Early years practice policy

Alongside associated procedures in 09.1–09.15 Early years practice, this policy was adopted by Gan Kinneret Nursery Limited on 29th September 2025.

Aim

Children are safe, happy, eager to participate and learn, and supported to reach their full potential.

Objectives

Babies and young children need to form a secure attachment to their key person when they join the setting so that they feel safe, happy and eager to participate and learn. It is their entitlement to be settled comfortably into a new environment.
The needs of part-time children are considered in planning routines and attachments.
There is a procedure for when children do not settle and for managing prolonged absences.
Introductions and induction for parents/carers are carried out before children start.
Information is gathered from parents and carers prior to the start regarding the child’s likes, dislikes, interests, routines, family structure and birth history (including relevant training regarding pre-term births – www.pretermbirth.info).
Prime times of the day are used to make the best of routine opportunities to promote emotional ‘tuning-in’ to the child and to create opportunities for learning.
We actively promote British values, inclusion, equality of opportunity and the valuing of diversity.
We operate a positive behaviour management approach. Behaviour management procedures cover staff responses to all aspects of behaviour, including challenging behaviour towards other children.
Our behaviour procedures are based on the Early Years Alliance’s approach to learning and three key statements:
- Learning is a lifelong process, enabling children and adults to contribute to and shape their world.
- We want the curriculum to help children learn to be confident and independent, to be aware of and responsive to their feelings, to make caring and thoughtful relationships and to be interested, knowledgeable and questioning about the world around them.
We provide a wide range of interesting child-chosen and adult-initiated activities which:
- Give children opportunities to use all their senses.
- Help children of different ages and stages to play together.
- Help children to be the directors of their own learning.
- Help children develop an inquiring and questioning attitude to the world around them.
The EYFS is used as a framework to provide care and learning for babies and children under two years.

Older children (2–5 years)

Children aged two to five years need to form attachments with the adults who care for them, primarily a key person but also other adults and children, so they feel part of a community of learners.
The three-stage model referred to in procedure 09.4 applies, with some differences for children moving groups and for older children.

Waiting list and admissions

Our provision is accessible to children and families from all sections of the local and wider community.
We aim to ensure that all sections of the community receive accessible information and that admissions procedures are fair, clear and open to all parents who apply for places.
Availability of places takes into account staff/child ratios, the age of the child and registration requirements.
We operate in an inclusive manner which enables all children and families to access our services.
We have regard to the needs of parents/carers who are:
- Looking to take up work, remain in work or extend their hours of work.
- Looking to commence training or education.
We work in partnership with the local authority and other agencies to ensure that our provision is accessible to all sections of the community.
Services are widely advertised and information is made accessible to all sections of the community.
Where demand exceeds places, a waiting list operates using clear criteria for allocation as detailed in procedure 09.1 Waiting list and admissions.

Funded places – free entitlement

All three- and four-year-olds in England are entitled to 15 hours free childcare and early education each week for 38 weeks of the year.
Some eligible two-year-olds are also entitled to funded places.
Funded places are offered in accordance with national and local codes of practice and in line with the relevant Provider Agreement/Contract with the local authority.