NDNA Cymru Early Years Case Studies & Best Practice

Read NDNA Cymru early years case studies showcasing our projects and best practice happening at nurseries across Wales.

Case study: Sarah Howard, Childcare Works

Date: March 2024

Sarah Howard participated in NDNA Cymru’s 16-week Childcare Works programme that was delivered in Rhondda Cynon Taf from October 2023 to February 2024. The programme was funded by The Moondance Foundation and supported 5 Trainee Nursery Assistants. The trainees completed 4 weeks of training, followed by 12 weeks on placement in a childcare setting.

Case study: Lauren Walters, Childcare Works

Date: March 2024

Lauren Walters participated in NDNA Cymru’s 16-week Childcare Works programme that was delivered in Rhondda Cynon Taf from October 2023 to February 2024. The programme was funded by The Moondance Foundation and supported 5 Trainee Nursery Assistants. The trainees completed 4 weeks of training, followed by 12 weeks on placement in a childcare setting.

Case study: Kate Jeremiah, Childcare Works

Date: March 2024

Kate Jeremiah participated in NDNA Cymru’s 16-week Childcare Works programme that was delivered in Rhondda Cynon Taf from October 2023 to February 2024. The programme was funded by The Moondance Foundation and supported 5 Trainee Nursery Assistants. The trainees completed 4 weeks of training, followed by 12 weeks on placement in a childcare setting.

Case study: Sharon Cale, Childcare Works

Date: March 2024

Sharon Cale participated in NDNA Cymru’s 16-week Childcare Works programme that was delivered in Rhondda Cynon Taf from October 2023 to February 2024. The programme was funded by The Moondance Foundation and supported 5 Trainee Nursery Assistants. The trainees completed 4 weeks of training, followed by 12 weeks on placement in a childcare setting.

Case study: Noah’s Ark Nursery, Narberth, Pembrokeshire promoting Tax-Free Childcare

Date: March 2024

Noah’s Ark childcare runs from a chapel building in the centre of Narberth. When a parent/carer comes for a show around, they openly discuss the Tax-Free Childcare.

Case study: The Hollies Daycare Nursery on the Camau journey

Date: March 2024

The Hollies Daycare Nursery wanted to increase Welsh within their daily routine and contacted NDNA Cymru. A meeting was set up and they heard about Camau through the Welsh promise, and this is why they decided to get some staff on the training.

Case study: Lullabyz Nursery on the Camau journey

Date: March 2024

From monitoring, Lullabyz Nursery realised that their use of Welsh language was not as strong as it was before Covid. This was probably due to the large turnover of staff following the pandemic, meaning that new staff were not as confident. Find out about their Camau journey.

Case study: Daisy Day Nursery, Vale of Glamorgan, successful with small grant scheme

Date: March 2024

Read more about how Daisy Day Nursery, Vale of Glamorgan, were successful with a small grant scheme.

Case study: The Welsh Promise: Little Stars Ebbw Fawr

Date: January 2024

In March 2023 Little Stars Ebbw Fawr embarked on the Bronze Welsh Promise and received
their certificate in November 2023. Here is what they thought before embarking and after completion.

Case study: Wrexham Nurseries – the impact of low funding rates for Childcare Offer

Date: December 2023

The following case studies have been obtained from a variety of full day care settings that come under Wrexham Local Authority. They have been selected for this case study to provide the experiences of nurseries of different sizes and legal structures. However all show the increasing difficulty in providing a high quality sustainable service on low funding rates.

Case study: Supporting staff through curriculum change: A leaders perspective

Name of setting: Active Childcare Ltd

Date: May 2023

Rebecca Mottram is owner and director of Active Childcare Ltd, a multi-setting organisation with an extensive reputation for providing children with high standards of care and education. See how Rebecca supported her team through curriculum change as a leader.

Case study: Promoting Tax-Free Childcare

Name of setting: Osbourne Lodge Day Nursery, Pontypool

Date: November 2023

When parents have a show around at Osbourne Lodge, Nikola Masters always takes the time to explain the Childcare Choices website. There are six steps to follow. Step one is to check their eligibility, as they can’t use Tax-Free Childcare together with Tax Credits, Universal Credit or Childcare Vouchers.

Case study: Childcare Works

Name of setting: Buttercups Day Nursery

Date: November 2023

Tiffany Anzani participated in NDNA Cymru’s 16-week Childcare Works programme that was delivered in Cardiff from June to September 2023. The programme was funded by The Moondance Foundation and supported 5 Trainee Nursery Assistants. The trainees completed 4 weeks of training, followed by 12 weeks on placement in a childcare setting.

Case study: Rydal Penrhos Pre-school in Conwy moving towards a bilingual setting

Name of setting – Rydal Penrhos Pre-school

Date – August 2023

Because our service is no longer seen as English only the number of Welsh speaking families
sending their children to the pre-school is now increasing. We have also embarked onto the Cwlwm
Welsh Promise bronze award with Mollie at NDNA Cymru, and are working towards the Active Offer.

Case study: Toadhall Montessori Nurseries, Cardiff Case study on National Minimum Standards key changes

Name of setting – Toadhall Montessori Nurseries

Date – August 2023

Following the announcement of the updated National Minimum Standards (NMS) in May 2023, NDNA Cymru looked how the key changes to the Paediatric First Aid training requirements (Standard 10: Healthcare) linked to NDNA Millie’s Mark.

