Oakhouse Montessori, 77 Wimborne Road, Southend on Sea, Essex, SS2 4JR

Visiting Oakhouse Montessori

Choosing a childcare setting for your child is a difficult decision, something that we at Oak House Montessori Nursery fully understand. 

We understand that it is important to a parent to place their child in a warm loving environment that is suitable for your child’s needs therefore we encourage you to visit us to view the nursery, during which time you will be shown around the building, explained to how our daily routines are carried out, meet the staff that will be caring for your child and talking through any questions you may have.

You will then be invited back to spend a couple of sessions to ensure we are the right fit for you, your child and their needs.

Viewings of the setting are by appointment only as this enables us to ensure that we are available to answer all the questions you may have and is less disruptive to the routines of the children that are already in our care.

To book an appointment please contact us by phone or email, or by submitting the form on this page.

The Visit

When you arrive at Oak House Montessori, please make your way to the reception and you will be greeted by a senior member and asked to sign in and she will take you to the room leader of the group your child will be attending. She can chat about routines, timetables and the key-worker system and any personal information you require.

You will have the opportunity walk through the nursery and you will be shown all areas for care, learning, play, mealtimes and personal hygiene. Including the gardens.

The daily routines, planning and Early Years Foundation stage as well as the layout of the room will be explained. If your visit is within our opening times, you will have the opportunity to see the children playing and ask any questions. We encourage you to bring your child along for the visit as you will be able to see how your child reacts to the nursery. If you decide Oak House is the place for you, the next stage is to fill out the appropriate registration form to book a place

Confirmation of Place

Once you have paid your registration fee of £50.00 and handed in your registration form, you will receive contact from our administrator either by phone call or email to confirm your place at the setting.  You will be encouraged to book 2 free settling in sessions as close to your start date as possible to ensure a smooth transition into the setting.

Settling In

It is important to settle a child into new surroundings with new people and we aim to make this procedure as easy as possible. Each child is individual in the way they settle, and some may need more than others to build a bond with their key person.

We recommend to our new parents/carers that they should initially use two settling in sessions which are free of charge. We recommend they do this a couple of weeks before their start date and the parent/carers can assess for themselves if they feel their child may need longer. These sessions need to be booked in advance.

First Settling in Session

Settling in Sessions

On your first settle session the staff in the room will be introduced to you and you will be informed of who your child’s key person is. The staff will show you where to put your child’s belongings and discuss with you what to bring with you and about labelling all items with their name. Please see the list of rules and regulations provided.  You will be encouraged to partake in the activities with your child and staff members will interact with you and your child to find out their likes, dislikes, allergies, preferences, etc – this information will help your child to settle and ensure we provide a ‘home from home’ environment.

If you feel confident to leave your child, we have the staff room where you can sit and have a hot drink, the office where you can ask questions or update any relevant information with management, or some parents/carers prefer to sit in their car for the hour.  As long as you are on hand if your little one gets upset, we are happy for you to do whatever you are comfortable with.  We ask that you complete an ‘all about me’ form and a sheet with your child’s current developmental milestones, so we have a baseline for interests and abilities.  The settling in sessions are a great time to do this as you can ask staff for support should you need it, plus discuss anything you feel might be of importance. By the end of your settling in sessions, the staff will ensure you know what you need to bring with you on your first day e.g. spare clothes, nappies, wipes, nappy cream and any comforters all clearly labelled with child’s name.

Book a visit