Our Pre-School
Pre-school name: - St Paul’s Pre-school
Address: - C/o St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Primary School Rotheram Avenue Luton Beds LU1 5PP Tel: 01582 723818
Our Aim is:
To provide high quality care and education working towards the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum / Framework (EYFS) linking to the Early Years Outcomes for children under statutory school age To provide a safe, secure & stimulating environment and to work in partnership with parents to help children to learn and develop To add to the life and well-being of the local community To work within a framework which ensures equality of opportunity for all children & families in the local community and beyond
We offer your child:
A specially tailored programme working to the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Individual care & attention made possible by a high ratio of adult to children Fun & friendship with children & other adults Help to take forward his/her learning and development by building on what he/she already knows and can do. The support of a personal key person to encourage satisfying progress Opportunities for you & your family to be directly involved, in the activities of the group & in your own child’s progress
Our pre-school offers education & care for children below school age & over the age of: - 2 Years upto 5 years
We are able to offer government 2 year funded places up to 15 hours per week to those families who meet the criteria and 3 and 4 year government funding to all 3 and 4 year olds. From September 2017 we will be offering the governments’ 30 hours funding to 3 and 4 year olds of families who meet the criteria; (pleases ask for the manager for clarification)
We are registered with OFSTED as day care providers and therefore are able to offer both sessional care and day care.
SESSIONAL CARE
Our pre-school meets at the following times:
AM PM
From To From To
Monday 9.15am 12.15pm 12.15pm 3.15pm
Tuesday 9.15am 12.15pm 12.15pm 3.15pm
Wednesday 9.15am 12.15pm 12.15pm 3.15pm
Thursday 9.15am 12.15pm 12.15pm 3.15pm
Friday 9.15am 12.15pm 12.15pm 3.15pm
Breakfast and Lunchtime Club
We also offer a facility called ‘Wraparound care,’ this means that you are allowed to have extra care time wrapped around the session. This includes a breakfast club from 8.15am every day and an after school club from 3.15- 4pm every day. The cost of wraparound care is £4.00 per hour – £1.00 every 15 minutes.
The government allows every child aged 3-4 years of age 15 hours a week to take as they please (if hours are available) over a minimum of 3 days
This means that we as a setting will aim to be as flexible as we possibly can to suit the
needs of the children and their parents. This allows you to access us at set session times or through day care. Please speak to a member of staff if you need more information.
Example of a child using day care over 3 day period from 8.15 - 4pm:
Total hours attended per day = 7 hours and 45minutes Total hours attended over 3 day period = 23 hours and 15 minutes No of hours funded free = 15 23.15 hours -15.00 hours = 8.15 hours Number of hours non funded to pay = 8 hours 15 minutes Fees per hour = £4.00 Total fees payable per week = £33.00
Example of a child using day care over a 5 day period from 9.15am - 3.15pm
Total hours attended per day = 6 Total hours attended over 5 day period = 30 No of hours funded free = 15 30.00 hours – 15-00hours = 15.00hours Number of hours non funded to pay = 15 Fees per hour = £4.00 Total fees payable per week = £60.00
These are just examples of how the funding can be accessed; we can tailor the hours to suit your needs (subject to availability)
All all fees must be paid for in advance, either weekly or four weekly. At any time the child is absent from pre-school due to illness or holidays all hours must be paid for.
The pre-school also is happy to be part of the 2 year old funding project which enables 2 year old children to access the setting if they firstly meet a criteria. Please speak to the manager or deputy for more information.
Adult Resources
We are proud of the high ratio of adults to children in our group. This ensures individual attention to the needs & development of each child.
