The Mayor and Mayoress of Croydon Councillor Graham Bass and his wife Jean cut a ribbon to declare open The Co-operative Childcare – formerly Buffer Bear – as children dressed up as pirates and princesses for the fun day.
New owner The Co-operative Childcare has invested more than £70,000 to freshen up the nursery in Dunley Drive and provide new play and educational equipment.
Lucky the Lion, the mascot from its award winning scheme to promote good dental health for children, was another popular visitor. And staff from local animal rescue centre Foal Farm also called in to tell the children more about Angus the white Shetland pony which the nursery has adopted. The nursery will organise regular visits for the children to see Angus and learn more about the other animals the centre cares for.
Nursery Manager Sharon Ward-Evans said: “We had an amazing day which the children all enjoyed. It was a great way to start our new era.
Picture – Mayor Councillor Graham Bass and Sharon Ward-Evans, Nursery Manager at the New Addington nursery enjoy playing outdoors
Some 30 children at The Co-operative Childcare nursery in Blackbird Leys took part in a graduation ceremony – complete with gowns and mortar boards – to mark the end of their time there as they move on to primary schools.
The youngsters were treated to a show from magician Magic Martin before receiving their certificates of achievement. They then joined in a celebration tea party in the garden which parents were invited to attend.
Nursery Manager Jane Long said the ceremony was a highlight in the nursery’s year.
She said: “We like to do something special to recognise the children’s achievements and wish them well as they leave us to go on to school. Some of the children have been with us since they were three months old so it is a big occasion for them and their parents.
“The move to big school can be quite daunting. We want to make sure they leave us on a high, with a fun and memorable event.”
The former Buffer Bear Nursery at Maida Vale has been given an £80,000 facelift with new play and educational equipment and will be run according to Co-operative values of trust, honesty and openness.
To mark the relaunch, Headteacher Ken Battye of the adjacent Essendine Primary School cut a ribbon with Nursery Manager Tracey Dobson and the children enjoyed a celebration cake made by one of the parents.
Some 40-50 parents also attended a special preview evening at the Essendine Road nursery to see the changes made and talk to staff about what it offers.
Tracey said: “We enjoyed meeting parents, prospective parents and other visitors and showing them our new look and we were delighted with the positive response.
“Our nursery looks to give children the best start in life with the new quality standards The Co-operative Childcare is introducing and the improvements it is making not only to the building and resources but also to the support our children and colleagues receive.”
Picture - Area Manager Cheryl Bailey (left) and Nursery Manager Tracey Dobson (right) are pictured at The Co-operative Childcare nursery in Maida Vale.
Nazia, a rescued Shetland pony, was a special guest at The Co-operative Childcare Nursery – formerly Buffer Bear – at Bristol Temple Meads on Tuesday 21 June. The children wore fancy dress and had a celebration cake as part of activities to mark the relaunch.
New owner The Co-operative Childcare has invested £90,000 to freshen the nursery up and provide new play and educational equipment. It will also be run according to Co-operative values of trust, honesty and openness.
The nursery has adopted 17-year-old Nazia, who lives at HorseWorld in Whitchurch Bristol, and will pay a sum towards her upkeep each year.
Nursery Manager Gina Bartley said: “The children were excited about meeting her for the first time. It was a highlight of a memorable day to mark our relaunch. Learning about animals and the importance of caring for living things is part of the well-rounded education we provide here.
“I realised my career vocation was in childcare when I volunteered at a centre which provided riding for disabled children. I know how much children can benefit from being with animals . I am delighted we have established a link with HorseWorld which will provide us with regular updates on Nazia. We also hope to pay a visit there.”
Buffer Bear at The Queen’s Hospital Day Nursery was praised for its exceptionally high quality provision by a government inspector. It was good news for its staff and for parents, many of whom work at the hospital.
Nursery Manager Sally Mayer said: “We are all absolutely delighted. To be judged as outstanding in all areas is a fine achievement and a tribute to the hard work and dedication of the team here.
“We are committed to giving children in our care the best possible start in life with the opportunities to learn and develop in a safe, friendly and stimulating environment. We are particularly pleased that the Ofsted report also highlighted how we work in partnership with parents, carers and others.”
The nursery is part of The Co-operative Childcare after The Midcounties Co-operative acquired the Buffer Bear chain earlier this year. Some 100 children from eight months to four-years-old are on roll there, with a maximum of 58 children attending the nursery at any one time. The nursery opened in 2004 and operates from purpose-built premises in the hospital’s grounds.
