News

As part of our ongoing professional development, our team recently took part in training focused on emotional regulation, inclusion and effective communication.

The training gave us the opportunity to reflect on our practice, develop our understanding and explore practical strategies that we can bring into our everyday interactions with children.

Supporting Emotional Regulation

During the training, we explored different ways of understanding emotions and supporting emotional regulation. We considered how children may communicate their feelings through their behaviour and how our own responses can help them to feel safe, secure and understood.

This links closely with our child-centred approach. Rather than simply reacting to behaviour, we aim to understand what a child may be communicating and consider how we can support them through their emotions.

By providing calm, responsive and nurturing interactions, we can help children gradually develop the skills they need to recognise, communicate and regulate their emotions.

Inclusion at the Heart of Our Practice

Inclusion is fundamental to our approach at First Day Nursery Hackney.

The training explored the importance of creating an environment where every child is valued, respected and supported.

We reflected on how small adaptations to our environment, our interactions and the way we communicate can make a significant difference to a child's ability to participate and feel that they belong.

This reflects our Curiosity Approach ethos, where we see each child as an individual and value their unique interests and ways of learning.

Discovering Makaton

As part of the training, our team were introduced to the basics of Makaton, a communication approach which combines signs and symbols with speech.

We learned a range of simple signs that can be incorporated into everyday interactions with children. These provide an additional way for children to communicate their needs, choices and feelings, while also supporting the development of spoken language.

For some children, having a visual or physical way of communicating alongside spoken words can make interactions more accessible and meaningful.

Learning Through Music and Song

One of the most enjoyable parts of the training was learning and practising songs using Makaton signs.

Music, repetition and movement are already wonderful tools for supporting children's learning and communication, so combining these with Makaton demonstrated how easily signing can become part of everyday nursery life.

Songs can encourage children to join in at their own pace, build confidence and develop communication skills in a fun and engaging way. Repetition also gives children opportunities to become familiar with signs and use them independently over time.

Taking Our Learning Into Everyday Practice

At First Day Nursery Hackney, we believe that professional development is an important part of continually improving the experiences we provide for children and their families.

The training has strengthened our understanding of emotional regulation, inclusive practice and communication, while giving our team practical strategies that can be embedded into everyday nursery life.

Staff and families from First Day Nursery Hillside took part in a charity walk on Saturday 11th April to raise money for one of our children, a little boy named Jude. Jude’s journey has been nothing short of inspiring. Since joining Hillside Nursery in April 2025, he has brought so much joy to our nursery family. Sadly, following his diagnosis of a rare and aggressive brain tumour in December last year, Jude and his family have faced an incredibly difficult journey. After undergoing surgeries and beginning an intensive treatment plan, there are still many challenges ahead.

Wanting to support Jude and his family in every way possible, the Hillside Team organised a 10-mile walk from our nursery in Southminster to Burnham, finishing with a celebration at Millfields. Alongside this, we also held a raffle at the nursery with generous donations from local shops, clubs, and services within the community. Together, these efforts raised an incredible £4,621 for Jude and his family. More importantly, the event showed the love, unity, and support surrounding the Hearnah family during such a difficult time.

Words from Jude’s family:

“The kindness, generosity and support shown by Hillside and the wider community has meant everything to us. Hillside is such a special and unique place, full of caring and thoughtful people, and what they’ve done for Jude and our family before and after his diagnosis is something we could never have imagined and will never forget. The fundraiser will give us precious time together as a family, which means more to us than we can say.”

🌟Curiosity Approach Accredited!🌟

Hillside Playcare have achieved their Curiosity Approach Accreditation

Over the last year and a half, the staff at Hillside Playcare in Southminster have be working towards their Curisoity Approach Accreditation. Through the process they have turned their environment into a wonderfully calm, welcoming and intriguing space for their children from 3 months old to 5 years.

The staff at Hillside have opened their minds to news concepts, ideas and practices which draws inspiration from numerous early years pioneers, including Maria Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Rudolf Steiner, and Emmi Pikler. 

In order to achieve this accreditation, the team swapped over filled tubs of bulk buy plastic toys to accessible, authentic and natural resources. The team have expressed how amazing the change in the children's (and staff's!) imagination has been. By removing preconceived ideas of how toys 'should' be played with and allowing children freedom to explore, the children have come on in leaps and bounds with their imaginative play, story telling and creativity.

This is a fantastic achievement for Hillside with a lot of hard work put in to this project! If you would like to learn more about the Curiosity Approach, click here.

We’re excited to announce the launch of the brand-new website for First Day Nursery!

At First Day Nursery, we’re passionate about providing a warm, nurturing, and inspiring environment where children can thrive. Our new website is designed to make it even easier for families to learn about our nurseries, meet our wonderful team, and discover all the ways we support your child’s early learning journey.

What’s New?

• Fresh, Friendly Design – Our new look reflects the caring and playful spirit of our nursery.

• Easy Navigation – Find key information quickly, from session times and fees to our curriculum and upcoming events.

• Meet Our Team – Get to know the dedicated and experienced staff who make First Day Nursery so special.

• News and Updates – Stay informed with newsletters, and important announcements.

• Gallery – Peek inside the nurseries and see the fun and learning in action!

Why We’re Excited

We know how important it is for families to feel connected and informed. Our new website will help you stay up to date with everything happening at First Day Nursery and give new families a welcoming introduction to what makes our nursery a wonderful place to start their child’s learning journey.

We invite you to explore the site, get to know us better, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to arrange a visit!

👉 Visit Our New Website

Thank you for being part of the First Day Nursery family. We look forward to many happy first days together!