For example: - 1 Adult to every 4 children aged under 3 years 1 Adult to every 13 children aged over 3 years with a practitioner with Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) / Early years teacher working directly with the children
1 Adult to every 8 children when EYPS is not working directly with the children
Practitioners
The regular practitioners in the group are: -
Name Title Qualifications Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) / Claire Byrne Pre-school Leader/owner Early Years Teacher BA Honours Degree in early years care and education (level 6) S.E.N.C.O.(special educational needs co- ordinator) Lead Safeguarding Officer ECAT (every child a talker lead) Behaviour Management Daily Management of Setting Open University Level 5 Early Years Claire Hill Pre- School Supporting Care and Education working towards Deputy level 6 Cache Diploma level 3 in childcare and education S.E.N.C.O. Lead Safeguarding Officer ECAT (every child a talker lead) School liaison officer Student Co-ordinator
BA Hons Degree in Child and Family Sarah Newland Pre-school Deputy Studies. (level 6) Foundation Degree in Child and Family studies. NVQ Level 3 in Childcare S.E.N.C.O (special educational needs co- ordinator) ECAT (every child a talker lead) Student Liaison First Aid
Early Years Care & Education Sandra Law Pre-school Practitioner NVQ level 3 Nursery Assistant Healthy Eating Co-ordinator Early Years Care & Education Jeanie Schwenk Pre-school Practitioner NVQ level 3 Nursery Nurse Health and Safety Co-ordinator and Liaison Risk Assessments buildings / trips
Early Years Care & Education Paula Faria Pre-School Practitioner NVQ level 3 Nursery Nurse Health and safety assistant, risk assessments of play resources, medical and creative resources replenisher and milk Curriculum support to all practitioners Vikki Rowley Pre-School Practitioner
In addition, we have occasional help from: -
Students from Dunstable & Barnfield colleges on long term placements High School Students on work experience
Keypersons
Our key person system gives each practitioner particular responsibility for a small number of children. Each child in the group has one special adult to relate to, which can make settling into the group very much easier. In addition, the key person is in a position to tailor the group’s curriculum to the unique needs of each individual child. The keyworker maintains links with the child’s home setting, working with parents through shared record keeping to ensure that all children are supported in reaching their full potential. The key person list is kept on the planning wall.
Record-keeping
Because so many adults help in the group, we are able to implement an excellent record keeping system in which observations of the children in the group and at home are used as a basis for drawing up a curriculum for each child.
Children’s Personal Profiles
Before a child begins pre-school information is gathered from parents by use of a basic questionnaire. It gives the parent opportunity to tell us about their child. This is placed in their profile. At the end of their first term keyworkers complete a settling in sheet, also observations are made & placed in their profiles. Evidence of developmental achievements are dated on record sheets covering each area of learning (Displayed behind the door). Leavers are provided with a forwarding record that can be passed on to their next setting. Each stage will contain photographs and examples of their work throughout their time
with us.
Training
Our membership with the Pre-school Learning Alliance ensures that we are constantly in touch with new thinking in the field of child education and care. We receive a monthly magazine offering practical advice & up to date information, & have access to a range of publications from the PSLA. We also receive publications from the Children’s Information service including training courses. Parents may ask to see any of these. In addition on-going training is available through PSLA courses, which welcome both practitioners & parents. Informal training is available through local meetings & conferences, and parents will always be informed about these. Training is also offered through LSCB (Luton Safeguarding Children’s Board)
The Role of parents The PSLA recognises parents as the first & most important educators of their young children. Our pre-school aims to support parents. Parents are welcomed: - To work with the children To create a partnership with the pre-school sharing information regarding their child’s interests To attend workshops and parents evenings To represent the pre-school at branch & county activities of the PSLA To attend open meetings of the PSLA To attend training courses, workshops & conferences organised by the PSLA
Educational programme
It is our aim to provide all pre-school children with the basic skills needed to make a successful and smooth transition to their next setting, whether that is nursery, or primary school. We believe that by developing an effective partnership with parents we can help all our children reach their maximum potential. We have a shared reading and a shared learning scheme that will support this programme. Parents will be given more detailed information when their child starts pre-school.
Policies
Some of our policy statements are written in detail in this prospectus, others are listed at the end for your information. You are welcome to look at any policy or procedure at any time. All our policies are designed to offer the best possible experience for the children & families in the group. Our policies are reviewed on a regular basis & comments & suggestions from parents are always welcome. There is a policy booklet on the display stand in the main room for parents to look through at any time.
Special educational needs
We aim to provide equality of opportunity for all members of our group, and this includes children with special educational needs. The number of adults present in the pre-school enables us to provide individual attention for each child. Each child is able to progress at his/her own rate in all areas of development, & this is true for children with or without disabilities or learning difficulties. We are experienced when working in close liaison with professionals across the range of special needs; having regular meetings which involve parents and we operate in accordance with the governments Code of Practice on special educational needs. If you would like to discuss the group’s ability to meet your own child’s needs, please talk to the pre-school leader, your child’s keyworker or our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators; Claire Byrne and Claire Hill (SENCO’s). Our complete special educational needs policy is available for you see at any time.
Management & administration
The group is owned & managed by Mrs Claire Byrne, though the day to day running of the group is in the hands of experienced staff. When Mrs Byrne is not in attendance the deputies shall be Miss Sarah Newland / Miss Claire Hill.
