Our frequently asked questions
How can I arrange a visit?
Our nurseries can be contacted in a variety of ways, either by calling, emailing, using our Facebook booking system, or by messaging our team on any of our social media channels.
Find your specific nursery number on our Contact Us page and we can arrange a suitable time for you to view your nearest nursery
Are you Ofsted registered?
Country Kids Day Nursery is Ofsted registered - you can have a look at our latest Ofsted report here.
What are your nursery opening times?
Kneesall: Monday - Friday 7am - 6pm
Newark: Monday - Friday 7am - 6pm
Rainworth: Monday - Friday 8am - 6pm
Sleaford: Monday - Friday 7:30am-6pm
Farndon: Monday - Friday 7:30am-6pm
Holbeach Drove: Monday - Friday 7am-6pm
Apperley Bridge: Monday-Friday 7:30am-6pm
What are your session times?
Morning 8am - 1pm
Afternoon 1pm - 6pm
All day: 8am - 6pm
Selected nurseries offer early bird pre- 8am
Do I need to bring my own nappies/wipes to nursery?
Yes please! Nappies come in all shapes, styles and types and it is best to keep your child wearing the brand that they are used to. We request that all nappies (plus any nappy cream or wipes) are provided by the parents or guardians. Please provide us with a box of nappies, wipes and cream which will be placed in our child’s personal box at nursery. Your key worker will let you know when these need to be replenished.
Is nursery just for playing?
Absolutely not. A big part of our ethos is ‘learning through play’ but we follow the same early learning goals as schools. We continuously work on developing each child’s learning through our in-house curriculum - click here to view our curriculum.
What happens when my child starts Country Kids?
The parent/carer will fill out registration forms where we obtain all information such as dietary needs etc. We offer 2 free settling in sessions for your child to get used to our surroundings and meet their new key worker. Each child will be allocated a key worker within their room whom will track their development and build a safe and loving relationship with the child.
When your child has settled completely, we will undertake a baseline assessment to see where your child is within their development. From there the keyworker will work closely with parents each term to work towards their natural next steps, all the way up until they reach the age of 5 and leave us for big school!
What will my child need to wear to nursery, and will they be provided with a uniform?
We advise that children do not come to nursery in their ‘best’ clothes, we provide lots of hands-on fun which can sometimes get messy. Clothing needs to be comfortable and easy to take on and off.
Children in our pre-school group will be provided with a Country Kids polo shirt, to get them used to wearing a unifom before going to school. Additional tops are available to purchase at a small cost.
How will I find out about my child’s day?
At Country Kids we use an app called Parent Zone which is a safe hub for information to be passed on to parents. Throughout the day, staff will send out information that you will be able to access from your phone/tablet. You will be able to see what they have eaten and for younger children any nappy changes or nap times. At the end of each day, you will also be updated by your childs keyworker upon collection with a general overview of how their day has been!
How will I know my child is safe?
Our outside areas are all secure and our rooms have staff only access. We carry out enhanced DBS checks on our staff quarterly and all staff are Paediatric First Aid trained. Safeguarding is at the utmost importance at Country Kids and we provide sufficient training to our staff to ensure Country Kids is a safe, caring environment in which children can flourish.
I want to take my child on holiday, will I have to pay for this?
Country Kids endeavour to work with our parents, which is why we have chosen to give our parents a 50% discount for any 2 weeks of the year, providing we have at least a month's written notice.
What if I can't pick up my child?
Upon registration you will nominate a person who is authorised to collect your child when you are not able to make it. This person will require the verbal password set by you when you registered and a form of identification for our team to check. In the case of an emergency, you can ring and authorise another person to collect, where again a password and ID will be required.
What if I am late for my child?
We know everyone runs late every once in a while, and traffic is never usually on our side! Please let us know ASAP if you are expecting to be late upon pickup. If picking up late becomes frequent, any time after their usual pick up will be charged to your invoice. Staff members may advise extending your childs session to a time that suits you better.
How do I pay?
Fees are due monthly in advance.
Do you charge consumables for children accessing funded hours?
No, we are really proud that we are able to offer funded hours completely free of charge.
Do you offer any discount to parents?
We are very proud to offer discounted childcare to NHS staff and the emergency services.
Can I book in for extra sessions?
We are here to help you and are very accomodating for any extra sessions, providing we have the spaces available in nursery. These can be booked through our online booking platform "Book Pebble".
Do we accept childcare vouchers?
At Country Kids Day Nursery we accept childcare vouchers as a form of payment. These vouchers are available from Gov.UK or via other childcare voucher schemes offered by your employer.
How else can I pay for my childcare?
For information on other ways you can pay for your childcare, click here.
Are your staff first aid trained?
Yes! It is a minimum requirement that one person is Paediatric First Aid trained however as Country Kids always endeavour to go above and beyond, each member of staff that starts with us is enrolled onto a Paediatric First Aid training course as soon as the next course becomes available.
What are your staff to children ratios?
Country Kids strongly adheres to the EYFS guidelines which are as follows:
1 practitioner to 3 babies (Under the age of 2)
1 practitioner to 5 toddlers (Between the age of 2-3)
1 practitioner to 8 pre-schoolers (Between the age of 3-5)
Ratio's for children ages 2-3 were changed in September 2023 which means staff are able to have children on a 1:5 ratio. At Country Kids, we endevour to keep our toddlers on a 1:4 ratio however may use 1:5 ratio in exceptional circumstances.
We take these ratios very seriously and have staff that cover breaks/lunches to ensure we are never out of ratio.
What is a key person?
A key person is a member of staff that builds up a special bond with your child during their time at nursery. Before starting, we will allocate your child a key worker whom will be a reassuring face for your child - as time moves on, it may be that your child naturally gravitates towards another member of staff. If this is the case, key workers may change.
The duty of our key workers is to ensure that every child's learning and care is tailored to meet their individual needs, informing parents and/or carers of their progression and supporting parents with their development at home. As your child grows through nursery and transitions into different rooms, your child is likely to change key workers too.
How do your staff communicate with parents?
At the end of everyday at nursery your childs keyworker will fill you in on all of the progress made at nursery, and all of the fun we've been having! As well as having your key worker there to chat to when you need - we also use an app called Parent Zone.
Do I pay extra for meals at Country Kids?
No, all settings that provide meals will be included in the hourly price. Healthy snacks and refreshments are also provided throughout the day.
What food will my child be given to eat and drink?
We like to ensure that all children have a balanced, varied and healthy diet, made up of fresh, wholesome produce and of course lots of fruit and veg!
My child has dietary requirements and allergies - can they still come?
We accomodate all dietary requirements and intolerances including gluten, dairy and nut.
Please note that all allergies must be detailed on the application form and must be supported with a note from a G.P or dietary specialist.
Can I provide a packed lunch for my child instead of cooked meals?
Due to many allergies and intolerances within nursery we do not allow food or packed lunches to be supplied for children attending nursery. But do not worry, if you have a fussy eater we have many healthy options for them!
