Fees and Frequently Asked Questions
Opening times and fees at Cuckoo Down Farm and Burrow Farm
All day sessions: 8am-5.30pm £80 (includes breakfast, snack, lunch and tea as well as nappies). We offer all day sessions only and minimum attendance is two days per week.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What age do you take children from?
We take children from the age of nine months up until they leave us to go to Reception class at school.
How many weeks a year are you open?
We are open 51 weeks a year, closed between Christmas and New Year (during which time there are no fees charged). We are closed on Bank Holidays, for which no fees are charged.
Where are your settings based?
We have two nurseries - Little Farmers @ Cuckoo Down Farm is in West Hill, near Ottery St Mary and Little Farmers @ Burrow Farm is on the edge of Broadclyst.
How many childcare places do you have?
We have up to 24 daily child places at each setting
Are the children divided into age groups?
Yes, in each setting we have a group for under-twos and a group for over-twos.
Do you offer termtime only places?
We are open 51 weeks of the year and we do not offer termtime only places.
What ratio of children to adults do you have?
We follow the Ofsted requirements for adult:child ratios, which are:
Under-twos: one adult to three children
Over-twos: one adult to four or five children
Over-threes: one adult to eight children
Will my child have a key worker?
Ofsted requires each child to be allocated a key worker. The key worker’s role is to focus on the child’s development, so they will be in charge of the majority of observations and reports on your child’s progress. It is important to be aware that when it comes to actually looking after your child on a daily basis, we work collaboratively as a team. So all the staff will know your child well and if your key worker is away from work for any reason, your child will still be well cared for.
What does child-led learning mean and what will my child learn at Little Farmers?
We follow the national Early Years Foundation Stage recommendations, which are in force in all British childcare for the under-5s. The EYFS sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. It recommends child-led learning because we now know that young children learn better when we pay careful attention to their interests and readiness to try academic activities and other skills.
How do children learn outdoors?
Unlike a lot of childcare settings, we spend a lot of time outdoors. We plan lots of interesting activities for them to explore when they are outside. Our ethos is all about learning through play and practical activities, which is the best way to learn when you are very young. We count eggs when we visit the chickens and count tomatoes growing in our gardens. With our daily storytime and wide range of lovely children’s books, we encourage a love of reading and stories. When we talk about filling up buckets with water, we are exploring the mathematical concepts of capacity and volume - as well as strengthening our arms and hands to hold a pencil. Every day is a learning day at Little Farmers.
What clothing do children need?
We believe that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. We provide a full kit list for new starters. Children will need warm neoprene wellies and waterproof clothing. In winter they will need lots of warm layers, waterproof trousers and a warm woolly hat. In summer we ask for sun hats, light, long-sleeved tops, Crocs or similar beach shoes and a good coating of sun cream. We love this video which shows how to dress for Forest School.
Are the children outdoors all the time?
We aim to be outside as much as possible. But we also have lovely indoor areas in both our settings. At Cuckoo Down Farm we have two purpose-built cabins which we use for naps, indoor play and mealtimes. At Burrow Farm we have a beautiful converted barn and two additional indoor spaces. We have lots of indoor toys, books and activities so there is always plenty to do, inside and out, no matter what the weather.
How does Little Farmers Childcare communicate with parents?
We use a software package called Famly to communicate daily with parents. We will send you pictures and updates on your child’s day and you can send pictures in from home to show important moments, such as what they did at the weekend, for us to talk about with them. When you check in with Famly, you will see what your child has eaten at mealtimes, when they fell asleep and woke up and when they had a nappy change. On a weekly basis we will send you a formal observation of your child to let you know how they are getting on and what their next steps will be in terms of progress and learning.
What is Forest School?
According to the Forest School Association, “Forest School is an inspirational process, that offers ALL learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment with trees.” In a nutshell, it’s all about being outside in nature, learning and having fun.
What Health and Safety policies do you have?
We are all trained in Safeguarding, Paediatric First Aid and have Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced certification. We risk assess all activities in advance and during the activity and are fully insured. We have a full handbook which parents/guardians can read with details of all our policies.
Can we visit to look around?
Yes, by appointment. Please contact us to book a visit.
Do you accept Government funding for places?
We do. Please contact us to discuss your funding options.
Do you accept workplace childcare vouchers ?
We do. Let us know your company’s scheme and we will work with them.
Are you registered for the Government’s tax-free childcare scheme?
Yes we are. We highly recommend this scheme as it can save you up to £2000 a year on your childcare costs.