Conkers
Day Nursery
Conkers Day Nursery opened in the Spring of 2005.
Based in safe, secure, high quality buildings Conkers is only two minutes from Diss on a working farm in the middle of the countryside.
Conkers is open all year from 8am to 6pm for babies and children aged up to 5 years.
Conkers is a small friendly nursery registered by OFSTED to care for no more than thirty children in total at any one time.
Conkers is a wonderful place for children to play and learn. Emphasis is placed on learning through play and exploration both inside and outside in the fresh air. Weather permitting we are outside everyday either in the all weather courtyard, garden of using the network of private walks around the farms fields.
Conkers has an excellent kitchen on site. Breakfast, lunch, tea and snacks are freshly prepared every day. Children of all ages eat together in the dining room. Special diets are accommodated whenever possible.
Children at Conkers are based in one of two main play rooms according to their age and stage of development.
Babies and toddlers (up to about 2 1/2 years old) have dedicated and highly qualified staff to care for them with a ratio of at least one adult to three children. Staff work with parents to ensure that Conkers fits in with individual sleep patterns and routines.
Staff ensure that children enjoy their time at Conkers and learn while they play following the Early Years Foundation Stage as recommended by OFSTED. In the baby room children learn and explore through creative play and lots of outside play.
| 08:00 | Breakfast & settling in |
| 09:00 | Free play - indoors & outdoors |
| 10:00 | Snack time |
| 10:30 | Child-lead play |
| 11:30 | Songs & nap time |
| 12:00 | Lunch time |
| 13:00 | Sleep & quiet play |
| 14:00 | Snack time |
| 14:30 | Child-lead play |
| 15:30 | Nap time & outside play |
| 16:00 | Tea time |
| 16:30 | Freeplay & home |
Children aged 2 1/2 years and above are usually based in 'The Big Room'. The ratios in this room are usually 1 adult to 4 or 5 children.
The day is a little more structured here but there is still a huge emphasis on learning through play. Our dedicated and qualified team ensure that children are encouraged to develop to their full potential through carefully planned activities and play. Staff, observing and working alongside parents and children, will develop a curriculum to ensure that every individual's needs are met.
| 08:00 | Breakfast & settling in |
| 09:00 | Registration & free play |
| 10:00 | Snack time and weather |
| 10:30 | Themed play - inside & outside |
| 12:00 | Lunch time & story |
| 13:00 | Themed/child-lead play - inside & outside |
| 14:00 | Snack & resume play |
| 16:00 | Tea time |
| 16:30 | Freeplay & home |
Emphasis is placed on learning through play and exploration both inside and outside in the fresh air. Weather permitting we are outside everyday - in either the all-weather courtyard, the garden, or using the network of private walks around the farms fields on which Conkers is situated.
Conkers is open from 8am to 6pm, 52 weeks of the year but closed on bank holidays and at weekends.
We try to be flexible to accommodate the times that you would like your children to be with us. We ask you to book regular sessions for your child (ie: every Monday from 9 to 1) although additional hours will be accommodated where possible.
In order to keep administration simple, all fees are paid by standing order in equal monthly amounts, in advance.
We charge by the hour, and have a three tier pricing band: 0-2 years, 2-3 years and 3 plus. The younger children pay a slightly higher fee while the under twos pay higher fees due to the higher staff ratios.
The term after your child turns three, your child is then entitled to the free government hours, and we will then start billing termly. The funding is claimed by the care provider once every school term.
We can also claim the two year funding if you are entitled to claim it and this works on the same system as the three year funding.
A variety of childcare vouchers are accepted by Conkers and may be used in payment of fees.
Conkers has an excellent kitchen on site. Breakfast, lunch, tea and snacks are freshly prepared every day.
Children of all ages eat together in the dining room.
We pride ourselves on providing a varied and well balanced diet for your children, made only with fresh, quality ingredients.
Special diets are accommodated whenever possible.
| MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken stir fry | Sweet & sour pork | Meatballs & rice | Fish fingers | Cheese & onion tart |
| Tuna pasta bake | Tandoori chicken & jacket potato | Pea & bacon pasta | Shepherds pie | Cheese salad |
| Vegetable wraps | Fish pie | Chicken fajitas | Broccoli pasta bake | Pork & apple burgers |
| Tasty tomato soup | Home-made pizza | Tuna plait | Chicken pie | Veg stuffed baked potato |
| Root vegetable casserole | Sausage casserole | Spaghetti bolognaise | Tuna stuffed potato | Chicken nuggets |
Chestnut Tree Farm
The Heywood,
Diss,
Norfolk
IP22 5SZ
If you would like to look around Conkers please visit at any time. No appointment is necessary, just turn up and ring the bell. If it would be more convenient in the evening or at a weekend please phone and make an appointment.
Conkers prides itself on employing highly qualified and motivated members of staff, who work together as a strong team, which enables us to provide the highest quality care for your child. All staff attend ongoing training, have first aid and child protection.
Each member of staff is based in their specialist room working with a certain age group. Each member of staff will have key children with whom they work in partnership with the parent/carer so they get to know each child and build a strong bond with their key children and family, providing a child centred curriculum / play plan.
As conkers is a small open plan nursery, the children can see into each room and know all the staff who work in the nursery.
Your child has a continuous learning journey, in which they build on all the things they've already learnt through you their parent/carer. There are many things they have experienced and enjoyed many new and interesting challenges, which will be put in their learning journey by yourselves, Conkers and any other setting your child attends so we are all working to the same target. Please feel free to share information, photos etc. that we can put in the learning journey of your child to give them an individual learning journey.
Each learning journey follows the personal learning path based on each individual child's likes, interests, experiences and offers individual challenges.
Parents are a child's first educator, so your input is needed to inform Conkers of your child's likes, dislikes and individual interests.
With a Key person to work along side parents this will have a positive impact on the child's learning and development. While also providing reassurance and stability. Whilst in Conkers care.
Through observation, assessment and planning we understand and consider each child's current interests, development and needs. So we can plan activities which are challenging but achievable.
Conkers provides and supports children's learning in a secure and safe, but challenging indoor and out door environment.
The key person has the responsibility to provide an individual learning plan, including the six areas of learning:-