About Us

Your Child Is in Great Hands

“....for in every adult there dwells the child that was, and in every child there lies the adult that will be........”

John Connolly. The Book of Lost Things(2006)

Who We Are &
What We Do

Here at Gateway Nursery, we fully appreciate that choosing the right nursery setting for your child is such an important decision. Nurseries come in all shapes and sizes and making the right choice for your little one is therefore paramount, not only because it is a place that you will leave your most precious asset to be cared for and be safe, but also because this is where your child will lay their roots for future development and lifelong learning. We understand that childhood is for life!

Our Nursery has been established for over 34 years and offers high-quality, sessional childcare to children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years within the local communities of Bartestree, Lugwardine, Withington and Dormington and also for the wider community across Herefordshire and beyond.

The Gateway Nursery is now part of a registered charitable trust called Gateway (Education and Childcare)Trust Ltd - charity number 1101914, whose charitable objectives include:

To enhance the development and education of children under statutory school age by encouraging parents to understand, participate and provide for the needs of their children through the activities of Gateway Nursery.
To promote the care and education of children in need of care during out of school hours and in school holidays

Gateway Nursery is set within a purpose-built, single level premises, surrounded by almost 2 acres of land and provides excellent learning environments for children, both indoors and outdoors.

We offer fixed or flexible childcare sessions over a full year or during term-times only and we also deliver both an after-school collection and care service to those aged 4-11yrs, as well as holiday care.

Our inclusive curriculum enables every child to celebrate who they are, inspires their curiosity and promotes opportunities to experience awe and wonder. Children have the freedom to take risks and develop their own unique style of learning within our safe, caring, stimulating, fun and well-resourced environments. We pride ourselves on providing care that reflects the diverse community and world in which we live. We are a fully inclusive nursery that welcomes everyone and in line with our objectives, we strive to work closely in partnership with all of our parents, guardians and families.

We always seek opportunity to enhance local learning and social opportunities for the benefit of people from early childhood to older age and to work towards creating an understanding between age groups. In particular, to promote the value of what older and more experienced members of the community can contribute as life skills to younger and less experienced people and vice versa.

We have rarely advertised throughout our past 32 years - our reputation has always thrived through word of mouth.

Trustees and Staff

At Gateway, we have a highly qualified, knowledgeable and caring staff who form excellent relationships with the children in their care and establish robust communication links with their parents and carers.

We are currently a team of 33, which includes :

4 Trustees, who are all voluntary and unpaid (and all ex-parents). They are all professionals and hence work off-site. They share a joint vision of their aims and objectives and are instrumental in the delivery of these. They are also responsible for the ongoing financial sustainability of the setting through its day-to-day operational activities.The Trustees ensure that the nursery is safe, effectively managed and maintained. They operate within regulatory guidelines set out by both Ofsted and The Charity Commission as well as our own internal policies and procedures. Our Chair is the liaison for Safeguarding matters.

Trustees also support the management team with, for example, staff appraisals and meetings-and with parents as and when required. They ultimately ensure ongoing best practice, health and safety and welfare of everyone who uses the setting.

3 Managers - All are jointly responsible for the day-to-day running of the setting, the overall safeguarding of children, the training and development of staff, the delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum, Special Educational Needs and Disability (SENDCo) the deployment of staff, behaviour management, liaison with parents/guardians and much more besides. They are all well qualified in their individual roles and jointly offer expertise in all aspects of running a busy, compliant nursery setting.
2 Qualified Teachers (1QTS & 1NQT) who work in our pre-school room and who prepare each cohort for their transition onto ‘big school’.
16 Qualified Practitioners who work across our 4 rooms.
2 Bank Staff
3 Apprentices, studying at either Level 2 or Level 3 NVQ
2 Handymen/Drivers
1 Administrative Assistant/Nurse
1 Chef - Level 3 Food Hygiene trained

Training and Education

All staff who work at Gateway hold a full and relevant qualification in Early Years Education. We actively encourage all of our staff to undertake regular and ongoing training. There are contractual obligations to practice at this setting, which includes training and development.

We accommodate Work Experience placements for local Secondary Schools, long term and short term placements for students undertaking childcare qualifications at Herefordshire and Ludlow College and offer in-house apprenticeships through a reputable training company.