Case study: Supporting children with Additional Learning Needs (ALN)

Name of setting – Little Stars Nursery

Date – March 2023

Little Stars Nursery has a wealth of experience in supporting children and their families with additional needs over the years, but they have experienced a setting first for them: a child started in the baby room at 9 months old with a diagnosis of Down Syndrome. This case study focuses on this example and explores the journey the nursery took with the child and their family, from transitioning into the setting at 9 months old to leaving to attend school and the impact the support had on the child’s learning and development.

Case study – Report on staffing levels and issues faced post pandemic

Name of setting – Two Counties Nursery

Date – June 2023

Since the pandemic we have found that our workforce after a long spell on furlough have changed their attitude to work. We have tried to accommodate this change by offering a 4 day week. However, many of our long serving staff have moved on to different jobs.

Case study – Flying Start – The Tendering Process

Name of setting – Osbourne Lodge Nursery

Date – April 2023

The owner of Osbourne Lodge Nursery, Nikola Masters attended a fact finding meeting held by Torfaen County Borough Council to discover more about the expansion of Flying Start in the area. She has already successfully tendered to provide Early Education in the past year and wanted to find out more about Torfaen’ s plans for expanding Flying Start in line with the Welsh Governments plans.

Case study – How we support Health and Well-being of our Practitioners in Hollies

Name of setting – Hollies

Date – March 2023

In 2020, Hollies closed temporarily, and practitioners spent 3 months at home during the initial lockdown. As a company, we topped up all practitioners’ salaries to 100%. We did not want to place our team under additional financial pressures and envisaged that this financial support, would secure our workforce for the future.

Case study – Camau Case Study

Name of setting – Coleg y Cymoedd Day Nursery, Ystrad Mynach

Date – December 2022

My Name is Gail Harris, and I am the Nursery manager of Coleg y Cymoedd Day Nursery in Ystrad Mynach, Hengoed, Caerphilly.

Case study – Effective Marketing and Promotion

Name of setting – Noah’s Ark Childcare, Narberth

Date – December 2022

Hayley Barnett from Noah’s Ark Childcare, Narberth recently completed the free Business online course Effective Marketing and Promotion, and this is what she told us.

Case study – Staff Retention Case Study

Name of setting – Daisy Day Nursery, Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan

Date – December 2022

Putting the wellbeing and care of the children attending our nursery at the forefront of what we do means consistency of care is really important to us. Familiarity with the caregivers they’re spending their days with allows the children to form secure attachments, and see Daisy Day Nursery as their home away from home. The continuity that retaining quality staff offers the children is significantly beneficial to their experience in the nursery and to their development and wellbeing.

Case study – Developing Quality Outdoor Provision

Name of setting – Tiny Tots’ Day Nursery, Prestatyn

Date – December 2022

Tiny Tots’ Day Nursery is a bright, spacious and welcoming Full Day Care Nursery located in Prestatyn, North Wales. The nursery is registered for 86 children and accepts children aged three months 11 years. The nursery boasts a large secure two acres plus outdoor space where children can explore and learn from the wide range of experiences on offer. The nursery has been a respected part of the local community for the last 40 years.

Case study – Welsh language in the setting

Name of setting – Wibli Wobli Nursery, Newport

Date – December 2022

My name is Natasha Baker and I am the owner of Wibli Wobli Nursery in Newport, I am currently in the process of registering with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW).
The setting will be a Welsh medium nursery with all activities conducted through the medium of Welsh.
I have also been living in Wales for over 6 years and my three children were born here, learning Welsh and Welsh culture is now an important part of my life as my daughter also attends a Welsh medium School and Cylch Meithrin in Newport.
I have completed Camau Mynediad 1 and 2 and am hoping to progress further.

Case study – ‘Risky Play’ Good Practice Case Study

Name of setting – Lullabyz Nursery, Newport

Date – August 2019

The nursery is owned by Nicola Reed who is also one of the managers. Nicola trained to be primary school teacher at university, and since has continued to develop her skills and experience of working with children and is dedicated to providing the highest quality of care. Lullabyz Nursery uses the slogan ‘Childcare at its Best’, aiming for high quality provision through continuous improvement to ensure children “have a flying start in life and the best possible basis for their future growth and development”.

Childcare Works case study

Name of setting – Hill Tots Nursery Brymbo near Wrexham

Hear how the Childcare Works (phase 1) project supported Jackie Hayes in her placement with Hill Tots Nursery Manager Sarah Griffiths.

Childcare Works case study

Name of setting – Li’l Angels Shotton, Flintshire

Hear how the Childcare Works (phase 1) project supported Gary Sibbald in his placement with Li’l Angels Nursery Owner and Manager Sue Evans.

Childcare Works case study

Name of setting – Cylch Meithrin Penderyn

NDNA Cymru’s Childcare Works West Wales & the Valleys 25+ project is a supported employment programme funded by European Social Fund, supported by European Social Fund through Welsh Government and managed by WCVA. It follows the previous successful Childcare Works projects funded by Welsh Government.