- Our Mission Statement -
"We aim to equip our children for the next stage of their lives so they are ready to make friends, to play, to learn, and to ask what they need and say what they think."
Introduction
Little Hands Nursery was established on the 19th of April 1997. We are a small family run sessional pre-school offering day care and education for 2, 3, and 4-year-olds. We are open Monday to Friday during term time and we offer morning sessions (8:30 am to 11:45 am) afternoon sessions (11:45 am to 3:00 pm) or whole day sessions (8:30 am to 3:00 pm). Lunch and ad-hoc sessions are also available.
We are outside most of the day, in all weathers for our forest school sessions.
From January 2023, we will side by side also have nine sessions inside our nursery. Nursery timings are 8:30am to 11:45am and 11:45am to 3:00pm. No session on Wednesday morning indoors.
The nursery prides itself on offering personalised service to families and carefully assessing each child's individuals needs. Due to being smaller than most nurseries, our staff spend lots of individual time with children and we offer a choice of days.
Setting
We are a pack away nursery operating from the local Christ Church hall. This bright, spacious setting allows lots of space for children to play and learn. We have different areas set up every day including dress up areas, reading areas and general play areas. In addition, we have a large, fenced outdoor green area where the children are free to run around as much as they like. We also have ample space for parking as there is a car park on our doorstep with a capacity for over twenty cars.
Forest School
Part of what makes our nursery unique is that we are located on the edge of Epsom Common. We make the most of this through our five whole days Forest School sessions where we take the children into the common to provide them with exciting experiences whilst teaching them to respect the environment and work with it in a sustainable way. To find out more, click here.
Trips & Events
We take our children on local trips to the church, library, pond and park throughout the year. They star in a Nativity play during Christmas time and take part in our 'Mini Sports' day during the summer. Also, every year children take part in a Fun Run for our chosen charity (this year it's for Turner's Syndrome). In addition, we also have 'Pet Week' where children can show off their pets to their classmates - in years past we've had cats, rabbits, hamsters and even snakes!
Tapestry
We use a secure online observation system called Tapestry. Here, your child’s key worker will upload observations, assessments, photographs, and videos of your child throughout their time with us. You can access this anytime online and we encourage parents to comment on the observations and upload their own pictures. This partnership creates a tapestry which grows throughout the year allowing you an insight into your child’s learning journey whilst providing a valuable keepsake from their early years.
Our Staff
Key to the nursery's success is our team of highly experienced and qualified staff who create a stimulating environment in which every child gains confidence and an enthusiasm for learning. All our staff are Early Years Pediatric first aiders, have attended a Safeguarding Children course, and are DBS and reference checked.
Hyacinth Rodrigues
Owner/Admin/SenCo
BA Hons Early Years
Early Years Professional Status
Forest School Leader Level 3
First Aider
Monika Halmos
Floor Manager
NVQ Child Care Level 4
Forest School Leader level 3
First Aider
Sam Luxton
Deputy Manager/SenCo/DSL
NVQ Childcare Level 3
First Aider
Autumn 2017
Part 1:
4th Sept - 20th Oct
Half Term Holidays:
23rd Oct - 27th Oct
Part 2:
30th Oct - 15th Dec
Christmas Holidays:
18th Dec - 29th Dec
Term Dates
Spring Term 2018
Part 1:
4th Jan - 9th Feb
Half Term Holidays:
12th Feb - 16th Feb
Part 2:
19th Feb - 18th Mar
Easter Holidays:
2nd Apr - 13th Apr
Summer Term 2018
Part 1:
16th Apr - 25th May
Half Term Holidays:
28th May - 1st June
Part 2:
4th Jun - 20th July
Autumn Term 2023
Part 1:
5th Sept - 21st Oct (7 weeks)
Half Term Holidays:
24th Oct - 28th Oct
Part 2:
31st Oct - 16th Dec (7weeks)
Christmas Holidays:
19th Dec – 6th Jan
Term Dates
Spring Term 2024
Part 1:
9th Jan - 10th Feb (5 weeks)
Half Term Holidays:
13th Feb – 16th Feb
Part 2:
20th Feb – 31st March (6 weeks)
Easter Holidays:
3rd April – 14th Apr
Summer Term 2024
Part 1:
17th April - 26th May (6 weeks)
Half Term Holidays:
29th May- 2nd June
Part 2:
5th June – 19th July (7 weeks)
Booking Sessions
All children must take a minimum of 2 sessions and can take a maximum of 10 sessions per week.
* Morning sessions from 8:30 am to 11:45 am
* Afternoon sessions from 11:45am to 3:00pm
* Whole day sessions from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
* Term time only
As a healthy relationship between the nursery and home is of great importance for every child in our care, we highly encourage home visits before your child starts.
FEE
Free Early Education
This entitles you to 5 funded sessions a week for 3 and 4-year-olds.
FEET
Free Early Education for Two-year-olds
If you qualify, this entitles you to 5 funded sessions a week for 2-year-olds.
30 hrs
Funded Childcare for Working Parents
If you qualify, this entitles you to 10 funded sessions a week for 3 and 4-year-olds.