Fees Fees are all £4.00 per hour regardless of age, payable daily/weekly/monthly/half-termly/termly in advance. Fees continue to be payable even if a child is absent through ill health or holidays with the exception of hospitalisation. In cases of prolonged absence, parents should consult the management about fee payment. Each child’s attendance at the group is conditional upon continued payment of any necessary fees. Cheques to be made payable to :- St Paul’s Pre-School Every care is taken to ensure that costs are kept realistic & competitive. Continued government funding of 3 & 4 year olds help to keep our fees this way.
At present all children after the term of their 3rd birthday are entitled to funding, they are entitled to 15 hours per week of flexible care and education. They are able to choose how many days they want their child to access and then pay for any extra. If more than 15 hours are required then the wraparound charge is £4.00 per hour for any time used outside the 15hours. We aim to be as flexible as possible when offering places to funded children.
Terms & conditions
Registration Once your child’s name has been placed on our waiting list we will contact you by phone once a place becomes available. You are welcome to contact us at any time to find out where you child’s name is on the list. 01582 723818 Please keep us informed of any change of address, telephone number etc. or if you no longer require the place. Once a place is available you will be invited to come for some visits, have an
induction to learn more about us and our ethos including our daily routine, a home visit will be discussed All children must be collected by the end of session times please. A charge of £1.00 for every five minutes or part of over that time may be incurred for persistent latecomers.
Admissions policy
It is our intention to make our pre-school genuinely accessible to children and families from all sections of the local community, we will: Arrange our waiting list in order of date of birth If we are approached by a family who have a child who is nearing school age or has a disability then they will be given priority over others on the list. Keep a place vacant, if this is financially viable, in order to accommodate emergency admissions Describe the pre-school and it’s practices in terms which make it clear that it welcomes both fathers and mothers, other relatives and carers, including childminders, and people from all cultural, ethnic, religious and social groups, with or without disabilities Make our Equal opportunities policy well known Be flexible about attendance patterns so as to accommodate the needs of the individual children and families Continue to consult local parents to ensure that the group goes on meeting the changing needs of the community. We aim to promote independence in all areas of the pre-school including the toileting area, any concerns or worries please do not hesitate to speak to one of the practitioners.
Starting Pre-school
A child who is tense or unhappy will not be able to play or learn properly, so it is important for parent’s & pre-school practitioners to work together to help the child to feel confident & secure in the group. This takes longer for some children than others & parents should not feel worried if their child takes a while to settle.
Settling in Pre-school
We want children to feel safe and happy in the absence of their parents, to recognise other adults as a source of authority, help and friendship and to be able to share with their parents afterwards the new learning experiences enjoyed in the Pre-school. We also want parents to feel welcome and involved from the beginning. When a child starts Pre-school for the first time they may be apprehensive. This is only to be expected and your child needs to be given time to adjust to their new surroundings. There are many ways of dealing with this. Some children are confident enough to left on their first day, others are not. You are the person who knows your child best. If you feel
you need to stay with your child until they are settled, then you are welcome to stay for as long as you feel it is necessary. Once you are ready to leave your child we ask that you always say ‘Goodbye’ and return before the end of session during this settling in period. Every child is an individual; the practitioners are here to help you with how we can deal with your child needs that are in the best interests of all concerned.
Daily routine
Please ensure all doors are closed behind you every time, the children’s safety is paramount so don’t be polite to the parent behind you they will understand.
Once you enter Pre-school a member of practitioner will mark your child into the register and greet you. Please encourage your child to remove their outdoor clothing; coats, hats etc. and then find a peg to hang them on. When you enter the room you will see a self- registration box, again please encourage him /her to find their name card and post it into the box. Once this has been done please settle him/her at an activity or with a practitioner, remember always to say, ‘Goodbye’. Please be prompt at the end of session, children can get upset if they see others going home and they are not. A full range of activities, are available during the session. Our short- term plan is displayed on the wall just by the door. You are welcome to see our planning books at any time. The children are encouraged to join in all the activities. We encourage them to take care of the equipment they are using and to share with others.
Our Daily Routine is as follows 8.15am – 9.15 am breakfast club cost is £4.00 per hour or £1.00 every 15 minutes breakfast is offered and is free of charge
9.20am-9.30am morning or 12.50pm – 1.00pm afternoon session This is a small group time when the children go with a practitioner to think about our learning theme of the week. This group time is linked to maths or literacy, a time to think about numbers and letters working together through songs and rhyme.
