We are an award winning Early Learning Childcare Setting situated in North Gower. Established in 1999 Gower Day Nursery expanded in 2004 to build a purpose built baby unit. From here until the present day we have passionately supported and welcomed families back from the first generation of children that we cared for. We work closely with local communities and schools and our dedicated, nurturing team will provide strong attachments ensuring all children feel valued and loved. Children’s rights and children’s voices are celebrated and we are committed to providing an educational journey for each and every child.
Our team provides a safe and caring setting for children 3 months – 8 years and we’re open from 7.15am – 6pm every day of the year, excluding bank holidays. We are registered with CIW for 37 children and can offer flexible sessions, full days and wrap around care from the local schools. We have an off road car park and a spacious all weather garden, which gives the children lots of opportunities to learn outdoors, and will encourage freedom to explore and be physically active.
Our ethos at Gower Day Nursery is to ensure that learning is fun, encourage independence, and gain confidence. Our children become prepared for full time education, and we will ensure a smooth transition to school by providing transport in fully business insured vehicles, often with the friends they have made within the nursery.
In our rooms we have interactive touch screens which we use to sign everyone in and out, keep records of daily activities, food, sleep and nappy changes. We use Famly Nursery App Software. Each child has its own portal where parents can log in and see progress reporting, observations, and photographs of their child that have been taken throughout the day. This is all personalised with the child’s key worker and instant messaging guarantees strong parent communication.
We are proud winners of the Early Years and Play Celebration Awards for Enabling Environments in 2023 and also winners for Staff Commitment to Learning and Development in 2024 from Swansea Council and Welsh Government.
We have also been awarded the Addewid Cymraeg Efydd, Arian a’r Addewid Aur – Bronze, Silver and Gold Welsh Promise. Throughout this journey, we have continued to develop and strengthen our use of the Welsh language within the Nursery, creating an environment where Welsh is naturally embedded into our daily routines, interactions and learning experiences. We are incredibly proud to have completed the award and to have achieved the Gold Welsh Promise, recognising our ongoing commitment to promoting and celebrating the Welsh language within our Nursery. We have achieved the Swansea Communication Enabling Environments Bronze Award. Staff have completed Speech and Language and Signalong training.
We are proud to be part of Eco Tots, helping our children develop an early understanding of the importance of caring for our environment. Through fun, hands-on activities and everyday experiences, we encourage children to explore nature, reduce waste, recycle, reuse resources and make thoughtful choices that help protect our planet. Being part of Eco Tots gives our children the opportunity to learn, discover and take positive action, while developing a sense of responsibility for the world around them. We believe that even the smallest changes can make a big difference and we are excited to nurture environmentally friendly habits from an early age.
CCTV is installed in each room and recorded 24 hours a day 7 days a week and all our Policies and Procedures are available to read on site.
We have introduced Planning in the Moment, developed by Anna Ephgrave and have embedded this approach alongside ECPLC (Early Childhood Practice Leadership and Curriculum) and the principles of the Curriculum for Wales. Our curriculum is designed to be responsive, child-centred and rooted in children’s individual interests, needs, experiences and stages of development. Planning in the Moment is based on the principle that children learn best when they are actively engaged in experiences that interest and motivate them. By observing children closely, practitioners can identify learning opportunities as they occur and respond immediately by extending, challenging and supporting children’s learning through meaningful interactions.
Rather than relying on themes as the primary focus of our curriculum, we follow the children’s interests, fascinations and curiosities as they arise. This allows learning to be flexible and responsive, while ensuring that children remain active participants in their own learning. Through this approach, children are encouraged to develop their independence, confidence, creativity and curiosity, while developing the characteristics of effective learning. Children are given opportunities to explore, investigate, practise and revisit skills at their own pace, with practitioners carefully considering how best to extend their learning and development.
Our use of ECPLC supports practitioners in developing a reflective and intentional approach to curriculum planning and practice. Practitioners work collaboratively to observe, assess and respond to children’s learning, ensuring that experiences are purposeful, inclusive and developmentally appropriate. The approach enables us to continually reflect on our provision and interactions and consider how we can further support children to develop as confident, capable and enthusiastic learners.
We incorporate the Curriculum for Wales throughout our provision, ensuring that children experience a broad, balanced and meaningful curriculum which supports the development of the whole child. Our practice reflects the four purposes of the Curriculum for Wales, supporting children to become ambitious, capable learners; enterprising, creative contributors; ethical, informed citizens; and healthy, confident individuals. We provide children with opportunities to develop their skills through play, exploration, first-hand experiences and positive relationships, while recognising that every child develops and learns in their own unique way.
