Mealtimes
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All food will be freshly cooked at nursery. Menus have been carefully planned to meet the nutritional requirements of children and guidance from the Children's Food Trust has guided menu planning. Menus will be published in due course.
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Mealtimes are an important time of day for children. Within the baby room the mealtime routine will be dictated by the individual needs of the babies themselves. Some babies may be fed in highchairs whilst others may sit at a table to eat. Some babies may still be bottle fed or feeding mothers may choose to come in to nursery to breast feed.
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Within the toddler room children will eat in their key groups with their key practitioners, the same applies with children in preschool.
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Preschool children will be expected to serve themselves from choices made available on their tables. Staff will support children to make healthy choices, e.g., to choose a balanced meal consisting of carbohydrates, protein and vegetables. Children in the preschool will eat from china plates and drink from glasses at all mealtimes, unless a risk assessments informs us otherwise. Toddlers and babies will use plastic plates and beakers.
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Ofsted registered full day care nursery
Rest Times
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Children need sleep and/or rest throughout the day and it is our policy to ensure that all children receive the rest and sleep they require in order to promote their health and well-being. No child will be forced to sleep and no child will be forced to stay awake.
Babies will sleep at times which meet their personal and individual needs. All full time babies will have their own cot in which to sleep, that is, the cot will be their's for the duration of their stay in the baby room. 'Bunk cots' in the baby room provide a conventional 'railed' top cot with a bottom self-access cot. Older babies are capable of indicating when they need to sleep and they will be encouraged to independently access their bed area. For older babies this will usually happen after their lunch time meal.
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We expect most full time toddlers to sleep after lunch. Toddlers need their sleep and sleep is important for growth and development. Young children who are deprived of sleep do not sleep better of a night. Sleep deprivation results in stress and stress results in restlessness and poor sleep patterns and sleep routines.
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Some younger preschoolers will be encouraged to sleep after lunch, and this is for the same health benefits as above. Older preschoolers may not require a nap but they will still be expected to rest to recharge their batteries. Quieter activities and stories will be offered to support children to rest for a short time where sleep is not required.
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The Lullaby Trust
We will follow guidance provided by The Lullaby Trust on 'safe sleep'. The following publications may be of interest to parents and professionals alike:
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