Forming Close Bonds
Every child within our nursery schools will be allocated a nursery Key Person. This person will be the adult in the setting with whom the child has the closest bond and the one who welcomes you and your child into the nursery and supports them in settling into the session.
Nursery observation
Through day-to-day care routines, the Key Person will get to know the child very well and can recognise frustration, playfulness, and tiredness in a child. The Key Person is responsive to the child and knows what the child needs and enjoys. They will also be the main practitioner carrying out the child’s intimate care needs, such as physical closeness, nappy changing, and nap time routines. The Key Person will gradually encourage and help your child to develop relationships with other members of staff and children, to ensure continuity of care within the nursery all year round.
The nursery Key Person will observe your child regularly as they are playing and learning, paying attention to how your child learns, what they enjoy playing with and what they need more support with. They will also keep a record of the observations they have made through a learning journey that documents your child’s progress through the Early Years Foundation Stage.
The nursery Key Person will use their observations to plan further learning opportunities that are based on your child’s individual interests and requirements. We know that young children learn best when their experiences are challenging and interesting, allowing them to play and explore a theme, and to develop their own ideas, at their own pace.
Settling into nursery
The role of the Key Person is integral to a child’s settling in process. We understand that all children are different and the time it takes for a child to settle into nursery will vary greatly from one to another. Our nursery teams will explain the process of settling in with you as parents and jointly decide on the best way to help your child settle into the nursery setting. Your child’s Key Person will welcome and look after a child during their first sessions and continue providing them with support throughout the settling in process.
Nursery Key Person care
A Key Person’s role covers many areas of a child’s care within the nursery setting and covers the following areas:
- Providing for the emotional needs of the child, to comfort and reassure
- To be the primary caregiver for the child while they are within the nursery setting
- To ensure that the child’s individual race, culture, religion, language and family values are taken into account within the nursery setting
- To communicate with parents or carers
- To observe the child’s progress and record their interests and development within the child’s learning journey
- To meet the parents or carers at parent consultation meetings, and at other times when required to discuss a child’s nursery experience
- To be available to speak to the parents or carers at the beginning and end of sessions where possible
- To liaise with the other settings on the progress and the welfare of the child, and if necessary, to liaise with the allocated member of staff who is responsible for Child Protection
- To liaise with the parents or carers and Special Education Needs Co-ordinators (SENCO) if there is any developmental concern
- To ensure parents or carers are always contacted about any concerns involving their child
- To ensure and respect confidentiality
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