Helen Ashley, Chief Executive at Queens Hospital, said: "We were delighted to learn of the nursery's success in achieving an outstanding report from Ofsted. Many of our staff use the on-site facility and it is reassuring for them to know their children are being well cared for by dedicated staff."
The Ofsted report said: “Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding. Children settle very well in the nursery and receive a high level of care because the dedicated, experienced and highly qualified staff work very closely with individual children and their families. The practice used within the nursery is inclusive, ensuring children’s individual needs are fully understood and respected.”
Youngsters aged two to five years-old at The Co-operative Childcare Nursery in Shrewsbury Road, Walcot, had the opportunity to gently handle creatures through a lesson on the Rainforest.
On Wednesday 25 May a ZooLab Ranger brought a tarantula and scorpion and other special visitors to the nursery. Children were able to touch creatures including a giant African land snail, a giant millipede and a tree frog. Cockroaches and stick insects also put in an appearance at the animal handling workshop.
Nursery Manager Bev Badminton said: “The children were absolutely amazed and delighted when they saw the animals at such close quarters. A few of the braver ones even handled them too.
“Learning in this fun, interactive way is so effective and creates a real buzz in the nursery. The Ranger explained about life in the Rainforest and what a special place it is and why its wildlife needs to be protected.
“Activities like this fit in well with the government’s ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’ principles which require a rich and varied environment that supports children’s learning and development. We give them the confidence to explore and learn in a safe and secure setting and we also know that children learn best through physical and mental challenges which we aim to provide at all times.”
Popular presenter Nataylia Roni from the CBeebies show Boogie Beebies was a special guest at The Co-operative Childcare Nursery – formerly Buffer Bear – at Forum Square, Wythenshawe, on Monday 6 June.
A celebration party was laid on for the children with Nataylia joining them in singing and dancing and enjoying some party games.
Some £60,000 has been invested at Wythenshawe to freshen it up and provide new play and educational equipment.
Linda Knight, Group Manager, Childcare said: “We have considerable experience running nurseries and we are delighted to be re-launching the Wythenshawe nursery with the Co-operative values of trust, honesty and openness.
“The nursery has received a facelift and we have replenished it with new equipment and resources as well as investing in the excellent staff at the nursery.”
Picture – Nataylia Roni from Cbeebies Boogie Beebies with children at The Co-operative Nursery in Wythenshawe, Manchester
The children from Blackbird Leys and John Radcliffe nurseries had great fun playing party games and tucking into tasty treats before they learnt about the Royal Family and the big day as well as weddings from different cultures.
There was also a Royal style procession around the Oval by Rose Hill Nursery where children dressed up as Princes and Princesses.
Jan Thorp, Nursery Manager at John Radcliffe Nursery said: “The Royal Wedding is such a historic day and we wanted to celebrate it with the children. The garden tea party was a fun and exciting way for them to get involved in the celebrations.
“The children also had a great time hearing all about weddings from around the world. Learning in this fun, interactive way is so effective. The day has created positive memories which we hope will translate into an understanding that culture and history is something to be shared and enjoyed. Many parents joined in with the festivities and it was great to see so many families enjoying the special day.”
Youngsters aged two to five years-old at The Co-operative Childcare Nursery in Cainscross were given the opportunity to gently handle creatures as a nature lesson was vividly brought to life.
The unusual visitors were brought along by a ZooLab Ranger experienced in running animal handling workshops. It proved a big hit and created much excitement at the Westward Road nursery which is part of The Midcounties Co-operative.
Deputy Nursery Manager Libbie Gardner said: “The children were absolutely amazed and enthralled, especially by the snake. There was a real excitement at seeing the creatures at such close quarters and some of the braver ones were happy to hold them too.
“We organised the visit as part of our ‘Spring and Growth’ month as children have been learning about lifecycles and changes that occur in spring. Learning in this fun, interactive way is so effective. The children have not stopped talking about it.”
There was also a Royal style procession around the Oval by Rose Hill Nursery where children dressed up as Princes and Princesses. Jan Thorp, Nursery Manager at John Radcliffe Nursery said: “The Royal Wedding is such a historic day and we wanted to celebrate it with the children. The garden tea party was a fun and exciting way for them to get involved in the celebrations.
“The children also had a great time hearing all about weddings from around the world. Learning in this fun, interactive way is so effective. The day has created positive memories which we hope will translate into an understanding that culture and history is something to be shared and enjoyed. Many parents joined in with the festivities and it was great to see so many families enjoying the special day.”
Wearing dressing gowns, slippers and clutching teddy bears, the children from the nursery in Cam had fun taking part in a pyjama party and seeking out insects in a sponsored bug hunt to raise money for Bristol Children’s Hospital and Meningitis UK.
