A Warm Welcome
to the Finches Room. We are delighted that your e joining us and becoming part of our nursery family.
The Finches Room is designed to provide a nurturing, engaging and stimulating environment where children can feel safe, develop confidence and build strong foundations for their future learning. We understand that starting a new nursery can be a significant milestone for both children and parents, and our team is committed to making the transition as smooth and positive as possible.
This handbook has been created to help you understand what life in Finches looks like and to answer many of the questions you may have before your child starts with us.
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Meet the Team
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2-year-olds: 1 adult to 5 children
3-year-olds: 1 adult to 8 children
Greenfinches and Goldfinches
Although the all the Finch children enjoy learning and playing together throughout the day, we become two smaller groups for circle times, story sessions and enrichment/specialist activities.
These smaller groups allow adults to provide more focused support and attention to individual children.
Goldfinches
Led by Veronica.
Greenfinches
Led by Amy.
Time Activity
8:00am Nursery opens
8:00-8:30am Breakfast available
8:00-9:00am Free play and self-registration
9:00am Morning Meeting – welcome songs and introduction to the day
9:20am onwards Indoor and outdoor play and/or specialist or enrichment session
10:00am Rolling morning snack
11:30am Story time, toileting and handwashing
12:00pm Lunch in the dining room
12:30pm Outdoor play or nap time
1:00pm Afternoon story time
1:20pm onwards Indoor and outdoor play
2:30pm Rolling afternoon snack
2:30pm onwards Indoor and outdoor play and/or specialist or enrichment session
4:00pm Tea in the dining room or outdoors
4:30pm Story time
Until 6:00pm Free play and home time
Rest and Sleep
After lunch, all children will have the choice to have a calm rest period in the sleep room The rest space includes sleep mat, blankets and sheets, cushions, soft music, dim lighting and staff supervision.
We will follow your guidance regarding naps and discuss your preferences during your All About Me meeting. Your child may bring their own labelled comforter for naptimes.
Children who do not wish to rest will continue to learn through play.
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Quiet Book Area
A calm, cosy space for stories, puppets and imaginative play
Small World Play
Animals, people and vehicles to support storytelling and imaginative and ‘worldbuilding’ play.
Sand and Water Area
Rich sensory opportunities encouraging scientific and mathematical thinking.
Creative Studio
A wide variety of art materials support self-expression and mark-making.
Construction Area
Wooden blocks, magnetic tiles, fabrics and loose parts encourage engineering, problem-solving and creativity
Home Corner
A familiar domestic environment that supports communication, social interaction and role play.
Malleable Materials Area
Playdough, clay and sculpting materials develop creativity and fine motor skills.
Knightsbridge Tower
Indoor climbing equipment supporting gross motor development through climbing, crawling and sliding
The Atelier
Our dedicated Atelier (Art Studio) provides opportunities for process art experiences in painting,drawing, sculpture, clay work, collage and collaborative projects
The quieter lower section of the Atelier also provides our dedicated sleep and rest space
When we move to The Rise Nursery, the Atelier will move with us!
Outdoor Environment
Outdoor play is an important part of every day and essential for a happy, healthy
Nursery experience We have the following zones in our outdoor area:
Climbing Zone
Developing physical strength, coordination and confidence
Mud Kitchen and Herb Garden
Imaginative play, sensory exploration and connection with nature.
Art and Music Area
Creative opportunities on a larger scale.
Sand and Water Play
Large-scale sensory and exploratory experiences.
Construction Area
Supporting teamwork, problem-solving and imaginative projects
Reading Area
Quiet spaces with picnic blankets for sharing stories and relaxing
Our Curriculum and Ethos
At The Rise Nursery, we believe children learn best through meaningful play, exploration and strong, respectful and nurturing relationships. We fully comply with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework, and our curriculum is informed by the ‘Development Matters’ and ‘Birth to 5 Matters’ guidelines which can be found at the QR codes here:
Our
Focus
Within Finches, particular emphasis is placed on the three Prime Areas of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Communication and Language
Physical Development
These areas provide the foundations that support all future learning Alongside this, children are given daily opportunities to explore the Specific Areas of Learning:
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design
Child-Led Learning
Our approach is child-centred and responsive. Much of our planning happens ‘in the moment’ as staff observe children's interests, ideas and play. Practitioners use their knowledge of child development to extend learning through:
Thoughtful questioning
Introducing new resources
Modelling language
Creating alongside children
Encouraging curiosity and investigation
Books, Stories and Emerging Interests
Each week we introduce a Book of the Week and Song of the Week, which are shared regularly to help children build familiarity and deepen their understanding of language, characters and themes
We also respond to children's emerging fascinations and interests. Throughout the year you may notice spontaneous projects, investigations and provocations appearing in the environment to extend children's learning and curiosity
Early Phonics
Children are introduced to early phonics through:
Storytelling
Songs and rhymes
Music sessions
Circle times
Listening activities
Our aim is to help children:
Tune into sounds
Develop clear speech
Differentiate letter sounds
Build vocabulary
Become confident communicators
Enrichment Programme
Our enrichment offer complements our play-based curriculum and provides exciting opportunities for children to explore new experiences.
