Our Educational Programmes in Northolt

Welcome to Maygardens Little Learners, where we offer a range of carefully crafted programmes designed to support and enhance every child’s early years development. Our nurturing environment, located in Northolt, provides the perfect setting for children to explore, learn, and grow.

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Early Explorers (Newborn – 2 years)

Our Early Explorers programme focuses on creating a safe and loving environment for our youngest learners, encouraging sensory play, exploration, and the development of social connections.

Curious Climbers (2-4 years)

The Curious Climbers programme aims to nurture creativity, independence, and language development through a variety of play-based activities, storytelling, and exploration of the natural world.

After School Bunch (8-10 years)

Our After School Bunch programme offers a safe and engaging space for older children after school hours, providing homework help, fun activities, and opportunities to socialise with peers.

Adventurous Thinkers (4-8 years)

Designed to prepare children for school, the Adventurous Thinkers programme focuses on literacy, numeracy, problem-solving skills, and social-emotional learning, providing a solid foundation for future learning.

A Day at MayGardens Little Learners (Flexible Guide)

It’s hard to describe a day at MayGardens as there is so much variety of fun activities everyday planned for individual needs of the children, but there are somethings you can expect including a warm welcome to the setting when you arrive to drop your child which follows by settling them in and offering them the activities, they would like to start their day with. Rest of the day children would follow the routine below with flexibility according to their needs:

7.30am-8.00am: Practitioners meet & greet parents & children

8.00am-8:30am: Breakfast time
9.00am-10.00am: Focused activities, child & adult initiated: 7 areas of development, physical play & EYFS Curriculum
10:00am-10:15am: Tidy up time / Toileting
10.15am-10:30am: Circle time, tell & talk/songs & rhymes/story time
10:30am-10:45am: Fruit/Snack Time
10:45am-11:00am: Nappy Changing
11:00am-11:30am: Outdoor Play, physical exercise, planned free play
11.30am-11:45am: Wash & prepare for lunch
11.45am-12.30pm: Lunch

12:30pm-12:45pm: Toileting / Nappy Changing
12:45pm- 1:15pm: Settle children for rest/sleep- older children quiet activities.
2:00pm-2:30pm: Circle time, songs/rhymes, story time
2.30pm-3:00pm: Free play & child initiated/adult led activities promoting EYFS Curriculum
3:00pm-3:15pm: : Wash & prepare for tea
3.15pm-3:45pm: Tea Time
3:45pm-4:30pm: Outdoor Play, physical exercise, planned free play
4:45pm-5:00pm: Nappy changing
5:00pm–6:00pm: Start tidying up & free play
6:00pm- Prepare for home time/singing rhymes and songs

Settling in and transitions

To feel securely settled and ready to learn, children need to form attachments with the adults who care for them, primarily a key person, but others too. In this way they feel part of a community; they are able to contribute to that community and receive from it. Very young children, especially two- to three-year-olds, approach separation from their parent with anxieties, older children have a more secure understanding of ‘people permanence’ and are able to approach new experiences with confidence; but also need time to adjust and feel secure. It is the entitlement of all children to be settled comfortably into a new environment.

We follow a three-stage model of settling in based on three key needs:

Proximity – Babies and young children feel safest when a familiar adult, such as a parent, is present when they are getting used to a new carer and new surroundings. In this way they can become confident in engaging with those experiences independently later on.
Secure base – Because the initial need for proximity of the parent has been met, babies and young children gradually begin to feel secure with a key person in a new surrounding so that they are able to participate independently for small periods of time.
Dependency – Babies and young children are able to separate from parents’ and main carers when they have formed a secure attachment to their key person who knows and understands them best and on whom they can depend for their needs to be met.

The setting manager and key person explain the need for settling in and agree a plan with the parents. They write this down and both key person and parents keep a copy. Each day they review the plan and agree what will happen the next day.

Settling-in for babies, children under two and those with SEND

Start times for babies are staggered to allow sufficient one to one time with each child and parent.
Babies should at least be at stage 2 of settling before the key person begins settling another child.
Where a number of babies need to start – key persons can start settling one child in the morning and another in the afternoon. In their first week, children who are settling in will not stay all day.
If a child has been identified as having SEND then the key person/SENCO and parents will need to identify and address potential barriers to settling in e.g. timings of medication and invasive procedures, specific routines and levels of support.

