Naomi Harling is the proprietor of Chill Out Time Childcare. Having studying playwork at an introductory level in 1995, Naomi gradually progressed and developed her knowledge and expertise resulting in her working with several organisations before setting up Chill Out Time Childcare.
As a mother of six children, she also had plenty of practise at home playing and caring for children!
Naomi holds professional qualifications in :
- Children’s Play and Education and children’s play and Playwork (BA Hons)
- GCE Post Graduate Certificate of Education.
” An opportunity arose to get an after school club started at the local primary school with some funding, I worked closely with school and the local Authority and started this very successful journey.
At the core of our practise is the belief about children being individuals, and progressing them from their own starting points and interests. Our services our very much child focused and led with the appropriate adult intervention. Our staff are highly skilled at being able to let the children decide (with the right level of support) what is right for them. This also creates an inclusive practise.
Some of the work children produce at times is so unique. I love to see what children produce when they are able to decide their own outcomes. The way that the children can think and put things together always amazes me. An adult can sometimes never see it that way until they are taught by the young children they are working with. Their uniqueness and their own way of thinking is something we need to celebrate. We need to nurture their creativity.
Our focus is also on confidence and self esteem, which is absolutely essential for children to progress in their later years. Acknowledgement, praise and simply just listening to the children that we work with is an absolute must”
Chill Out Time Childcare was set up in 2001, with the help of New Opportunities Funding. The aim was to set up a 16 place after school club in September 2001, with a holiday club in February 2002 and a breakfast club in April 2002 at English Martyrs RC Primary school in Fenham. Initially we started up our after school club with only 3 regular children, and built up our places over the years to come.
From our first out of school club we extended our services to different sites and adapted to offer different services due to demand, meeting the needs of parents and carers and those wanting to work with us.
In April 2003 the opportunity arose to take over the management of the after school club based at Sacred Heart RC Primary School. This service was to offer a 24 place after school club and 16 place breakfast club. We happily took over this venue from a classroom based in school. We are now based in Fenham Children’s Centre which is attached to school with access to lots of outdoor play spaces.
In September 2003 we applied for New Opportunities funding to set up an after school club at Stocksfield Avenue Primary School in Fenham. We set up a 16 place breakfast and after school club In the school hall in the old school building. The children loved the outdoor play area named ‘Dragons Lair’ Since the new school has been built, we are now based in the children’s centre attached to the school and can access the school outdoor play areas.
And our services did not stop there! In 2005 we extended to offer onsite crèche facilities at the local children’s centres in Fenham and North Fenham. Currently our crèche services have expanded so much that we now provide services throughout the city of Newcastle Upon Tyne. We have also travelled outside of Newcastle to offer our services for our clients upon their request!
In 2008 we were asked to look into providing an out of school club at Grange fIrst School in Gosforth. We were so impressed by the play space! In a brand new building, with immediate access to outdoor play spaces, and purpose built for childcare, we happily agreed. We started our services there in September 2008 and currently have a very popular breakfast and after school club!
In 2009 we responded to an invitation to provide preschool services as well as out of school club school services at English Martyrs’ RC Primary School. After a nerve racking presentation to the Governors, we were informed of our success. We currently have a very busy venue here which includes our holiday club services. Being in close collaboration with school, children transition very successfully into school nursery, as well as preschool and out of school services. We are able to offer full day care at this venue for children aged three years and over.
In 2011 we extended again! We were successful in applying for a tender to the local authority offering a childcare facility at the City Library in Newcastle town centre. In the beginning we only offered half days and sessional care, as there was no immediate access to an outdoor play space. In response to the demand and requests from parents we decided to open for full days. We took the children out every day on trips and outings, and have had some amazing feedback at this venue about our unique practice and flexibility. Our City Library facility came to the end of its four year contract and closed in August 2015. We are currently looking for a new venue to operate our full day care provision from.
In September 2015 we opened another Chill Out Time Childcare setting at Chillingham Road Primary School, taking over from another provider who had successfully delivered for the last 8 years. We have had a very successful Autumn 2015 term at Chillingham Road, where the majority of our places have been filled! The support from school and from parents/carers has been immense, and the children have been superstars in adjusting to their new providers! Thank you to all!
Last but not least! We opened our newest setting in January 2016. We have been working very closely with Barnardos at Seaton Valley Childrens Centre, planning for a brand new preschool.
Our focus is on delivering two year funded education to up to 16 children every morning, as well as delivering 3/4 years prior to nursery, and some paid for places! This half term we have settled in some of our new children, and we are planning another intake in April 2016. The children have made new friends and are already making lots of progress at such a young age. I observed a young child this morning, (who started with us only 3 weeks ago) counting all of the pencils, and then the same child drew circles with one of the pencils that she had counted, whilst singing ‘Round and round the garden, like a teddy bear’. A budding mathematician at 2 years old!
