Where are your nurseries based?
We currently have two nurseries, Jacqueline's Gems @ Lime Wood is in Erith close located within the new Quarry Estate and Jacqueline's Gems @ Erith Park is based in Erith within the new Erith Park Estate.
What is the youngest age you take on?
We care for children ages 3 Months to 11 Years. Please note that our provision at Lime Wood is suitable for children aged 2 years and above only.
Can I view the settings?
Yes, we will ask you to complete a registration of interest first then the manager of the setting you are interested in will contact you to book a time to view.
Do you do settling ins?
Yes, here at Jacqueline’s Gems we offer all our parents a settling in period for their child(ren). The settling in period is made up of three days and is organised upon the completion of contract and essentially before your child’s agreed start date. The first day of the settling in is two hours in the nursery both parent and child. The second day of settling in is one hour with parent and one hour child only and the third day of settling in is two hours on their own. If your child does have difficulty settling the nursery manager will work in partnership with the parent and discuss the next steps to ease the child’s transition into nursery life. There is also the option not to have settling in but this is down to the individual parents/carers.
Are the children separated by room and age?
Here at Jacqueline’s Gems we do not separate our children. We believe that children of all ages can work well together and it teaches both the younger and older children, to care, share, be kind, thoughtful and gain an understanding of how unique and individual we all are.
Can you take on my child if he/she has allergies?
Yes, Jacqueline's Gems will take on your child if they have allergies. A care plan is provided when completing your contract to let us know what actions you take in the case of an emergency and if any medications are needed for the child they need to be provided for the setting before or on your child’s first day.
Can my child bring their own food in?
At Jacqueline’s Gems we aim to protect all our children who have allergens. To avoid any problems in our nurseries we do not allow food to be brought in. Due to their age they may not be of an understanding to why they cannot have certain foods. All food is prepared on site and made separately from the rest of the meals. The holiday club is slightly different and the children are asked to bring in a packed lunch as they are more than likely to be going out and about on trips, however there are certain products we do ask parents to avoid to reduce the risk of any reactions.
How do I know how my child has been during the day?
We work in partnership with our parents and our parents are welcome to call as many time as they like during their child's time within our care. Each child will receive a contact book which goes to and from home and will be filled out with the child's daily activities, toileting, meals, sleeps and any additional information needed to be passed on. The staff also inform parents at the door of the child's day and notify them of anything else they need to know.
What do I need to bring in for my child?
Nurseries - (All if needed) Nappies, wipes, change of clothes, special creams, jarred food, bottles, formula and coat.
At nursery we love to do creative art activities even thou we use aprons there are some children that do get extra messy, so please do not send your children in with their best clothes on.
How do I know what my child has eaten at nursery?
Each child has a contact book which is filled with your child's meals, toileting and activities. Our menus can also be found on the Menu Page and shown upon request at your nursery.
What are your meal times?
Nurseries: Breakfast - 7:00am till 8:30am, Snack 10:00am and 2:00pm, Lunch 12:00pm and Dinner 5:00pm.
Schools: Breakfast 7:00am till 8:15am, Light Snack around 5:00pm.
Holiday Club: Breakfast (Provided by JGS) served between 8:00am-8:45am, Snack at 10:00am & 2:00pm (Provided by parents - healthy options please), Lunch at 12pm (Provided by parents - lunchbox) & light evening snack (Provided by JGS - this does not replace home meal).
Can my child attend for a one off emergency day care?
Yes, as long as a contract is completed before hand and all placements depend on availability within the nurseries.
Where do I find your companies Policy and Procedures?
The Policy and Procedures can be found in our main office and within the nurseries upon request.
Can you offer flexibility?
We try to offer as much flexibility as we can, as we understand that parents may have different childcare requirements.
Our school clubs have various hour contracts and are charged by the hour.
Our nurseries are fixed hours per week but we charge by the hour and we are not limited by sessions.
How and when do I pay?
If you attend the Nurseries or get payment support by government funding, you will receive an invoice the 25th of each month with 7 days to pay. Late fees will apply if payment is not made.
Payment is to be made via bank transfer, therefore everything is tracked and monitored.
If you attend our before and after school club you will be asked to book in your care via our ClassforKids payment system which can be found on our website. You will be able to book your care and book in advance. Please be reminded once care is booked, we are unable to change or amend your book and we do not issue refunds.
Do I pay if my child does not attend?
Nurseries - Yes.
School & Holiday Clubs - If you have already booked care, then yes.
How I do go about signing up?
Each child needs a contract and needs to be completed by their parent/carer.
If you are a Nursery parent, you will need to complete a registration of interest form first. This can be found on our 'Nursery' page. Once this has been completed, our nursery Manager will be in contact with you.
If you are a School or Holiday Club parent you can make a booking directly from our website through the ClassForKids platform. If you are entitled to payment support (tax-free childcare, childcare vouchers, student finance or universal credit) you will need to create a contract found on our 'School Clubs' page, under payment support.
Are you open all year?
Yes, Jacqueline’s Gems is open 52 Weeks of the year! However, we are closed on all Bank Holidays. You can find all term dates and closures on our Term Dates page.
Are you open Bank Holidays?
All Jacqueline’s Gems settings are closed for all Bank Holidays.
What are your opening times?
Our nurseries are all open from 7:00am till 6:30pm. The school clubs are open from 7:00am until school begins, in the afternoons we collect children from school finish time and close at 6:30pm. In the Holiday Periods, we operate two sessions; full day and part day care. The full day session operates from 8:00am until 6:00pm, the part day sessions operates 9:00am until 3:00pm.
Do you accept funding?
Yes, we accept funding - Two Year Offer, Nursery Education (Universal Funding) & 30 Hours funding, if there is any other funding you are entitled to please contact us.
Do you accept childcare vouchers?
Yes, we do accept childcare vouchers, when completing the contract please inform us and if needed we can pass on our account numbers for you to gain access.
Do you accept Student and College Finance?
Yes, we do accept all student and college finance.
Are you able to complete my student/college finance form?
Yes, please hand your form into the main office in Northumberland Heath the form is processed over 48 hours after submission.
What Schools do you cover?
We have Before & After School Club provisions on site at Northumberland Heath Primary School, The Brent Primary School, Christ Church Primary School and Lime Wood Primary School. We also collect children from The Gateway Academy Primary, our staff members walk children back to The Brent.
Do I get discount if I have more than one child?
We do not offer sibling discount.
How are my fees worked out?
If you have a payment support contract your fees will be worked out monthly for the care booked by the invoicing team and sent our accordingly.
How do I book in care?
You can book in care by our quick only payment system with ClassforKids - All links can be found on our School and Holiday Club pages.
Can I do additional hours to my nursery contract?
Yes, this is charged at the emergency care rate of £10.00 per hour.
I am unable to get through to the main office?
Please bare with us, our lines can be very busy, if you do have trouble getting through to the main office please send us an email or leave a voicemail and we will get back in contact as soon as we can.
How do I make a complaint?
The link to our complaint form can be requested by email at admin@jacqgemschildcare.com.