About Us – Statement of Purpose
Our Mission Statement (Ethos)
Create activities and experiences to enhance and enrich the lives of the children and families in our care and around us.
Vision
To be remembered for making every day an adventure.
Chuckles Day Care Wales Limited Company trading as Chuckles Nursery is registered with CIW to provide full day care for children from the premises Pentwyn House, Pentwyn Lane, Bettws, Newport NP20 7AE. The premises and business is owned by Lisa Owen who is the Responsible Individual. The day to day Nursery operations are managed by Amy Baugh who is the Person in Charge (Nursery Manager) or in her absence Emma Dalton (Deputy Manager). Chuckles Nursery operates within the Local Authority of Newport.
Chuckles Nursery is registered to care for up to 70 children under 8 years of age at any one time. We open Monday to Thursday 7am– 6pm and cater for children up to 4 years. Sessions are half day 8am -1pm and 1pm to 6pm with full day 8am- 6pm although we do offer flexibility on full day rates as long as a minimum of 8 hours are attended
We currently offer funded places on behalf of the Welsh Government for the Childcare Offer and Flying Start.
Outside we are set in an acre of land with four areas for the children to explore and carry out different types of activities. Our bike track area allows for physical play such as bike riding, balancing and climbing and with a toddler appropriate gardening area. It has an outside classroom for the toddlers on rainy days. Our covered patio area is more structured and is set up to enable the older children to have practical learning experiences in areas such as mark making, mathematical development, ICT, and creative play and physical activity for developing both fine and gross motor skills. Our sensory garden is where the children get messy and explore in their outdoor kitchen, have fun on the slide and may opportunities for promoting outdoor physical play. It has an outside classroom where the children can sit and read or do quieter activities. We have a large allotment situated in the carpark area for the older children. The covered decking area is just for use by our smaller children and is set with equipment daily including slides, balls and role play items. All outdoor areas are connected to the indoor playrooms and allow free access for the children. The car park is located to the front of the building with unobstructed parking bays for up to 8 cars and then further space for another twelve cars around the other side.
The nursery has three nappy changing areas, two areas with toilet and handwashing facilities for the children and a storeroom with toilet and handwashing facilities for team members. There is a designated kitchen area for preparation of the nursery meals and a separate rest room area for team members to take their breaks.
The Groups
There are 4 different groups of children, each with their own dedicated base rooms, but we have a number of different areas inside and outside which the children move around throughout the day. The different areas allow for a wide range of activities including sand, water, arts and crafts, singing, story time and music that promote all areas of development. Activities are planned to use the Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care Framework (ECPLC) and for the 3- and 4-year-olds we also use the Curriculum for Non-Maintained Settings.
In 2026 whilst reviewing the business we decided to change the age ranges of our groups to allow smoother transitions for the children
Baban Bach are children aged from birth up to 20 months for which the team ratio is 1:3. This group is made up of two groups, non mobile and starting to become mobile, Each group has a separate area to sleep with the non mobile being in cots.
Their base rooms are adjacent to their sleeping room. They eat within these areas with our team clearing space and setting up tables, chairs and highchairs when needed. When they become confident on their feet, they move to older Toddlers.
Baban Mawr are children aged from 21mths-2 years and 8 months for which the team ratio is 1:3 or 1:4 depending on the age range of the group. Their base rooms are on the first floor. They have two room connected through an archway. They eat in the first floor dining room and those that still sleep come downstairs to sleep with the older children in Baban Bach.
Plant Bach are children aged from 2 years and 9 months – 3 years. The ratio is 1:4. Plant Mawr are children aged from 3 – 5 years for which the team ratio is 1:8. Plant Bach & Plant Mawr have two connected rooms on the ground floor which the children move freely between – Gweithdy and Y Cuddfan. These rooms are adjacent to each other, and both lead directly out onto the patios and the rest of the outside areas. They eat within these rooms and those that still sleep have a dedicated quiet area that is set up within Gweithdy after lunch.
Daily Routine
The children play freely until breakfast which is served on a rolling basis from 7.45am – 8.45am. After breakfast they start their activities within their groups and move around the different areas of the nursery.
Mid-morning snack time takes place between 10am and 10:30 depending on the group. Lunch starts at 11.20am for Baban Bach and Baban Mawr, after which we have a quiet time or sleep for the ones that require it, and lunch is at 11.30 for Plant Bach and 12pm for Plant Mawr. After lunch activities begin once more until dinner which is at 2.45pm for Baban Bach & Baban Mawr and 2.55pm for Plant Bach & Plant Mawr. After dinner the children participate in the last activities of the day which are planned until 5:30pm. At 5pm we offer a healthy snack.
We use an APP called Famly to communicate with parents about their children’s day. It allows parents access via their phone, tablet or laptop. Team members input personal care information such as what their child has eaten, how they’ve slept and photos and comments to show them how their day has been. Parents can also use it to tell us important information and can notify us that their children won’t be attending.
Meals
Chuckles menus are designed following the Welsh Government’s best practice Guidance “Food & Nutrition for Childcare Settings, with a cooked lunch and tea. Children are also given water throughout the day (no sugary drinks) Menus are sent out each month so parents can organise your home menu around ours and for those who will eat breakfast, lunch, tea and supper, they won’t end up eating the same meal twice.
During the summer months we replace some of our cooked teas with salad’s which include lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, spring onions, new potatoes, coleslaw, potato salad and a selection of cold meats or fish.
