FAQs

We follow the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework) originating from England which outlines the key areas of learning and development that are crucial for children from birth to age 5. We closely follow the objectives of this curriculum and use them weekly in our planning and observations of the children.

The Prime areas of the EYFS are:

• Physical
• Language and Communication
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

The Specific areas of the EYFS are:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Expressive Art and Design
• Understanding of the World

The curriculum document can be found online Click here..
All Home Grown teachers and teaching assistants are fully trained in this.

At Home Grown Children's Eco Nursery we strive to promote a holistic learning atmosphere for children in a natural space.

Our Green Engagement Program has been lovingly developed for early years promoting an understanding of our world which is essential to instill a sense of responsibility and environmental stewardship in young minds. Through age appropriate green activities and interactive sessions, children are introduced to the wonders of nature, the importance of conservation and the impact of their actions on the planet. Our lesson plans incorporate themes of sustainability, recycling and the significance of biodiversity, cultivating a deep sense of connection to the world around them. We apply a natural process that promotes self-development and esteem in an environmentally-conscious habitat. We believe in introducing an understanding of our world to young children in a way that engages and intrigues them. Our green space provides children with a perfect platform to experience and develop their senses in a natural setting. Children are taught to embrace the simple joys of life such as nature walks in our garden, playing in the sand area, gardening in our organic patch or sitting in our outdoor quiet corners observing their surroundings. These hands-on experiences sets the stage for a lifelong commitment to environmental awareness and sustainable practices. Time spent in nature can promote a sense of balance and calmness in a child and also improves focus, concentration and most importantly overall health.

As part of Home Grown’s CSR programme, we support the charity 'Harmony House', a day shelter for street children in India, operated by the co founder of this nursery. Harmony House comprises of four day care shelters, which supports and educates over 1000 children whilst providing vocational services and training programmes for women and young adults.

Teaching children about happiness and well-being is crucial for their overall development. Emphasizing these aspects in early years education creates the building blocks that help to foster emotional intelligence, resilience and a positive mindset.

Home Grown has often been described by our parents as a children’s sanctuary in the heart of Dubai, emulating the feel of ‘home away from home’. From the time you step through the nursery gates, our families are immersed in a tranquil, joyful and natural space promoting a sense of calm.
We begin and end our days with a mindfulness session for all age ranges. This ensures the children begin their day on a happy note and transition peacefully from home to nursery. Our children practice yoga and breathing techniques on a regular basis helping them to learn how to self regulate.

An important focus of our well being programme is teaching children important values like love, courage, compassion, kindness, respect integrity, respect and gratitude which is part of our daily lesson plans. We extend these life skills to our teaching staff and parents at every opportunity.

Physical Education is taught to our children daily and Yoga lessons take place twice a week. Yoga is taught by our specialist children’s yoga teacher in our gym or garden in the winter month.

Arabic and French are part of our curriculum and are taught to the children for 20 minutes daily. French is taught on Tuesday and Thursday and Arabic is taught on Monday, Wednesday and Friday to all age groups. Our language teachers are native Arabic and French speakers and are trained by Baby Arabia who also teach language lessons in the community.

A detailed list of items to take to the nursery will be available in your welcome letter once you receive your ‘Welcome Pack’ email. Alongside your child’s personal care items, you will also need to pack a snack box, water bottle, sun hat and we kindly ask that you apply sun cream before coming to the nursery. A pamphlet on healthy snacks will also be found in your ‘Welcome Pack’.

Currently no wheely bags or backpacks are allowed so Home Grown will provide you with a washable and re-useable bag on your child’s first day.

Home Grown prides itself on our communication channels that have been developed and consolidated for over twelve years. Home Grown has an open door policy and parents are welcome to pop into our office at any time. Our teachers are in regular contact with parents at drop off and pickup times as well as sending many photos and updates throughout the week on our Seesaw application. Each family will receive a Seesaw account where the teacher and parents can communicate with ease. Our receptionists and headteachers will also be in touch regularly and we kindly ask that all emails/Seesaw messages are regularly read by our parents.

Parents receive quarterly updates from Home Grown. Each child’s personal report is sent to parents in December, March and June. These progress reports are not only a celebration of your child’s progress but also particularly important for school applications, therefore, we urge parents to save the reports for future reference.

All parents are asked to wear their security badges on entering the nursery and we request that visitors to the nursery contact reception via our intercom system before entering. Meetings and tours are by appointment only. We have CCTV at all entry and exit points in the nursery. All classrooms and common areas have security cameras, for management use only, in accordance with child protection laws.