Promoting proximity

For the first day, the parent attends with the baby and does not leave for any time.
One to two hours is sufficient for a baby and parent to attend on any one day initially.
On the first day, the key person shows the parent around, introduces members of staff, and explains how the day is organised, making the parent and child feel welcome and comfortable.
The key person always greets the parent and child. (Shift patterns may need to be adjusted when settling in.)
The parent is invited to play with their child and the key person spends time with them. As much time as possible is allowed for the key person to do this.
Over subsequent days, depending how the child is responding, the parent is invited to attend other significant times of the day, including lunch, sleep and afternoon play.
At this time, the key person does not change or feed the baby but observes the parent’s handling of the baby and how the baby responds.
The key person will engage the baby in eye contact but not rush to handle or hold the baby if this causes them distress.
The key person observes to see if the baby is recognising them, beginning to explore the environment (if able), noting what they seem to like and making sure it is available the next day.

Promoting secure base

When the young child has experienced different times of the day, these are then fitted together to establish continuity of the day.
If the baby is responding to the situation with smiles and eagerness to be held, then the baby is ready for the parent to spend short periods of time away in another part of the building. If signs of distress are still apparent then the separation will be approached more slowly, starting with the parent staying in the room, but taking a ‘back seat’, while the key person spends time with the baby.
When the parent leaves, they always say goodbye and say they are coming back. Parents should never slip away without the baby noticing; this leads to greater distress.
Gradually, time out of the room is extended from 10 to 20 minutes, and then 30 minutes.
When baby can comfortably cope with 30 minutes, the key person and parent plan the next stage.
Parents can be asked to bring in a recently worn tee shirt or scarf that smells of them. Babies will often settle if they can smell the familiar smell of the parent. Some parents may agree to send in a recording of a song that they sing to get their baby to sleep, especially if it is in their home language.

Promoting dependency

Attachment can be seen when the baby shows signs that they are happy to transfer their need to be dependent onto the key person. Key persons look for signs such as the baby being pleased to see them, looking for them when distressed, holding out their arms to be held, establishing eye contact, responding to play, feeding and taking comfort from the key person.
Parents can now leave their baby for longer, until the baby can cope with a longer day.
After 4-6 weeks, the key person reviews the settling in plan with the parent and discusses how well the child has settled. They discuss problems that may have arisen and plan how they will be overcome. They plan for the next few weeks and set a time to review. As babies and toddlers grow and change so rapidly, meeting every 6 weeks is recommended.

Part-time babies and toddlers

Part-time babies have the same needs when settling in as full-time babies. However, part-time attendance means that there may be gaps between times the baby is in one week to the next.
During settling in the baby and parent attend every day, even on the days when they will not usually, until the baby is settled and comfortably attached to the key person. Then the normal pattern of attendance should commence.
A settling in review takes place after 6 weeks for the key person and parent to discuss how well the baby has settled, formed an attachment and adapted to the setting. Any adverse changes of behaviour at home (or in the setting) are addressed as a sign of separation difficulty.

When babies do not seem to settle

It is not good for babies to be in a setting when they are acutely distressed and anxious. A baby who is not securely attached and settled is overwhelmed with fear. They are unable to participate in any activity and do not learn. It is not in their immediate or long-term interest to attempt to prolong what is an agonising experience for them.
A highly distressed baby will need 1:1 attention consistently; their distress will upset other babies and put stress on staff. If this is the case, the key person discusses with the manager or deputy.
Attempts are made to reduce anxiety and distress through a planned approach with the parent.
The three stages of settling-in are reviewed and the plan is pitched back at the appropriate stage.
Particular triggers of distress are discussed to see what can be done to alleviate it.
If all attempts have been made and the baby or toddler still cannot cope without the parent, then the place is offered only with the parent attending. In some cases it may be appropriate to withdraw the place and help the parent consider alternatives. For a child ‘in need’ this may need to be discussed with the social care worker, where one is allocated to the child, health visitor or referring agency.

When a parent is unable or refuses to take part in settling in

Information about the ‘settling in’ plan is given at the first visit and the reasons are explained.
If the parent feels that this will be difficult – perhaps another close relative can come in instead.
Genuine difficulties need to be handled sensitively, but generally speaking this is not an issue where the parent has a choice not to attend with their child. A parent who refuses to take part in settling in may have the offer of the place withdrawn.