The Team
We have approximately 24 team members which consist of full and part time positions. The Nursery is monitored throughout the day by the Nursery Manager and the Owner(RI) also works on site. We have a Finance Manager who deals with all invoices and purchases. Each group has a Team Guide and a Deputy Team Guide who are directly responsible for their team and children.
All our Child Care Practitioners hold at least the relevant Level 3 childcare qualification, and we also employ apprentices to ensure team continuity. The Manager, Owner, Finance Manager, Team Guides and other members of the team are trained or working towards Level 4/5. Team members complete mandatory training in Paediatric First Aid, Food Hygiene and Safeguarding and continually attend various other training courses throughout the year via outside training providers and online. All our team members are checked by the Disclosure and Barring Service before commencing employment. Supervisions are carried out each term to ensure the team are progressing as they should and appraisals are completed annually.
Each year we are required to produce a Quality of Care Review which is a self-evaluation of our service to ensure it:
- Meets the highest standards of safe, quality childcare and play
- Offers the best experiences for children
- Contributes to children’s well-being outcomes
We do this by evaluating everything we do to ensure we are achieving the results we set out to achieve and always striving towards best practice. Key workers carry out observations of all children regularly and activities will be planned to ensure the children progress their development.
All children will be given the opportunities to input into how activities and routines will happen. We will ask the children that can give us answers and we will watch the reactions of those that cannot. Assessments of the rooms will also take place to ensure they are set the right way and that the equipment is appropriate and meaningful. We consult parents through the question of the month and monitor all testimonials.
When the report is published, all parents will be informed through Famly that it is available. It will also be placed on our website www.chucklesnursery.wales.
All Nursery practices are in line with anti-discriminatory procedures, equal opportunities, and inclusive to all.
When a child enrolls, our forms request information about the child as well as religious and cultural beliefs and languages that we need to be aware of. Chuckles cares for children with additional needs and has a designated Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator (ALNCo) and they will support children with the help of relevant co-coordinators and agency workers.
Nursery places are subject to availability and staffing levels. If there are no places available, parents will be given the opportunity to join the waiting list. When a place becomes available within a suitable age group, parents of a child at the top of the waiting list will be contacted and offered a place. Priority will be given to those who require a full-time place, then to those requiring all day care on two to four days a week. On booking their child into nursery parents/carers will be asked to complete registration forms, permission slips, and to sign a contract agreeing to our terms and conditions.
Fees are to be paid monthly in advance on the 1st each month.
For non funded places fees are calculated over 51 weeks and then divided by twelve months so the monthly amount will remain the same. For funded places such as Childcare Offer and Flying Start, fees are calculated from the 1st – 30th/31st.
An annual fee increase will take place each year in April and reviewed in September. A late payment fee is in place for non-payment of fees.
Chuckles Nursery is predominantly an English medium setting on a day to day basis with some use of Welsh. The setting has committed to embedding the use of Welsh for the team and the children. Welsh is used through all groups through rhymes and activities. We have developed our own programme of learning which incorporates signs in Welsh, phonetically explained and English so it is ongoing for anyone joining the groups.
Accident/emergency procedures
In an emergency situation it is the responsibility of the Manager or Deputy Manager to call 999. Medical attention by a First Aider will be administered immediately. Next of kin will be informed.
In emergency situations children will be diverted away from the scene to another room to avoid anydistress.
In the event of an emergency that requires closure, parents will be contacted immediately to collect their children.
Examples of closures: severe weather (summer & winter), loss of electricity, loss of water, an event that requires an emergency lockdown, fire, serious illness or death.
Any serious injuries, diseases or dangerous occurrences will be reported to the Health and Safety
Executive and the local authority under the RIDDOR regulation Act of 1995.
Should a child become lost whilst on a trip outside the Nursery we will contact the Police if the child is not found within five minutes and then yourselves and Social Services immediately after.
Full terms and conditions and all policies can be found within the nursery registrations forms.
Contact Details
The contact information for the Nursery is – Lisa Owen (Responsible Individual) / Amy Baugh (Registered Manager) Chuckles Nursery, Pentwyn House, Pentwyn Lane, Bettws, Newport, NP20 7AE, Telephone: 01633852373 Email: lisa@chuckles.wales or manager@chuckles.wales
The CIW is not a complaints agency and do not investigate concerns, but they do carry out an inspection to check compliance with the regulations and/or they may refer the complaint or complainant back to ourselves, refer concerns to another agency or take no immediate action and the use the information to help inform the next planned inspection.
Should you wish to make a complaint, please use the contact details above. We endeavour to resolve any issues as soon as they occur, if not we will follow our complaints procedure. The Nursery Manager will reply to your complaint within 14 days (this can be extended a further 28 days on agreement from all parties involved). Should they fail to resolve the matter it will be referred to the Responsible Individual, who along with independent persons will address the complaint and will reply within 35 days. You can contact CIW at any point during this process at :
CIW, Welsh Government Office, Sarn Mynach, Llandudno Junction LL31 9RZ tel : 0300 7900126
This statement of purpose will be reviewed annually or as a result of any changes or guidance which affects the information within it. When details/services referred to above are withdrawn or there are changes to normal staffing arrangements as described in the legal context of the Statement of Purpose, CIW will be notified at least 28 days before any change comes into effect (where possible) .
© Chuckles Nursery Newport