Specialist Sessions
Music
Interactive sessions involving singing, dancing, rhythm and instrument exploration.
Spanish
Sessions involve games, songs and interactive language learning.
PE
Play-based physical development sessions which gradually become more structured as children mature.
Additional Enrichment Opportunities
Art Studio
Small group creative projects in the Atelier.
Library Sessions
Storytelling and drama based on our "Forty Books by Four" collection.
Forest School
Regular adventures at our Forest School site and local green spaces
We provide puddlesuits for all children.
Cookery Club
Children develop practical fine motor and life skills through baking, preparing food and harvesting produce.
Special Events
These include Christmas celebrations, art exhibition, sports day, stay and play sessions and other family events and workshops.
Assessment and Learning Journeys
Two-Year Check
Before joining Finches, many children will have completed their statutory Two-Year Progress Check, which is carried out in partnership with parents and health professionals If this has not been completed we will complete this check with you
Baseline Assessment
Within your child's first month in Finches, we will complete a baseline assessment focusing on the Prime Areas of Learning.
Letters to You
Your child's key person will write a special Letter to You approximately once each month. Letters are shared via Tapestry and collected into a beautiful keepsake booklet at the end of the year
These letters include:
Observations from your child's play
Celebrations of achievements
Emerging interests
Gentle developmental assessment
Suggested next steps
Working in Partnership with Parents
At The Rise, strong relationships with families sit at the heart of everything we do.
All About Me Meeting
Before your child starts Finches, you will attend a one-to-one meeting with Anna or the Room Lead. This valuable meeting allows us to learn about:
Your child's interests
Home routines
Development
Family information
Any additional needs
Information from this meeting is recorded on Tapestry and helps us build meaningful relationships from day one.
Tapestry
We use Tapestry to share key information about your child's day
Parents receive Care Diaries that include updates about: meals and snacks, nappy changes, and sleep or rest times. If your child has eaten less than usual, staff will make a note for you here. We purposefully keep written observations brief so our staff can spend their time interacting with children rather than using tablets
Daily Highlights
Each day we share photos and videos titled ‘Highlights from the Day’ In your child's early days in Finches, you can expect individual photos of your child's day which we hope will offer reassurance.
We believe photographs often tell a thousand words and are best complemented by face-to-face conversations at collection time.
ontacting Nursery
Tapestry is not used as a messaging system. If you need to contact us during the day, please telephone the office or send an email If your child was upset at drop-off, we are always happy to call once they have settled
Rise and Shine Newsletter
Each week Anna shares our nursery newsletter through Tapestry This includes nursery news, children's learning, upcoming events, artwork of the week, staff member of the week and important reminders.
Your Child's Special "All About Me" Photo Book
To help your child settle and feel connected to home, we create a special ‘All About Me’ Photo Book for every child in Finches This is a physical book that is kept in the nursery and is always available for your child to access whenever they would like to look through it. Please send us, via email, up to 10 photographs that are meaningful and comforting to their child before they join the Finches room
These might include:
Family members
Special friends
Family pets
Favourite places
Holidays and memorable experiences
Comfort toys or treasured objects
Important celebrations
Anything else that helps tell the story of your child's world
These books are often a wonderful source of comfort, particularly during the settling-in period, and they provide excellent opportunities for conversation, language development and relationship building between children and staff.
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Toileting and Nappies
Our team is highly experienced in supporting children through all stages of toileting and toilet training.
Toilet Training
We work closely with families to follow established routines and support consistency between home and nursery. Please keep your child’s Keyperson updated on your child’s toilet training journey
We Provide Wipes
Nappy bags
Barrier cream
A wet bag for soiled clothing
Please provide nappies or pull-ups until we move to The Rise Nursery in January, when these will be supplied
Priority is given to our existing Finches children, followed by Preschool families
Families can expect the same staffing, routines and high-quality care during holiday periods.
Looking Ahead: Our Move to The Rise
In January 2027, the Finches Room will move from Hope House to The Rise Nursery.
We have carefully planned this transition to ensure children feel secure and confident
To support continuity:
Familiar staff will move with the children
Existing furniture and resources will relocate with the room.
The Atelier will move too.
The outdoor environment will be recreated
Children will have opportunities to become familiar with the new space before the Wrens and Robins rooms open.
We will share detailed transition plans with families well in advance so that everyone feels excited, informed and well prepared.
We Cannot Wait to Welcome You
Starting nursery is a special milestone and we feel privileged to be part of your child's early years journey If you have any questions before your child joins Finches, please do not hesitate to get in touch
We look forward to learning, playing and growing together. ❤