Prolonged absences

Moving up from baby room to the main room

One-year olds are not moved to the main room before their second birthday or before they can cope; they are given the opportunity to visit the main group as part of a normal day and participate in play and join in at mealtimes, becoming familiar with adults, children and the environment.
When approaching their second birthday, and when a vacancy arises, a new key person is identified. The key person discusses the plan for the child moving up with the parents.
The baby room key person and the parents agree how the child will be settled; ideally parents spend time with their child and new key person before the move takes place.
The current key person will spend time with the child in the new group, liaising with the new key person and ensuring that the child is familiar with all the main times of the day.
The child gradually spends more time with the new key person until they can cope in their new room.

Two-year-olds starting a setting for the first time

A two-year-old may have little or no experience of group care. As part of gathering information from parents, it is important to find out about the child’s experience of non-parental care, for example grandparents, or childminder; this informs staff as to how a child may respond to a new situation.
The three-stage approach involving Proximity, Secure Base and Dependency/Independenceis applied to two-year-olds as to younger children.
After the induction meeting with the setting manager or deputy and key person, a settling-in plan is drawn up. Where possible, a home visit is carried out for the same purpose.
To settle in a two-year-old, the setting will go through the same process of gradually increasing the time a child attends with a parent/carer during the proximity stage.
On the first day, the parent attends with the child, and stays for the morning (less if the child becomes tired). On day two, the parent stays longer and on day three stays until, and including lunch
It is evident that the child is developing a sense of secure base when he or she shows interest in activities and begins to engage with the key person and other children. Then the parent/ carer may gradually start to spend short periods of time in another room to see how the child responds, this time increases until the child can manage a whole session without the parent.
Separation causes anxiety in two-year-olds, as they have no concept of where their parents have gone. Parents should always say goodbye and tell them when they will return. Patience with the process will ensure children are happy and eager to come to play and be cared for in the setting.

Three- and four-year-olds

Most children of this age can move through the stages more quickly and confidently.
Some children take longer, and their needs for proximity and secure base stages should be accommodated as much as possible.
Some children appear to leap to dependency/independence within a couple of days. In most cases, they will revert to the need for proximity and secure base. It can be difficult to progress to true dependency/independence and this can be frustrating.
After the parent attends for an induction meeting with the setting manager or deputy and key person, (or in some circumstances a home visit), a settling-in plan is drawn up.
On the first day, the parent attends with the child and stays for the morning (less if the child becomes tired), on day two, longer and the next day stays until and including lunch (if full day care).
If the child shows interest in the activities and is beginning to engage with the key person and other children, the parent spends time in the parent room (if available) to see how the child responds.
Parents are encouraged to explain to their child where they are going, and that they will return.
If by the fifth day, the child is able to spend more time without the parent, the child may be ready for a short day or session the following week, progressing to a full day or session very soon.

For children whose first language is not English

For many children learning English as an additional language, the stage of proximity takes longer as the child is dependent upon the parents’ input to make sense of what is going on.
If the parent does not speak English, efforts are made to source an interpreter for induction; it will be helpful for them to see around the setting and be clear about their role in interpreting in the play area.
The settling-in programme is explained to the parent, and it is emphasised how important it is that they stay with the child and talk to him/her in the home language to be able to explain things.
Through the interpreter, the key person will try to gauge the child’s level of skills in their home language; this will give the key person an idea of the child’s interests and levels of understanding.
The need for the parent to converse in the child’s home language is important.
The key person makes the parent feel welcome using smiles and gestures.
With the parent, make a list of key words in the child’s home language; sometimes it is useful to write the word as you would pronounce it. These words will be used with the child and parents will be addressed with ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ in their language.
The key person prepares for the child’s visits by having a favourite toy or activity ready for the child to provide a means to interact with the child.
Children will be spoken to as per any other child, using gestures and facial expressions to help.
When the child feels happy to spend time with the key person (secure base), the parent should spend time outside of the room.
Progress with settling in will be done as with any other child; it just takes a little longer to reach dependency/independence.

