Activities and Facilities

Overview;

Lots of Tots Nursery has been providing high quality, bilingual childcare services for over 35 years.
We are registered with CSSIW for 52 children and our experienced and qualified staff create a secure, caring and happy environment in which every individual child’s needs are catered for.  We believe in working in partnership with parents to assist children to explore the world around them and develop as individuals.

• Lots of Tots is a Flying Start setting providing free childcare for those eligible
• We accept childcare vouchers
• We offer a wrap-around service providing pick-up and drop off facilities within the local area
• We have 30 hour Childcare offer Wales
• Children are provided with freshly prepared/cooked food and snacks in our 5* food hygiene rated kitchen.

We are proud to have been accredited with WPPA Quality For All in recognition of the high standards we maintain in Lots of Tots Nursery this was awarded in 2019 , We are currently redoing this award and it is due to be completed in March 2026.  In addition, we have been accredited with the Bronze Small Workplace Health Award and achieved the Healthy and Sustainable Pre-school Scheme Award in 2020. We are in process of re-doing this as well and are due to achieve this in June 2026. We are in the process of doing the Welsh awards and hoping to get gold in this. We are also in the process of doing our healthy snack award , we are on the final stages of this so hope to pass in the next couple of months.

Neath Port Talbot Early Years & Childcare Awards:

2022:

• Finalist for the welsh awards
• Finalist for physical activity
• Finalist for making the most of the outdoors

2023:

• Highly commended for change in ethos- enabling Environment
• Highly commended for community engagement
• Winner for outdoor space big and bold
• Winner for voluntary sector special recognition

2024:

• We had highly commended large setting of the year 2024.
• We won most supportive team of the year 2024

Opening Hours:

Lots Of Tots is open from 7.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. Monday to Friday.

We are closed at weekends, Statutory Bank Holidays and between Christmas and the New Year.

 

Staffing:

We are fortunate in that we have a very low turnover of staff, who are all suitably qualified and very experienced and we are able to meet and even exceed our staffing ratios at all times.

0 – 2 years: 1 member of staff to 3 children

2 – 3 years: 1 member of staff to 4 children

3 – 5 years: 1 member of staff to 8 children

5 – 11 years: 1 member of staff to 8 children

Lots Of Tots implements and adheres to strict recruitment policies and procedures for all staff.

ALL Trustees, employees and volunteers at Canolfan Maerdy, including the nursery staff and volunteers possess current, enhanced CRB checks.

The Nursery Managers hold Level 6 Qualification.

The Deputy Nursery Manager holds Level 5 leadership and management.

Team leaders for every room hold level 4 qualification and are working towards their level 5.

The remainder of our staff hold Level 3 Childcare Qualifications and one has Level 2.

All staff hold current Paediatric First Aid and Food Hygiene Level 2 certificates.

Continuing developmental training is in place to keep up with the ever-changing legislation and procedures relevant to the childcare industry.  Courses that nursery staff have attended within the last year include:

• Play Work (Level 3)
• Food Safety
• First Aid in the Workplace
• Paediatric First Aid
• British Sign Language
• ELKLAN speech and language
• ROSPA – safe driving
• Famly app
• Safeguarding A, B and management and team leader have group C
• ‘Stop It Now’
• Infection control
• Busy Feet
• Designed to Smile
• Empathy Doll
• Outdoor Activities for Children
• Implementing the Foundation Phase/Play Led Learning

The Nursery is registered with the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) and we are registered to care for up to 52 children as listed:

0 – 2 years: 18 children

2 – 3 years: 16 children

3 – 5 years: 6 children

5 – 11 years: 12 children

 

Facilities:

Lots Of Tots Nursery comprises a number of rooms, all recently refurbished (August 2025) which are designed specifically for the needs of the varying ages of children as follows:

Under 2’s Room:

This is divided into appropriate sections for children aged between 0 months and up to 2 years. There is an area where there cots in room, staff are present at all times.

Over 2’s Room:

For children between the ages of 2 and 5 years with games, toys, books, dressing up box and a separate activity/craft area.

After School Room:

We have a large afterschool room, with a tv for the children to do take part in dancing activities, we have arrange of activities and the children choose what they would like to do. We encourage independence and ask what they would like to do and any activities or resources we can supply.

We have 3 cars for wrap around one car is petrol and 2 are echo friendly hybrids to help the environment

 

Additional facilities that the Nursery offers are:

• State of the art security fingerprint entry system
• Separate nappy changing area
• Separate toilet facilities for the children including a disabled toilet
• Sensory garden and outdoor playhouse
• Outdoor play area equipped for outdoor activities in any weather
• Forest school area where the children grow their own vegetables and fruit, learn about the environment, insects, fire safety and a lot more.
• Large, safe onsite car parking area for dropping off and collecting children
• Pick and drop off facility in our own vehicles

Meals:

The meals, including snacks, provided for your children are both healthy and nutritious and we cater for both vegetarian and other forms of dietary requirements.

• Breakfast is between 7.45-8.30
• We have rolling snack between 9.30-10.30. The children are encouraged to cut their fruit/ veg and butter or add spread to any carbohydrate they have alongside their fruit / Veg
• Lunch is at 12.00pm the children have a healthy homemade hot lunch and are also served a pudding.
• Rolling sack at 12.45pm-1.45pm The children are encouraged to cut their fruit/ veg and butter or add spread to any carbohydrate they have alongside their fruit / Veg
• We have tea between 4.00-4.30 some meals the children are encouraged to make, sandwiches the children will have the option to butter and make themselves and wraps.

We have 3 week rolling menu which are in the parent information pack these are updated termly and also we update famly app with menu and these are displayed in the office.

Lots of Tots also welcome parents providing packed lunches and snacks for their child as an alternative to the meals provided.