Yes, our ‘HomeGrown@Home’ online learning platform is provided to all families annually. Parents can access all lessons via the seesaw platform and can also interact with the class. All lessons come with tips for preparation as well as the specified subject area and learning objectives.

Every year we hold ‘settling in’ talks where we discuss how parents can assist us with the settling in process and we explain what we do to assist you. Settling in is a vital part of a child’s start at nursery and we encourage all parents to take part in the talks which are held in June each year and repeated in September for any new joiners over the summer. Every child is unique, and we work with each parent & child to ensure that this transition is as seamless and tear-free as possible.

Our teachers are fully qualified with a Cache level 3 certificate or a primary teaching degree. Our teaching assistants are all Cache level 2 qualified in accordance with KHDA regulations.

We are very proud to have a diverse group of wonderful staff, with over 20 different nationalities.

We have 16 children per class with 4 staff in classrooms where the children under 2-years-old and in classrooms catering for children over 2 we have 16 children with 3 staff members. FS1 will be maximum 20 children with 3 staff members and FS2 will have a maximum of 16 children with 2 staff.

We do encourage our children to wear the Home Grown uniform. The uniform consists of an organic cotton green or orange t shirt and a pair of long denim shorts. A uniform means that teachers are not trying to save the child’s ‘good’ clothes from getting too messy or dirty.

Home Grown Nursery follows an indoor ‘no shoe policy’ for children, staff, parents and visitors to the nursery. Children are welcome to wear indoor slippers or socks with grips if you do not wish them to go barefoot. Shoes are worn outdoors in our garden. We kindly ask for easy to put on/remove shoes for your child.

From November to April a large amount of time is spent outdoors, in our purposefully crafted garden area. We love the outdoors and children are the happiest when they are exploring this green space. Since we are an eco nursery and have a large garden, we are able to conduct a large number of our lessons in the outdoors. Sadly, as summer approaches our time outdoors is regulated according to the heat and humidity index which is monitored by our resident nurse.

Yes, our fully qualified nurses manage all aspects of health and safety in the nurseries. They are fully licensed by Dubai Health Authority and are happy to advise parents, should you feel you need to speak to them about any medical or safety issue.

All staff are trained in paediatric first aid with all certificates being renewed every 3 years as per DHA requirements. Refresher courses are being conducted regularly.

At Home Grown we ask parents to provide healthy and nutritious snacks for their children to enjoy at nursery. We are a nut free and sugar free nursery and respect all dietary requirements and allergies. Snack times take place within the classrooms at 9.15am and 11.15am for our younger children and 10.00-10.30 am for our older children. We ensure that all children wash their hands before snack time and that their faces are wiped if dirty after eating. During mealtimes we assist the children when eating and opening snack boxes if required, but we also encourage independent eating. Our teachers and nurse regularly check snack boxes and will inform parents/main carers of any concerns. We keep parents updated with how their child eats at snack time and what they like and dislike.

We ask that Parents/Carers inform the Nurse and class team of any allergies, intolerances or dietary requirements your child may have. This is discussed and an allergy action plan is created for the child by our nurse. All staff are informed of the allergy so they can respond appropriately if needed.

Our staff will take the time to make general observations about the children’s health and report any concerns to the Nurse, who will contact parents when she deems it necessary. All illness policies are printed in our parents’ handbook.

Home Grown is not just a children’s nursery but is a community with a green mindset. Our ethos, encourages our parents to support our commitment to environmental sustainability and conscious living. We love having our parents onboard with all our initiatives and our parent Eco Committee are a wonderful group of people who support us with all our annual events.

Please always communicate with your child’s teacher, no matter how insignificant the information may seem, it is particularly important that the staff know even the smallest details about your child. Our partnership with parents is important to us and our doors are always open.

In June we will send all newly registered parents our welcome pack and you will also be invited to our virtual settling in talks. These talks are hugely beneficial to all new parents. Please take time to attend one of the scheduled talks and also to read through the material sent in your welcome pack. The information you will receive includes the following:

• A welcome letter with a list of items to provide on your child’s first day. • Your class timetable • Home Grown’s Parents Handbook • Settling in tips for parents

In late August/early September you will receive details of your child’s family day. Our Family days are arranged for you to meet your child’s teacher in small groups and your child will have time to explore the classroom.