Healthy Eating

We provide balanced, healthy diet for your child which requires both expertise and imagination. Our menu reflects the guidelines from Eat Better Start Better. We freshly prepare all of our melas at MayGardens Little Learners, ensuring our food is perfect for your child’s growing body and mind. We have a special diet policy that ensures every specific dietary needs is met, to meet each child’s needs. All our food is prepared fresh daily by our qualified chef. We ensure that our food meets the highest standards. We serve breakfast, morning snack, lunch and tea.

Healthy Eating

MayGardens Menu

Breakfast	Snack	Tea
Selection of cereals : Weetabix, shreddies, oatmeal squares, wheat bisks, Farley’s Rusk Porridge with choice of fruits Toast with butter, Jam or honey Crumpets with cheese spread Pancakes with honey and fresh fruits Boiled eggs with tomatoes, wholemeal toast and spread	Seasonal fruits Raisins Cheese strings Milk Corn on the cob/ baby corn Vegetables: carrots, peppers , baby corn, corn on the cob, sugar snap beans cucumbers Rice cakes with raisins Avocado on toast Plain yoghurt with fruit	Veggie pitta pizzas made by children Crackers with cream cheese and cucumbers Breadsticks/carrot sticks with dip Butter and cheese Sandwiches with pepper sticks Potato Waffles and baked beans Home made tomato soup with baguette Beans on toast Fruit loaf and raisins Ciabatta bread and olives Turkey Ham/ cheese oven baked butter croissants Cous-cous salad Quiche with potato salad and pepper sticks Mashed avocado and pita bread

Lunch

week	monday	tuesday	wednesday	thursday	friday
1	Home-made Cheesy pasta bake with mixt vegetables Fruit salad	Home-made Kichdi Melon boats	Lentil moussaka with garlic bread and mixed salad Fomaje frais	BBQ chicken or BBQ Quorn pieces with steamed baby potatoes and roast vegetables Fresh berries	Jacket potatoes with tuna/salmon/Cheese/beans Fresh oranges
2	Sweet and sour vegetables with noodles Berry Medley	Home made stuffed peppers Fruit yoghurts	Home made Cauliflower pasta carbonara Fruit kebabs	Thai chicken curry / Thai Tofu Curry with white rice Custard	Home made fish fingers/ home made Veggie fingers with steamed green beans and baby corn Water melon
3	Spaghetti with tomato sauce and olives Banana and custard	Home made salmon cakes/ home made veggie burgers with roast potatoes and peas Plain Yoghurt with raspberry puree	Vegetable and red lentil dhansak with brown rice Fresh Berries	Home-made Vegetarian lasagna Greek yoghurt with honey	Chicken sausages /Vegetarian sausages with home-made mash and steamed broccoli Fresh melon
4	Vegetarian Shepherd’s pie with green beans Watermelon Whole Fruit Popsicles	Vegetables stir fry with noodles Yoghurt tubes	Home made nuggets / Home made veggie fingers with sweet potato fries and cucumber sticks Mix fruit salad	Rice with fresh cod/spinach and peas Custard	Macaroni cheese with fresh tomatoes Fresh pears

All meat provided is Halal

Snack-times and mealtimes

Children are supervised during mealtimes and always remain within sight and hearing of staff.

Snack times

A ‘snack’ is prepared mid-morning and mid-afternoon and can be organised according to the discretion of the setting manager e.g. picnic on a blanket.
Children may also take turns to help set the table. Small, lidded plastic jugs are provided with choice of milk or water.
Children wash their hands before and after snack-time.
Children are only offered full-fat milk until they are at least two years old because they may not get the calories they need from semi-skimmed milk. After the age of two, children can gradually move to semi-skimmed milk as a main drink, as long as they are eating a varied and balanced diet.
Fruit or raw vegetables, such as carrot or tomato, are offered in batons, which children should be encouraged to help in preparing. Bananas and other foods are not cut as rounds, but are sliced to minimise a choking hazard.
Portion sizes are gauged as appropriate to the age of the child.
Biscuits should not be offered, but toast, rice cakes or oatcakes are good alternatives.
Children arrive as they want refreshment and leave when they have had enough. Children are not made to leave their play if they do not want to have a snack.
Staff join in conversation and encourage children’s independence by allowing them to pour drinks, butter toast, cut fruit etc.

