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
The Daily Routine
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The daily routine at Mill House has been planned to be meaningful and predictable.
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Baby Room
Within the baby room the routine is dictated by the babies themselves. Everything will be planned around their individual needs and routines. By approximately 12 - 18 months of age babies may be in a more established routine of 'usual' breakfast, lunch, sleep, and tea times (with naps of course), their routines will, however, continue to be dictated by their individual needs.
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Toddler Room
Once babies transfer to the toddler room the 'breakfast-lunch-teatime' routine will usually be established. Routines in this room are more 'group' led with, for example, group lunch time planned to meet social needs and rest periods being offered after lunch etc. Practitioners will still expect to accommodate the 'I need to sleep now!' and other individual requirements.
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Preschool
Children in preschool follow a daily routine which is established around nursery routines. Breakfast, lunch and tea are provided at the same time each day. Daily activities are planned each morning and afternoon and by the time children transition to the preschool the expectation is that, with support and encouragement, children will follow the preschool routine.