FAQs

Availability varies between our nurseries, age groups and the days or sessions you require, and spaces can change quickly.
For the most up-to-date information, we recommend contacting your preferred nursery directly. Our team can talk through your requirements and let you know which spaces are currently available.

It’s never too early to start thinking about childcare. Many families choose to reserve their nursery place well in advance, particularly if they require specific days.

Booking early can give you peace of mind and allows plenty of time for you and your little one to get to know us before their first day.

Absolutely. We encourage parents and carers to visit us, meet the team and see the nursery environment for themselves.

Choosing a nursery is a very personal decision, and a visit is the perfect opportunity to ask questions, explore the rooms and outdoor spaces and get a feel for everyday life at St Aubin.

Please contact your preferred nursery to arrange a visit.

The ages catered for vary between our individual nurseries and out-of-school clubs. Most of our settings welcome babies from just a few weeks old, while others specialise in toddlers, pre-school children or school-age childcare.

Please visit our individual nursery pages or contact us and we’ll help you find the most suitable St Aubin setting for your child.

Once you have chosen your preferred nursery and confirmed availability, our team will guide you through the registration process and provide everything you need before your child starts.

We’ll also take the time to learn about your child, their routine, interests, likes and dislikes and anything else that will help us make their transition into nursery as comfortable as possible.

Every child is different, so we take a flexible and reassuring approach to settling in.

Before your child begins their regular nursery sessions, we’ll help them become familiar with their new surroundings, the team and their daily routine. We’ll work closely with you throughout the process and adapt our approach to your child’s individual needs.

It’s completely normal for some children to need a little more time to adjust to nursery life.

Our experienced team will work closely with you and your child, offering plenty of reassurance, comfort and encouragement while helping them build relationships and confidence at their own pace.

Good communication between home and nursery is especially important during this time, and we’ll keep you updated on how your little one is getting on.

What your child needs will depend on their age and individual requirements.

We generally recommend bringing suitable spare clothing and any personal items your child may need during the day. Your nursery team will provide you with more detailed information before your child starts.

Please make sure clothing and personal belongings are clearly labelled with your child’s name.

Building strong, trusting relationships is a very important part of nursery life.

Our whole team  will get to know each child as an individual, including their personality, interests, routines and developmental needs. This helps children to feel safe, secure and confident while giving parents a familiar point of contact within the nursery.

We don’t require children to attend a minimum number of days each week.

However, we often find that children settle more easily and become familiar with their routine when they attend regularly, more than once a week. Sessions can include full or half days depending on availability at your chosen nursery.

We’ll always try to find an arrangement that works well for both your child and your family.

We provide varied, balanced and nutritious meals designed with growing children in mind.

Our menus change regularly and include a range of meals, fruit and snacks throughout the day. Menus are available for parents to view, and your nursery team can talk you through what your child will be eating.

Meals and mealtimes are also an important part of nursery life, helping children develop independence, social skills and positive attitudes towards food.

Yes. We take allergies and individual dietary requirements very seriously.

Please tell us about any allergies, intolerances, medical dietary needs, cultural requirements or other dietary considerations when registering your child.

Our nursery team will discuss your child’s requirements with you so that appropriate arrangements can be put in place.

Yes. Outdoor play is an important part of life at St Aubin. We encourage outdoor play every single day building lots of fun activities into the outdoor environment.

Our nurseries have outdoor areas designed to give children opportunities to explore, play, develop their physical skills and experience the natural world.

Yes, where appropriate and with parental consent.

Children may enjoy supervised walks and visits within the local community, giving them opportunities to discover the world beyond the nursery environment.

Parents and carers are asked to provide the appropriate consent when their child joins the nursery, and all outings are carefully planned with children’s safety and wellbeing in mind.

We believe good communication between nursery and home is extremely important.

Our team will keep you informed about your child’s day, including their activities, routines, wellbeing and development. We use the app Family to communicate daily with our parents and keep you up to date with your child’s day.

You’ll always have opportunities to talk to the team about how your child is getting on.

Children learn best when they feel happy, secure and able to explore.

Our teams provide a wide variety of engaging, age-appropriate experiences designed to encourage communication, confidence, creativity, independence, physical development and curiosity.

