Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools is now a Disability Confident Employer. Disability Confident is a government scheme designed to encourage employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with health conditions.

Disability Confident is creating a movement of change, encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer, Happy Days have pledged to ensure that their recruitment process is inclusive and accessible. This means that Happy Days actively communicate and promote vacancies in a manner that reaches all potential candidates, regardless of their background or ability. Additionally, Happy Days guarantee an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job, recognising their valuable contribution to the workforce.

Furthermore, Happy Days are dedicated to anticipating and providing reasonable adjustments as required to support both current and future employees with disabilities or long-term health conditions, demonstrating their commitment to fostering a supportive environment where all colleagues can thrive and contribute to their full potential. Creating a workforce where all colleagues can SHINE.

Fiona Blackwell, Operations Director stated, “This achievement reflects our ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive workplace where every individual is valued for their unique strengths and talents. Obtaining this accreditation serves as a testament to our values as an employer and underscores our belief in the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We firmly believe that by embracing diversity, we not only enrich our company culture but also enhance our business performance.”

Happy Days are excited to continue their journey towards achieving even higher levels of accreditation, and are currently working towards obtaining the Level 1 accreditation.

Happy Days attainment of the Disability Confident Committed accreditation marks an important milestone in their journey towards becoming a more inclusive and supportive employer and they are dedicated to building on this achievement, remaining steadfast in their commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of the organisation.

Happy Days Treloweth are taking part in the Rainbow Run 2024 to raise money for CHSW!

This year, Team Rainbow’s fundraising target is £50,000, which could help to provide vital 24-hour care for children and young people with life-limiting conditions and their families in 2024.  Rainbow Run is open to anyone over 5 years old. You can run, skip, walk or jog with family, friends or work colleagues. However you choose to take part, you will be showered in powder paint at 8 different coloured stations and will be making a difference every step of the way.  

Happy Days Nursery, Treloweth are entering a team to run the 5k. Jo Lawrence, Nursery Manager, said, “This is a great team building exercise and we are looking forward to an action packed, fun day, all whilst raising money for this worthy cause.”

At Children’s Hospice South West they are absolutely committed to making the most of short and precious lives. The care offered is not simply about medical and nursing care for sick but about enriching the lives of children and their families.

As well as sponsoring the Rainbow Run CHSW will be Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools nominated charity of the year for 2024. If you would like to make a donation a fundraising page has been set up; visit the Just Giving page here. For every £20 raised, this will help to provide 1 hour of vital care for children and young people with life-limiting conditions. 

For more information on the Rainbow Run visit: Rainbow Run Cornwall 2024 | Children’s Hospice South West (chsw.org.uk)

Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools are calling all of Droitwich to join in on the Bank Holiday fun!

The Adventurers of Happy Days Droitwich have spent the day creating Happy Days pebbles for their half term challenge.

There’s been 20 numbered stones hidden around Droitwich Lido park. Can you find all 20? If you find a stone, please take a selfie with it and tag us. We’d love to see who’s found them! Afterwards either put it back in place or re-hide it somewhere for the next child.

Harry our holiday bear is currently sunning himself up in Ibiza and following all our Sun Safe guidelines!

We introduced our holiday bear to Happy Days Exeter last month to help the children with learning about sun safe and oral health (in his suitcase he has a diary, his toothbrush, sunhat, sunglasses, and his very own passport). We had a suggestion box for names and once we had a good selection of names we had a poll vote for the final name on our Parent’s Facebook page; and ‘Harry the holiday bear’ was the winner!

The children are so excited to take him away on holidays or home with them over the weekend. He is a great way for children to learn about different countries and cultures and helps to teach the children about being responsible.

Harry has his holiday diary where families can add pictures and diary entries about what he gets up to on his holidays. He is a very well-travelled bear, and we are all a bit jealous of him!

It’s More Than Just Play!

Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools are inviting parents to join them at one of their nurseries for their Summer Open Day, It’s More Than Just Play!

Parents will be able to discover how play is at the heart of our innovative “Where Children Shine” early years curriculum, providing opportunities for children to learn, explore, and discover while attending nursery. The curriculum values children as unique, strong, and resilient individuals and recognises that play is a fundamental aspect of a child’s learning and development.

The open day is being held across all sites* on 22 June 2024, 10:00 – 13:00, and is the perfect opportunity to celebrate our colleagues and all that they do to ensure all children have the best possible start in life, enabling them to reach their full potential in becoming strong and motivated learners for life.

