FAQs
Please find a list of all of our frequently asked questions.
How do I find out if you have availability?
Please contact the setting manager to discuss your required days and sessions, as places are subject to availability at the time of booking. We strongly advise you to book an appointment for a tour of your chosen nursery so that you can get a feel for the Bright Minds culture and ask any questions you may have about the service we provide.
Edgbaston: 0121 679 9340 | edgbaston@brightmindsdaycare.co.uk
Jewellery Quarter: 0121 236 0300 | jq@brightmindsdaycare.co.uk
Codsall: 01902 741 905 | codsall@brightmindsdaycare.co.uk
Is the nursery Ofsted registered?
Yes, all our nurseries are Ofsted registered – our registration numbers are listed below:
Edgbaston: 4301647
Jewellery Quarter: 2529286
Codsall: 2600791
Do you follow EYFS?
Absolutely! The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development and care of your child from birth to 5 years old. All schools and Ofsted-registered Early Years providers must follow the EYFS.
The Bright Minds ‘Star Framework’ is a holistic model for Early Years care, learning and development, which incorporates each of the primary childcare approaches (including Montessori and Reggio Emilia), utilising the most effective aspects alongside our own experience and knowledge to create a unique, balanced model which is grounded by the core EYFS Framework.
How many nursery practitioners will look after my child?
We work from Ofsted guidelines for adult to child ratios, please see the list for each age group below:
- Under 2 years old - 1 adult to every 3 children
- 2 to 3 year olds - 1 adult to every 4 children
- 3 to 5 year olds - 1 adult to every 8 children
How will you settle my child into the nursery?
We aim to ensure that your child settles into the nursery as quickly and happily as possible. Before the session, a phone call will be arranged to give us lots of information about your child. This is a great time to get to know the Bright Minds family and ask as many questions as you wish.
Children are given three settle in sessions before their start date:
- The first session is an hour-long; during this time the parents/carers and child will get to know the team. We will introduce you to the child’s new room so that your little one can begin to feel comfortable in their new environment.
- The second session is for 2 hours and allows your child time on their own in the setting, whilst the parents can enjoy a hot drink in the Parent Room and update or complete any necessary paperwork with one of the management team.
- The final session is for 2½ hours, during this session we encourage parents to leave their child and go off-site, this helps parents deal with the first hard drop off. It also covers a mealtime so that the child can have exposure to the routine.
What information will I need to provide after registering my child?
We will be in touch after receiving your registration form to confirm all the details, and to set you up with a log in for Famly, our nursery app. We will ask on your first visit to bring with you a form of ID for yourself and child, we recommend either a passport, birth certificate or red book.
Once you have logged on to Famly, it will prompt you to complete the ‘about’ section with as much information as possible, this will include your approval in the permissions section for a variety of parental permissions.
My child has an allergy, are you able to cater for them?
At Bright Minds, we consistently deliver a high standard and cater to all dietary requirements or preferences including dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free diets. We will accommodate any child that may need it and offer creative alternatives to match the dishes of the day.
My child has special needs, are you able to ensure their needs are met?
We operate a comprehensive SEND and inclusion policy. We will work collaboratively with parents and health professionals, such as speech and language therapists as well as paediatrician, to fully understand your child’s needs. We will then develop an individual plan to ensure all requests are met.
At Bright Minds, we ensure that each nursery setting has at least one SENCO member of staff.
How does tax-free childcare work?
Parents can register with the Government’s Tax-Free Childcare Scheme, once registered they will be given a unique reference number (URN). Parents can then process payments to us through this service using our provider reference number. The payment is received directly to us within a few days and contains the parent’s URN, which enables us to allocate the payment to your account.
For more information, click here.
My child is 3 – am I entitled to the Government’s 30 hours funding?
Parents who work a minimum of 16 hours per week may be entitled to the additional 15 hours of funding. Parents will need to apply through HMRC to claim the additional 15 hours of funding.
For more information, click here.
Do Bright Minds accept childcare vouchers?
Yes. We are registered with the main childcare voucher providers and the Government’s Tax-Free Childcare Scheme. We are happy to accept childcare vouchers from both parents, even if they are from different voucher providers.
Can I book extra sessions?
Yes of course, as long as the nursery has availability in your child’s room. To secure an extra session please email or message the office with your requested date. Management will then check the calendar, confirm numbers and get back to you. If it is an urgent enquiry, please call the nursery to discuss.
Can I swap days/ sessions?
No, unfortunately we do not allow swaps of sessions or days as we have staff on set contracts. However, if you need extra days, we can often accommodate this.
Can I reduce my child’s sessions?
If you wish to make changes to your child’s booking patten, including reducing your days, we ask for 4 weeks’ notice. The minimum requirement is 1 ½ days or 3 ½ days attendance.
How flexible are the session times?
We have three set day booking patterns to help working families. Due to staffing requirements, our times are set, therefore we do ask that you drop off and collect your child within these allocated times.
What time are mealtimes?
Each of our rooms work to a slightly different schedule in the day according to the needs of the child. But the mealtimes tend to be as follows:
- Breakfast is between 7am-9am
- Morning snack is usually around 10am
- Lunch is served 11.30am-12pm with Babies first, then the other rooms following
- Afternoon snack is around 2pm
- Dinner is served at 3pm with Babies first, then the other rooms following
What happens if I am late picking up my child?
Please let the nursery know by a telephone call as soon as you know you will be late to collect your child. We understand in some situations this is unavoidable, however, if there is another family member or friend who can collect your child we will be happy to take their details and use the password set up on the child’s file to ensure this is a secure collection.
If you are unable to get to the nursery on time and there is no alternative to collect your child, we will charge a late fee on your account; £5 per 15 min or £20 per hour.
When does the nursery open?
All our nursery settings are open from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday. The nurseries are open 52 weeks of the year and are only closed on bank holidays.
How will I know what my child has done throughout the day at nursery?
Every day you will receive feedback from staff when you collect your child.
We also have an online portal called Famly, which you can log into throughout the day to see what your child has done, for example, what activities they have participated in.
You can log in and read your child’s online learning journey any time you wish – this has lots of photos and observations of your child whilst they are at nursery.
We would also encourage you to add your own photos and videos of activities, days out and family time, so we can share this with your child and link it to the Early Years’ Foundation Stage curriculum.
If you find that your question has not been answered please don’t hesitate to contact the nursery management team who will do everything possible to get you the information you need.