About Us
Jitterbugs Childcare is a 72-place nursery for children aged 0–5 years, with four rooms:
- Eggs (0–2 years)
- Caterpillars (2-year-olds)
- Cocoons (lower pre-school)
- Butterflies (higher pre-school)
The nursery operates Monday–Friday, 7:45 am–5:45 pm, for 50 weeks a year, closing on bank holidays, two weeks at Christmas and two staff training days during the year.
Location:
Jitterbugs is on Trinity Road, near Westbourne Grove, with sufficient parking for drop-off and pick-ups.
Learning & Development at Jitterbugs
At Jitterbugs, children take part in a wide range of fun and educational activities based on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Our setting supports both adult-led and child-led learning, giving children the freedom to explore and play based on what interests them most.
Each morning and afternoon, children can choose from activities like sensory play, arts and crafts, building, role-play, and early reading or number games. We follow the children’s interests to help make learning fun and meaningful.
For example, if a child talks about going to the beach, we might plan sandcastle building, explore shells and seaweed, or read seaside stories. This helps build their curiosity, language and understanding through something they already enjoy.
Circle time is an important part of our day. It helps children learn to listen & maintain attention, talk and take turns through songs, stories, and group discussions. It also supports their social and emotional development and links to other areas of learning.
We also focus on helping children become more independent, starting from the eggs room all the way through to Butterflies room. They learn to do simple tasks like putting on their coats, using the toilet, tidying up, washing hands and drinking from cups without lids. These small steps help build their confidence and independence as they grow.
Eggs Unit (0–2 years)
Located on the first floor at 5 and 7 Trinity Road, this unit ensures continuity of care with dedicated key workers (1 staff per 3 children). Older babies gradually transition to the Caterpillar room through short visits.
Children in the Eggs unit are introduced to a ‘free-flow’ environment, which is implemented throughout the entire setting. This allows children to explore their interests in various areas, be it messy play, role play, small world, construction, etc. We also have areas for both babies and toddlers to enjoy ‘quiet’ time, whether it be looking at a book or carrying out an activity. In the Eggs room, children have daily access to outdoor activities through the Eggs balcony. This provides them with opportunities to engage in outdoor play, promoting not only their physical development but also other areas of their overall development. All the children’s educational needs and development are met through everyday play.
Parents receive updates via Parent Admin on their child’s feeding, sleeping, and nappy routines. Babies explore different textures and senses using treasure baskets to aid development.
Caterpillars Unit (2-Year-Old Room)
Located on the ground floor of 5 Trinity Road, this unit is designed for the 2-year-Old Room. However, if your child is ready for more challenges, they may move into this area slightly earlier or later than the stated age. This depends on your child’s stage of development.
Key Areas in unit:
- Playroom: Role play, construction, puzzles, book area, and meals/snacks.
- Creative Room: Painting, collage, sand/water play, and other hands-on activities.
- Outdoor Area: Planting, role play, construction, and exploration.
Within the unit, we provide both adult-guided activities to ensure all their individual educational needs are met and child-initiated activities. This means if the children show interests in a certain area of development, we will then build upon these. For example, if a child has had a day at the beach with family and has returned to Jitterbugs telling us about their experiences, we would then plan activities based on the beach, encourage sandcastle building, and bring things into the setting, such as seaweed/shells and other beach objects for the children to explore. We also continue to encourage independence by offering your child opportunities to carry out small tasks such as putting on their coat, drinking without a lid and so on.
Snack time follows a free-flow system, where children choose from two healthy snacks and a drink (water or milk) at their preferred time, encouraging independence and social skills.
Cocoons – Lower Pre-School
The Cocoons unit, located on the ground floor at 7 Trinity Road, is designed for children around 2.7 years old. However, they may join earlier or later depending on their development.
Key Areas in unit:
- Playroom – Features ICT, role play, mark making, music, small world construction, and a book corner.
- Creative Area – Offers painting, gluing, sand, water, and malleable materials.
- Outdoor Area – Spread over three levels, providing space for music, physical play, water, sand, painting, construction, planting, role play, and outdoor exploration.
The Cocoons room provides an extensive range of educational activities for the children, on a free flow system both indoors and outside. Activities/experiences provided meet all 7 areas of the curriculum enabling the children to make independent choices about where they want to play and the type of activities they access. Within this area practitioners provide activities which follow the children’s interest in addition to adult guided activities.
Snack time follows a free-flow system, where children choose from two healthy snacks and a drink (water or milk) at their preferred time, encouraging independence and social skills.
Butterflies Unit (Higher Pre-School)
Located in Building 5 on Trinity Road, this unit prepares children for school with a free-flow system that encourages independent learning ready for when they start school.
Our Butterfly unit serves as a steppingstone to prepare your child for school, aiming to provide the very best educational start for each individual child by planning activities focused around the 7 areas of the curriculum. The Butterfly unit offers continuous provision through the free-flow system, enabling children to make independent choices on where to play within the different areas. We focus on providing stimulating activities throughout the day to help children thrive in their surroundings and reach their full potential.
Key Areas in unit:
- Playroom: ICT, role play, mark making, music, construction, and book corner.
- Creative Area: Painting, gluing, sand/water play, and hands-on activities.
- Shared Outdoor Space: A three-level area with music, physical play, water/sand play, painting, planting, and role play.
Snack time in the Butterfly unit operates within the free-flow system, allowing children to make their own choices. They are offered a choice of two healthy snacks and a drink of water or milk.
If you wish to read more about Jitterbugs, see below our prospectus.
SEN at Jitterbugs
Here at Jitterbugs, we strive to provide our SEN children with the best possible care and support tailored to their individual needs. To achieve this, we have explored various ways to support our staff by equipping them with the tools needed to implement effective strategies. They have completed training through The Dingley Promise, an organisation that focuses on providing training and support for staff working with children with SEN. Our SENCo has also completed a Level 3 CACHE SENCo certificate, which has provided our SENCo with more understanding and knowledge around supporting SEN children and staff working directly with them.