During the open day families will:

· Experience interactive activities for children to explore and learn through play

· Learn from our experienced nursery team about the benefits of play-based learning

· See firsthand how our curriculum fosters a love of learning in a nurturing environment

· Gain valuable insights on how play sets the stage for an exceptional start in life for your child

· Learn more about the government support available to help with the cost of childcare

Everyone in the local community is invited to attend along with our current parents, their friends and family. There is no need to book, just turn up.

We look forward to seeing you there. To find your local nursery, visit: https://happydaysnurseries.com/find-a-nursery/

*excluding Droitwich who are holding their on Saturday 6 July 2024, 10:00 -13:00

Exciting News from Happy Days Verwood

We’re thrilled to be gearing up for our grand opening on August 5th, and while we wait to officially open our doors, we’ve been busy creating a warm and welcoming space for your children! Here’s a peek at what’s been happening at the nursery:

Free Activities for All!

Want to get a feel for our nursery and meet the team? We’re hosting a variety of fun activities throughout May, June and July, completely free of charge! It’s a great opportunity for you and your child to explore our nursery, participate in engaging activities, and get a taste of the nurturing environment we offer.

Meet the Team & Tour the Nursery

We’re passionate about providing exceptional care for your child. We’re happy to offer both walk-in tours and booked show rounds, allowing you to explore our facilities, ask any questions you may have, and meet the dedicated team who will be nurturing your little one. We’re here every day to answer your questions and address any concerns! If you would like to book a tour, please click here.

Stay Connected!

We’re excited to welcome you and your child to our nursery family soon! Keep an eye out for further updates and announcements about our grand opening.

In the meantime, feel free to:

• Reach out with any questions you may have.
• Follow us on social media for the latest news and updates .

We look forward to meeting you soon!

Happy Days Nurseries and Pre-Schools understands that the cost of childcare can represent a significant portion of parents outgoings and therefore wants to ensure all families are receiving the support they are entitled to.

With the financial support available expanding in England, Happy Days are embarking on an Affordable Childcare Information Campaign, to ensure all parents are aware of the various government programs that exist to support with the cost of childcare.

Through their social media channels, website and emails to parents, Happy Days are highlighting all the support available as well as when and how to access it.

Alongside this, all of its 24 settings are holding Affordability Information Events for parents in the local community to access, with colleagues on hand to answer any questions.

Fiona Blackwell, Operations Director, stated, “With the government childcare support expanding, we appreciate that parents may feel overwhelmed with what support is available to them. We are therefore commencing an Affordability Campaign to highlight to parents exactly what that are able to access. We appreciate that everyone’s circumstances are different, so we are explaining all the funding options available in order for them to understand what they can check they are eligible for.”

For families that are new to accessing funded childcare, Happy Days encourages parents to visit their website, Click here, which not only explains the options available but also includes a downloadable ‘Help with the Cost of Childcare’ brochure as well as links to government websites where parents can check their eligibility.

With demand for childcare places increasing, particularly for under 3’s, Happy Days are encouraging parents to apply for a place today to prevent disappointment. click here to find your local nursery and book a tour.

Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools in Exeter have had another busy week of learning, this time all about food!

After spending the last few weeks learning about wildlife and nature by watching butterflies develop and taking part in gardening, they were ready to get their chef hats on.

This morning the Explorers took part in a fruit tasting activity and really enjoyed it. The children spent the activity practising their fine motor skills to use safety knives to chop up a banana and spoons to scoop seeds out of a melon. The children even had the option to look the part by wearing an apron and a chef hat. This assisted the Let’s cook aspect of our curriculum nicely.

The Happy Days Let’s Cook Programme encourages children to take a more active role in choosing, preparing and cooking simple dishes which will encourage them to eat a wider variety of healthy foods. Research shows that the more familiar children are with ingredients and the more they feel involved in the process, the more likely they are to eat the food at the end.

When engaged in the cooking programme the children will be introduced to new healthy ingredients, and encouraged to explore unknown tastes, smells and textures which will increase their exposure to a wide range of fruit and vegetables, herbs, spices and foods from a variety of cultures.

Teaching children about the benefits cooking and nutrition can make a real difference to the quality of their lives; it equips them with the confidence to make healthy food choices and supports a healthy enjoyment of food. Learning to cook from an early age can contribute to maintaining a healthy weight, good oral health and general health and wellbeing.