The hospital and charity are close to the nurseries heart after one of their children suffered from a life-threatening case of meningitis. Fortunately, the child went on to make a full recovery after being treated by the excellent team of specialists at Bristol Children’s Hospital.
Sally-Anne Lynham, Nursery Manager at Cam Nursery said: “It was really important to everyone at the nursery that we helped to raise awareness of meningitis, especially after one of the children here came down with the illness. We wanted to give something back and make a difference and fundraising was the perfect way. The children had great fun wearing their pjs to nursery, they thought it was so funny seeing everyone in their sleep wear! They also loved doing the sponsored bug hunt in the sunshine.”
Two nurseries, Blackbird Leys and John Radcliffe, have given £7,114 to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington where they will put it to good use.
Jane Long, Manager of Blackbird Leys Nursery said: “After working hard to raise money for various charities we thought it was important to reward John Radcliffe Hospital which is such an important part of the community. Many of the children and their parents use the hospital which caters for a variety of health needs. We are a member-owned business and we believe in helping local groups and charities wherever we can.”
Part of the donation will go towards the hospital’s Fund for Children which supports all of the Oxford hospitals where children are treated.
Penny Hambridge, Children’s Development Officer at Oxford Children’s Hospital said: “I cannot thank the Midcounties enough for this amazing donation which will help to make a difference to all who use and work at Oxford’s Hospitals.“The generous gift will enable us to get the latest medical equipment that helps our nurses and doctors to continue to give the very highest standards of care.”
A medley of international dishes as well as a tasty treats like coconut cake, bananas and chocolate were served up to children.
Dressed up as fruits from around the world, the children also enjoyed learning about the importance of Fairtrade products and the different countries and cultures the food came from.
Nursery Manager Jacky Jones said: “We feel it’s important to teach the children all about where their food comes from and the different countries. This will help to widen their geographical knowledge and understanding of the world around them. It’s also important that we broaden the children’s horizons and get them interested and excited about different foods. The food tasting session proved a real success with the kids tucking into fruit and international dishes including samosas.”
John Radcliffe and Blackbird Leys Nursery in Oxford joined other locations around the country in a bid to beat the record for the most people performing children’s song ‘Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’.
The world record attempt forms part of the I Can Chatterbox Challenge initiative which aims to raise money for children throughout the UK who struggle with speech and communication skills.
Jan Thorp, Nursery Manager at John Radcliffe Nursery said: “All the children were so excited to take part in a world record attempt. They dressed up especially for it and had a great time singing and dancing with one another. Everyone at the nursery believes it’s really important to encourage children from a young age to feel confident in expressing themselves and the world record attempt helped the children to form friendships and learn how to interact socially, a crucial part of their development."
The fun activities included fancy dress, face painting, indulging in Eastern inspired dishes and taking part in a Chinese inspired dance. Children released Chinese lanterns into the local community as part of a competition to win a Fairtrade hamper courtesy of The Midcounties Co-operative.
Nursery manager Jacky Jones said: “We have children from a variety of backgrounds at the nursery so we feel it is important they develop an awareness and respect for one another’s culture from an early age.Equally important though, is that they have fun. We want to see the children laughing and learning at the same time. The day’s activities helped create positive memories which we hope will translate into an understanding that culture is something to be shared and enjoyed.”
Children also took part in a morning yoga session accompanied by Chinese music, followed by an arts and crafts workshop where they created their own Chinese dragon float.
The transfer of Buffer Bear to Midcounties was finalised following a consultation process with the newly-acquired group’s 650 staff, parents and partners.
Midcounties Chief Executive Ben Reid hailed it as ‘a tremendous step forward’ for the Society in the expansion and development of a co-operative childcare service, as well as being significant for the Co-operative Movement as a whole.
The Co-operative Childcare has six nurseries in Oxford, Swindon and Gloucestershire. Buffer Bear has 24 nurseries mainly in the North, Thames Valley and the South East, with sites stretching from Newcastle to Southampton. Buffer Bear nurseries will initially continue to operate as Buffer Bear but will be rebranded as Co-operative Childcare in 2011.
Ben said: “We have been looking to expand our nurseries group for some time and are delighted to have reached this agreement with Buffer Bear, which has ethical values very similar to our own."
We have gained considerable experience running our six nurseries and have used that time to develop a co-operative model for the provision of childcare. The acquisition of Buffer Bear gives us the critical mass necessary that will enable us to extend the concept, and we are actively considering other opportunities."
"From our experience in childcare it is clear people place a high level of trust in the co-operative approach to nursery care and early years learning."