9.30 am – 10.15 am morning Child initiated (free play) Time or 1.00pm – 1.45pm afternoon session This is a time for all the children to enjoy the space that they are in accessing the area that they want to whether this is inside or in the garden. Practitioners will be deployed to observe the children at their play. Both areas will have a selection of activities for the children to freely access these will include; painting, puzzles playdough, cornflour, bats and balls, digging patch, wheeled vehicles, role- play in the home corner and a tent in the garden, construction materials such as duplo and small world figures and animals with homes or farm etc. While practitioners are observing they will find out the children’s interests and log them down, this will aid our adult directed activities making them relevant and inclusive to the children who currently attend the setting.
10.15am the bell is rang to say 5 more minutes before tidying up time or 1.40 pm
We do this so that the children realise free play time is coming to an end. If we just pack away without warning the children may be bewildered because they are having such a fun game or halfway through a picture, so it allows them finishing time. 10.20am Tidy up Time or 1.45 pm afternoon session All children will be encouraged to tidy up what they are using at the time. This will be through lots of positive reinforcement. 10.30 am or 1.45pm Snack Time A lovely social time; we may sit in our key person groups or have a picnic either inside or the garden. Some sessions we also have a snack bar which run during free play. 10.30am Story Time/ Small group Music/ Rhyme Time 2.00pm afternoon session We recognise that children have to sit for periods of time when they start school so we encourage this at this time. We have worked hard adapting this time using different resources not just books; puppets, makaton sign language, story sacks to make it enjoyable for the children so that they want to listen or join in. 10.50 am Key Worker Time 2.20pm afternoon session This is when we get into our keyperson groups for an activity which is adult led; this has an outcome which is linked to the Early Learning Goals and stems from the children’s interests. 11.00am or 2.30pm afternoon session This time again will involve free playtime. During this time there will be activities for the children inside and out if they wish to go between the 2 environments. 11.30 am Now it’s time to get ready for lunch to go to the toilet, wash our hands and lay the tables ready to eat our healthy lunches together. Going home time is 12.15pm. 12.15pm Afternoon children arrive with their lunches; they wash their hands and have their lunch before going off to access free play. 3.15pm Time to go home or to stay for after school club until 4pm.
Throughout the day water will be available at any time for the children to access themselves. Snacks and milk will be available at a designated snack time. We take pride in promoting healthy eating and our snacks reflect this they are always healthy consisting of fruit and vegetables; apples, bananas, oranges, cucumber, carrots, pears. There is always bread on offer to this could be either naan, pitta, wholemeal, crackers or breadsticks etc. We gratefully receive any donations of fruit, vegetables or bread from any parent. We are however, a cake free zone with zero tolerance. All cake will be sent home.
Spontaneity While the daily routine is structured and may sound rather rigid, we would like to assure you that we value spontaneous activities and findings. If a child finds an insect in the garden it will be wonderful to give the children magnifying glasses to count the creatures legs and look for its eyes. The learning outcomes are enormous!
What to wear
In order to feel free to explore & experiment with all kinds of materials, including messy ones (e.g. the digging patch / mud kitchen) it is best to send children dressed in clothes, which are easily washable or not too new. Please ensure all outdoor and removable clothing is named. It is good for children to practice the skills, which will make them independent. Simple clothing, which they can handle themselves, will enable them to go to the toilet when they want to & to put on & take of their outdoor clothes without being too dependent on other people’s help.
Parental involvement
Parents are the first educators of their young children. The aim of our group is to support parents in their essential role. We will; Involve parents in shared record keeping about their own child, ensuring access to all written records at all time Ensure that parents are given information on a regular basis about their child’s progress and have an opportunity to discuss it with practitioners. Ensure that all parents have opportunities to share their own skills, knowledge and interests, which enables them to take part in the life of the pre-school. Ensure that all new parents are aware of and can contribute to the groups systems and policies, e.g.; Password system, names in coats, reading schemes etc. To welcome all contributions whatever form they may take. Ensure all parents are kept informed of activities and events etc of the pre-school via newsletters, notice board and daily communication between staff and parents. This will be in a way that is suitable to the parents; different languages, key worker sharing the newsletter with parents Make known to all parents the systems for registering queries, complaints or suggestions Provide opportunities for parents to learn about the Pre-school curriculum and about young children’s learning, in pre-school and at home. Hold regular parents morning / afternoons / evenings so that practitioners and parents can discuss the children’s progress, see how our pre-school operates and see their children at play.
