Settling in to the SRC family

Starting nursery can be a thrilling experience for both you and your little one. It’s a unique environment where lasting friendships and precious memories are formed, as well as important milestones in development.

We understand this transition can be filled with emotions, so we aim to make you and your family feel completely at home during your time with us.

Our Settling in Sessions are designed to help you familiarise yourself with the nursery and the fantastic team from the very first day.

We’re excited to welcome you!

Settling in sessions:

We're pleased to offer flexible settle sessions that begin before your child starts with us. This gives both you and your little one enough time to explore and feel comfortable in their new environment.

We understand how essential the relationships in a child's life are for their wellbeing, safety, resilience, and overall development.

At SRC, our Key Person Approach highlights the significance of the Key Person role in ensuring children feel emotionally safe. This happens right from the initial visit when a child and their parent or carer come into the nursery, typically during ‘settling in’ sessions. These early interactions with their Key Person are crucial, fostering a triangle of trust between the Key Person, the child, and you, the parent or carer.

We're excited to support your family's journey and look forward to welcoming you!

How it works:

The "settling in period" will be adaptable and will last until your child feels happy and secure in our nursery. Typically, this process takes about 3 to 5 days, but we are more than happy to extend it if we feel your child could benefit from extra time to adapt to their new surroundings.

What to bring:

Choosing your little one’s very first bag or rucksack for nursery is such an exciting milestone! If your child is up for it, why not make packing a fun activity together? You won’t need to bring too much, but a few spare sets of clothes is essential. It’s also lovely to include a familiar item from home, like a favourite blanket or toy. Some parents find it helpful to add a piece of clothing that carries their scent, like a bit of perfume or aftershave. This can offer your little one reassurance that you’ll be back soon.

What to expect:

During these initial sessions, we will focus on getting to know one another, engaging in play, sharing experiences, and fostering strong bonds.

This approach helps to ensure a smoother transition and lays the foundation for a positive nursery experience for your child.

While your little one enjoys playtime, this is also a wonderful opportunity for you to ask any questions about nursery life, gain insight into a typical day, and begin building a partnership with our team.

We would also love to learn about any routines, preferences, and dislikes that your child has. From nap schedules and feeding practices to languages spoken at home, as well as that special cuddly toy, the more information you provide, the better equipped we will be to support your child’s journey and overall well-being.

Settling in week:

Day 1: 10:00 – 11:30

Day 2: 10:00 – 12:30

Day 3 10:00 – 2:30

(We can arrange extra sessions if needed.)

We provide optional play days as part of our settling-in process for children. Parents and carers are welcome to join their little ones in the nursery for an hour. These play days take place three weeks before your child is set to start nursery, helping everyone feel more comfortable when settling-in week begins. It’s a great chance for parents, carers, and children to meet our staff and get to know the nursery routine a bit better.