Learning happens naturally through play, exploration, interaction and everyday experiences, with activities adapted to suit children’s individual interests and stages of development.

yes, our nursery provision supports the principles of the Curriculum for Wales as the very best practice for young children. With a strong emphasis on child-centered, play-based and developmentally appropriate experiences.

Children are encouraged to explore, discover, communicate, make choices and develop at a pace that is right for them.

Our experienced nursery teams observe children as they play, learn and interact so that we can understand their individual interests, strengths and areas where they may benefit from additional support.

This helps us plan appropriate activities and experiences while allowing us to keep parents informed about their child’s progress and development.

Preparing for school is about much more than academic skills.

Throughout nursery life we encourage children to develop confidence, independence, communication skills, friendships, curiosity and positive attitudes towards learning.

As children approach school age, we help them become comfortable with the routines and skills that can make the transition into their next stage of education a happy and positive experience.

Yes. We believe every child should feel welcomed, included and supported.

We work closely with parents and carers to understand each child’s individual needs and, where appropriate, work alongside other professionals to help provide the right support.

If your child has additional learning, developmental, communication, physical, sensory or medical needs, we encourage you to discuss these with us so that we can talk about how best to support them.

Welsh is incorporated naturally into nursery life at a number of our settings, helping children become familiar with the language through everyday activities, songs, words and play.

We also provide dedicated Welsh-language nursery provision within the St Aubin family.

Please contact us if Welsh-language provision is particularly important to your family and we’ll help you find the most suitable setting.

Staffing levels depend on the ages of the children in each group and follow the requirements for registered childcare in Wales.

The minimum adult-to-child ratios for day care are:

Children under 2 years: 1 adult to 3 children
Children aged 2 years: 1 adult to 4 children
Children aged 3 to 7 years: 1 adult to 8 children

At St Aubin, our focus is always on ensuring children receive the care, attention, support and stimulation they need throughout the nursery day.

Our childcare settings are regulated by Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), the independent regulator for childcare and social care services in Wales.

We are committed to maintaining high standards of care and providing safe, welcoming environments where children can flourish.

If your child becomes unwell while in our care, our team will follow the nursery’s health and illness procedures and contact you where necessary.

Parents and carers should let us know about any existing medical conditions, allergies or other health requirements when their child joins us and keep the nursery informed of any changes.

Where medication needs to be administered during nursery hours, this must be carried out in accordance with our procedures and with the appropriate parental or carer consent.

Please speak to your nursery team about any medication your child may require.

Fees vary depending on your child’s age, the nursery they attend and the sessions you require.

You can find current prices within the Fees section of our individual nursery pages, or contact your preferred nursery and our team will be happy to talk through the available options with you.

Yes, funded childcare is available for eligible families at participating St Aubin settings.

This includes the Childcare Offer for Wales for eligible 3 and 4 year olds, while funded provision for younger children is also available at selected settings.

Eligibility and the type of funding available can depend on your child’s age, your circumstances and the nursery you wish to attend.

Please contact your preferred St Aubin nursery and we’ll be happy to explain the options available.

The Childcare Offer for Wales provides eligible families with up to 30 hours a week of combined nursery education and funded childcare for children aged 3 and 4.

Eligibility and the number of childcare hours available depend on your circumstances and the nursery education provided by your local authority.

Our team can help explain how the Childcare Offer works within your chosen St Aubin nursery, although applications and eligibility are determined through the official Welsh Government scheme.

Funded provision for eligible 2 year olds is available at selected St Aubin nurseries through schemes such as Flying Start and other local funded provision.

Eligibility and availability vary according to your location and individual circumstances, so please contact us and we’ll help you understand the options available to your family.

Payment options include standing order, bank transfer, childcare vouchers, government gateway and government childcare schemes.

Please check the Fees section of your chosen nursery or speak to the nursery team for full details.

We know that every family is different, so if there’s anything we haven’t covered, we’d love to hear from you.

Whether you’re looking for your child’s first nursery, planning a return to work, exploring funded childcare or simply want to come and have a look around, our friendly team is here to help.

Find your nearest St Aubin nursery or get in touch to arrange a visit.

Call: 02920 708112
Email: enquiries@st-aubin.co.uk