Mealtimes

Tables are never overcrowded during mealtimes. Some social distancing is encouraged even though it is acknowledged that children will play in close proximity for the rest of the session.
Children help staff set tables which are arranged for key person groups.
Cloths are used where practical and children’s places are personalised with, for example, mats that they make for themselves and have laminated.
Their food is brought to their room in serving dishes for each table on a trolley. Dishes are not kept in a food warmer or oven so will not be too hot to touch.
Children wash their hands and sit down as food is ready to be served.
Children are encouraged to choose what they want and to take their own helpings.
Staff have their lunch with children and do not eat different food in front of children. Staff who are eating with the children role-model healthy eating and best practice at all times, for example not drinking cans of fizzy drinks in front of the children.
Children are given time to eat at their own pace and are not hurried to fit in with adults’ tasks and breaks. They are not made to eat what they do not like and are only encouraged to try new foods slowly.
In order to protect children with food allergies or specific dietary requirements, children are discouraged from sharing and swopping their food with one another.
If children do not eat their main course, they are not denied pudding. Food is not used as a reward or punishment.
Mealtimes are relaxed opportunities for social interaction between children and the adults who care for them.
There are sometimes opportunities for children to eat with friends on other tables. Children may be invited to the babies’ room for lunch, to join a sibling or be with their previous carer if they have just moved up into the older group. There should also be opportunities for babies and toddlers to join the older children for lunch, providing they do not find this unsettling or distressing.
After lunch children are encouraged to scrape their plates and help wipe the table and sweep the floor.
Children go to the bathroom and wash their hands after lunch in their key groups. Cleaning teeth no sooner than 1 hour after lunch is recommended where hygiene procedures pose no risk (see procedure 04.6 Oral health)/ It is not always recommended for groups in shared premises.
Information for parents is displayed on the parent’s notice board, including:
Ten Steps for Healthy Toddlers https://infantandtoddlerforum.org/media/upload/pdf-downloads/HR_toddler_booklet_green.pdf
Daily menus including identification of any foods containing allergens

Key Person System

We use the key person approach to help your children feel individual, cherished and cared for while they are away from home. This approach means that there is one named member of staff to act as the main point of contact for you and your child.

Every child has a key person and a back up key person to promote continuity and consistency in promoting and supporting children’s learning and development.

Your child’s key person can help you and your child by:

Helping your child settle in when he/she first arrives at our setting.
Making sure that any questions you have are answered.
Helping your child with their personal care, for instance changing nappies, going to the toilet, washing hands.
Observing your child’s play and providing suitable resources and activities.
Keeping up-to-date records about your child’s learning and sharing these with you.
Encouraging your child to develop independent skills, such as putting on their own shoes/coat.
Letting you know what your child has enjoyed doing each day!

If you have any questions about the key person approach, or about how it will help your child, our team will be happy to answer and help you understand.

Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults

We are committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and will do this by putting young people and vulnerable adult’s right to be ‘strong, resilient and listened to ‘at the heart of all our activities.

The Early Years Alliance ‘three key commitments’ are broad statements against which policies and procedures across the organisation will be drawn to provide a consistent and coherent strategy for safeguarding children young people and vulnerable adults in all services provided. The three key commitments are:

The Alliance is committed to building ‘a culture of safety’ in which children, young people and vulnerable adults are protected from abuse and harm in all areas of its service delivery.
The Alliance is committed to responding promptly and appropriately to all incidents or concerns of abuse that may occur and to work with statutory agencies in accordance with the procedures that are set down in ‘What to do if you are worried a child is being abused’ (HMG 2015) and ‘No Secrets (updated by the Care Act 2014) and Working Together 2018.
The Alliance is committed to promoting awareness of child abuse issues throughout its training and learning programmes for adults. It is also committed to empowering children, young people, and vulnerable adults, through its curriculum, promoting their right to be ‘strong, resilient and listened to’.

NB: A ‘young person’ is defined as 16–19-year-old. In an early years setting, they may be a student, worker, or parent.

A ‘vulnerable adult’ (see guidance to the Care Act 2014) as: ‘a person aged 18 years or over, who is in receipt of or may need community care services by reason of ‘mental or other disability, age or illness and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation’. In early years, this person may be a service user, parent of a service user, or a volunteer.