Policies and procedures
Our Pre-school has the following policies and procedures in operation. You are invited to see them at any time, just ask a member of staff. Admissions policy. Behaviour management, policy and practice Safeguarding including Child protection – policies and procedures. Child collection procedure. Procedures for when a child leaves the group unattended. Confidentiality policy Staffing and employment Equal opportunities policy.
Health and safety policy. Health and hygiene. Major or minor accidents. Parental involvement Record keeping Settling in Pre-school Special needs Staff, student and volunteer induction and in-service training Student placement Complaints procedure (A copy of this is displayed on the notice board)
Sickness, accidents and incidents If your child becomes unwell at pre-school we will contact you on your home number or on the emergency number specified on the registration form, for these reasons please ensure we are notified of any change of mobile/contact numbers immediately.
We are constantly monitoring all of the children’s activities, but accidents do happen. The needs of the child involved will be attended to and the accident recorded in our accident book. When you collect your child we will inform you of what happened and ask you to sign your child’s accident sheet, this records that you have been informed. If a child has an accident away from the setting, please inform us because our procedure is to log these events also. It may help us to realise there is an underlying problem if all the accidents are similar; perhaps a child keeps bumping into things, it may lead us to think that an eye test would be a good idea. If a child is absent due to sickness or diarrhoea we ask that they do not return to the setting until 48 hours after their last bout.
Birthdays When it is your child’s birthday we like to celebrate it with them at pre-school. We have a birthday hat for him / her to wear while the other children and practitioners sing happy birthday. We encourage healthy eating and so would ask that instead of sending in a cake or sweets you send in fruit for the other children if you want to however this is by no means compulsory.
Equal Opportunities policy
Everyone involved in the running of our pre-school is committed to caring for the children without discrimination, and we want everyone to feel welcome. We do not expect, nor do we accept, discrimination based on culture, creed, class, gender, sexuality, disability or age. It is our policy to deal positively with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour or comments, whether this involves staff, parents, children or others by encouraging both tolerance and acceptance of any perceived differences.
Health and Safety policy 1 Our policy is to provide an environment for all children, parents and visitors that is healthy and safe. We promote and apply good practice and methods of work, e.g.: high door handles,
double door handles, no child is left alone with an adult that does not have DBS clearance, toys and equipment are regularly checked for wear and tear, smoke free premises etc. We have a daily risk assessment that is carried out daily by all the practitioners this is kept on the planning wall, we carry it out collectively as a team.
Behaviour management
Children are not smacked, slapped or shaken. They are told what they are allowed to do, e.g.: “have happy walking feet”. They are encouraged to share and take turns. Any child who is physically aggressive is taken away from that situation and sat with an adult who will explain that we do not allow that kind of behaviour in pre-school. In any case of undesirable behaviour, it is made clear to the child that it is the behaviour, which is unacceptable, not the child.
OFSTED Inspection – May 2014
A copy of our full inspection report is available for you to see at any time.
Safeguarding The welfare of every child is paramount and all children will be treated equally if there is a safeguarding issue regardless of gender, ability, culture or ethnicity. It is every ones duty to safeguard children if you have a worry or concern regarding a child, then you can be assured confidentiality when speaking to the safeguarding officers. Please see our whistle blowing procedure on the wall should you have any worries or concerns regarding the practice of any practitioner employed or voluntary
Child ProtectionTeam
Our Pre-school will seek the support and assistance of the Child Protection Team should the need arise. Every child has the right to be protected and it is everyone’s responsibility to protect children. Your child will be spending time at a registered Pre-school, we are part of a multi agency service and work with other professionals.
Should the need arise we will share information with these professionals if the health and well-being of a child is at risk.
We hope that your child’s time in pre-school will be a very happy and productive one. If you have any queries, concerns or worries, please contact the pre-school leader, your child’s keyworker or any practitioner at any time.
Thank you for taking the time to read our Prospectus, we hope it will prove helpful. With our best intentions at all times.
From all the practitioners at St Paul’s Pre-school
For further information about the Pre-school Learning Alliance, to which we belong, send a large SAE for a free publications catalogue to the: - Pre-school Learning Alliance, The Fitzpatrick Building, 188 York Way, London, N7 9AD. Tel 020 7697 2500
St Paul’s Pre-school Prospectus