Top 10 things you should know about LEYF

You may well not have time to read every page on this website right now, so we thought we would start you off with what we think are the Top 10 things we first tell our parents – with a specific goal of helping to make your child’s time at nursery more effective and enjoyable from day one. Even if you don’t live or work near one of our nurseries, we hope some of these points will help you and your child both choose and make the most of any nursery you attend.

1. Caring for your child is our number one priority. We will always take the time to support their personal development. All nursery staff will spend time playing with and getting to know your child.  They will also have their own key person from day one who will ensure they receive the care and attention they need and deserve from the nursery team.
2. Talking with parents matters to us, which means you should feel able to speak with the nursery manager, deputy or your child's key person at any time. If there is something more sensitive you wish to discuss, we recommend you make a specific appointment.
3. Sharing what interests your child at home and in the nursery makes all the difference, so please spend a few moments each day getting to know us and letting us get to know you. Our staff are well-known for their warm and welcoming nature, so please do ask them about ways you can get more involved with and support what we do in the nursery.
4. Your child’s Learning Journey is a crucial record of their progress, so please take time out to read and contribute to this on a regular basis. We will also discuss this with you at our parents’ evenings.
5. We are a registered charity and social enterprise, so our first thought is always for the wellbeing of you and your child, not our bottom line. Our range of ‘fair fees’ and funded places means more parents can access the high quality care we provide. We can also signpost you to other sources of support, so please do not be afraid to ask for help if you need it.
6. Your child will be treated as an individual, they are listened to and encouraged to take an active role in deciding what we do in the nursery, which in turn makes a real difference to the crucial development of their personal and social skills.
7. Food and mealtimes are important to us, so we offer all children freshly cooked, healthy, seasonal food (sustainably sourced from local providers) and encourage them to learn good table manners by eating together as a 'family' group with a member of staff.
8. Community is at the heart of our approach, so we take children on regular outings to the local park, places of interest, restaurants and museums. We also get involved with local events and really appreciate it when parents can afford the time to help out.
9. We take a multigenerational approach in everything we do, which includes welcoming grandparents, singing with residents at local elderly homes, supporting local volunteers and citizenship programmes for young people.
10. We have a dedicated, award-winning Centre for Learning, Research & Development, which provides apprenticeship programmes, qualifications and professional training for LEYF staff and across the sector.  This helps ensure that we have outstanding nurseries providing fantastic care for your children.