Key Commitment 1

We have a ‘designated person’, sometimes known as the designated lead for safeguarding, who is responsible for carrying out child, young person, or adult protection procedures. (It is recommended that this person is the setting manager.)

The ‘designated person’ and the ‘back up designated person ensure they have links with statutory and voluntary organisations regarding safeguarding children.
The ‘designated person’ and the ‘back up designated person’ ensure they have received appropriate training on child protection matters and that all staff are adequately informed and/or trained to recognise possible child abuse in the categories of physical, emotional and sexual abuse and neglect.
The ‘designated person’ and the ‘back up designated person’ ensure all staff are aware of the additional vulnerabilities that affect children that arise from inequalities of race, gender, disability, language, religion, sexual orientation or culture and that these receive full consideration in child, young person or adult protection related matters.
The ‘designated person’ and the ‘back up designated person’ ensure that staff are aware and receive training in social factors affecting children’s vulnerability including
social exclusion
domestic violence and controlling or coercive behaviour
mental Illness
drug and alcohol abuse (substance misuse)
parental learning disability
radicalisation
The ‘designated person’ and the ‘back up designated person’ ensure that staff are aware and receive training in other ways that children may suffer significant harm and stay up to date with relevant contextual safeguarding matters:
abuse of disabled children
fabricated or induced illness
child abuse linked to spirit possession
sexually exploited children
children who are trafficked and/or exploited
female genital mutilation
extra-familial abuse and threats
children involved in violent offending, with gangs and county lines.
The ‘designated person’ and the ‘back up designated person’ensure they are adequately informed in vulnerable adult protection matters.

Key Commitment 2

There are procedures in place to prevent known abusers from coming into the organisation as employees or volunteers at any level.
Safeguarding is the responsibility of every person undertaking the work of the organisation in any capacity.
There are procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse against a member of staff, or any other person undertaking work whether paid or unpaid for the organisation, where there is an allegation of abuse or harm of a child. Procedures differentiate clearly between an allegation, a concern about quality of care or practice and complaints.
There are procedures in place for reporting possible abuse of children or a young person in the setting.
There are procedures in place for reporting safeguarding concerns where a child may meet the s17 definition of a child in need (Children Act 1989) and/or where a child may be at risk of significant harm, and to enable staff to make decisions about appropriate referrals using local published threshold documents.
There are procedures in place to ensure staff recognise children and families who may benefit from early help and can respond appropriately using local early help processes and Designated persons should ensure all staff understand how to identify and respond to families who may need early help.
There are procedures in place for reporting possible abuse of a vulnerable adult in the setting.
There are procedures in place in relation to escalating concerns and professional challenge.
There are procedures in place for working in partnership with agencies involving a child, or young person or vulnerable adult, for whom there is a protection plan in place. These procedures also take account of working with families with a ‘child in need’ and with families in need of early help, who are affected by issues of vulnerability such as social exclusion, radicalisation, domestic violence, mental illness, substance misuse and parental learning disability.
These procedures take account of diversity and inclusion issues to promote equal treatment of children and their families and that take account of factors that affect children that arise from inequalities of race, gender, disability, language, religion, sexual orientation, or culture.
There are procedures in place for record keeping, confidentiality and information sharing, which are in line with data protection requirements.
We follow government and Local Safeguarding Partners guidance in relation to extremism.
The procedures of the Local Safeguarding Partners must be followed.

Key Commitment 3

All staff receive adequate training in child protection matters and have access to the setting’s policy and procedures for reporting concerns of possible abuse and the safeguarding procedures of the Local Safeguarding Partners.
All staff have adequate information on issues affecting vulnerability in families such as social exclusion, domestic violence, mental illness, substance misuse and parental learning disability, together with training that takes account of factors that affect children that arise from inequalities of race, gender, disability, language, religion, sexual orientation, or culture.
We use available curriculum materials for young children, taking account of information in the Early Years Foundation Stage, that enable children to be strong, resilient, and listened to.
All services seek to build the emotional and social skills of children and young people who are service users in an age-appropriate way, including increasing their understanding of how to stay safe.
We adhere to the EYFS Safeguarding and Welfare requirements.

Enroll your child today and give them the best start at Maygardens Little Learners!