Raise Funds For Charity

100 Acre Wood Nursery & Pre-school in Frampton Cotterell is the latest organisation to get behind local charity Brandon Trust.

Staff decided to get involved after hearing from a parent about the charity's appeal for it's projects that support young people and adults with learning disabilities and autism across Bristol.

Over 50 under 5 year olds took part in a number of activities planned by nursery staff throughout October.

Children got creative producing their own autumnal artwork and undertook a 'sponsored find' of seasonal objects during the month. Parents and carers also got involved too at a special singalong session where children made and served homemade soup.

We celebrate harvest every year with the children as we feel that it is important to teach them about different cultures and experiences. As part of this we hold events that the parents can be involved in with the children and teach the children about helping the community.
This year we decided to combine it with raising money for Brandon Trust and have organised a variety of activities for the children, parents and carers to get involved in. We like to support local charities as it gives children a great sense of achievement being able to share experiences, teach them about their community and getting parents and carers involved in the child's nursery life. We love holding events like this, seeing both children and parents benefit as well as raising money for a very good cause. Terry Rodgers, Manager at 100 Acre Wood

Returning to work after spending sometimes many months or maybe years devoted to your baby or toddler can be a difficult and emotional time. You may feel not only sadness but a little jealousy towards the new carer, as they may witness some of your child's first moments and develop a strong bond. But this must be seen as a positive thing as this shows that your child has developed a sense of trust and belonging and feels comfortable within their new environment.

Preparing your child for this transition can make the process of starting nursery easier for you and them:

If your child is old enough, talk about their new nursery and use the staff names that will be caring regularly before they start.

• Organise settling in visits, not only for your children to settle, but for you to get to know their new carers and ask many of those questions.
• Organising you child's belongings ready for nursery the night before can make the morning getting ready process easier and less stressful.
• Make sure you arrive at the nursery a little ahead of time, to allow you to settle them in and not feel the need to rush off quickly.
• Ask for daily progress updates, this may ease any worries about them settling in to their new environment.
• And don't forget the nursery is always on hand, so feel free to phone throughout the day to check on their progress.
• Don't let your child see that you are upset, as this may add to any apprehension they may have, children are very sensitive and pick up on feelings.
• Don't be too hard on yourself, it can take time to balance and adjust to a new change in your work / life balance.

Fees are payable on 1st of each month one month in advance. Fees paid later than 14th may incur a £5.00 per day late fee. Any late payment must be agreed in writing by the manager or regrettably you child's place may be withdrawn for non payment of fees.

Once you have reserved sessions and paid your deposit you will be invoiced for those sessions unless you give one months notice in writing that you need to change or decrease the sessions you have reserved For example; You have reserved 4 mornings and have a confirmed start date, if you no longer require the 4 morning and now only need 2 we will charge you the other 2 mornings during the notice period.

If we have a confirmed start date and delay starting more than 2 weeks your deposit will be kept and you will be required to pay another deposit or pay for the sessions from your original start date. Our fees are subject to annual review, however we do try to offer competitive fees and value for money at all times.

A deposit of £50.00 is required to hold your child's place for up to 4 weeks. This deposit will be deducted from your final invoice only if 1 months notice has been given in writing.

Should you choose not to take your child's place after the 4 week holding period, the deposit will be retained by the nursery.

Increasing hours & leaving

If you need to reduce your child's hours at the nursery, the nursery requires 4 weeks written notice.

Should you need to increase your child's hours, please advise us in writing with at least one weeks notice, it may be possible to offer additional hours without notice if the staffing levels allow.

If you are leaving the nursery please give us one months notice in writing.

Holiday & Sickness

Full fees are still payable if your child is away from the nursery due to holiday or sickness. If your child is away from the nursery for 4 weeks or more without payment or prior agreement with the nursery manager, we regret their place may be given to another child on the waiting list. The nursery is closed during public and bank holidays, full fees are still payable.

Please refer to the link below for our guidance on sickness and exclusion periods. We adhere to the environmental health recommendations.

Guidance on infection control in schools and other childcare settings.

Admission policy

The nursery accepts children on a first come basis and is committed to its equal opportunity policy. In addition to this policy siblings may be given priority.