Home visits and settling for new nursery

[Guest]

Hello all,

We have a new nursery opening in September so I will have home visits for 40+ children to organise as well as settling children, some of which will be staying all day. Have been a reception teacher up until now.

Any practical solutions very welcome.

When should I do home visits? What do you take? 'General' timing for settling?

Thank you.

Rosie

[blondie]

we do home visits just before we start back so children remember us. we always go in 2's - the keyworker always goes and usually lead/deputy.

lead/deputy will sit with parent to complete paperwork and ask questions about their child-likes/dislikes etc whilst the keyworker will sit and play/talk with the child.

we take a little booklet for the child with photos of the setting, staff etc which they look through/talk about together (child keeps this).

[Guest]

Thanks blondie,

Just wondering how to manage settling in 40 ish kids and getting home visits done along side this? How do you timetable all this?

Thanks again.

Rosie x

[finleysmaid]

home visits aren't obligatory :lol:

[blondie]

If you can't do home visits then don't worry- we do them before we start back in september.

settling in - we usually ensure parents stay for a few sessions so it makes it a bit easier for us - can you stagger the settling in times so children start over a couple of weeks?

[cathyuhu]

Hi,

I am a school nursery. We have 2 of us go out to each child, allow 45mins and block out the first week in September as home visits. We get 5 done a day and work in two teams so get it all done during that week.

Our existing nursery children start back the second week to allow us to do the home visits for the new children. Obbiously in a day nursery you wouldn't have that luxury.

[finleysmaid]

Redrosie is this a school nursery or a private one that you are opening?

[Guest]

This is a school nursery.

26 per session, although some will be all day.

And three members of staff.

[Mouseketeer]

We've never done home visits, we invite parents and children in for pre-visits, the key person will sit with the parent and look through the 'what to expect when doc' to give us starting points, I think living in a village you mostly know everyone and see children from birth, it seems like a lot of overtime to pay with no income if you're term term settings so you go in holidays or it must be difficult to have 2 staff out if you open all year.

[lsp]

We dont offer home visits for the same reasons as Mouseketeer. Just cant afford it. We have also asked parents, using parent questionnaires, if they wanted them and most said no.

[Rafa]

The only time we do a home visit is with a child with Sen, if parents agree that it would be beneficial.

[Guest]

Thank you everyone. Very helpful.

Rosie