Prospectus We hope you and our child enjoy your time with us in our happy, friendly and stimulating environment, which will enable your child to develop his/her educational skills while having fun!! The playschool has been open since 19th November 1969 and has seen many children come and go onto reception class willing to learn and enjoy school. The playschool is a registered charity and is run as a partnership of staff, committee members and parents/carers. It is a non-profit making organisation and is also a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance. We are regularly inspected by OFSTED and all staff have been cleared by the Criminal Records Bureau so they are able to look after children under the age of 8 years old.
Facilities We are registered to look after up to 24 children during a session. The premises which we use are solely out responsibility and our equipment is stored on site. These premises are made up of one large room, a separate kitchen, an entrance foyer, one storage cupboard, three children’s toilets, disabled/staff toilet and office. Children are not allowed in the kitchen at any time. We have an outside area that we use regularly, which has a large paved area and a large grass area.
Our setting aims to: § provide high quality care and education for children below statutory school age; § work in partnership with parents to help children to learn and develop; § add to the life and well-being of the local community; and § offer children and their parents a service that promotes equality and values diversity.
Parents Parents are regarded as members of our setting who have full participatory rights. These include a right to be: § valued and respected; § kept informed; § consulted; § involved; § included at all levels.
As a community based, voluntary managed setting, we also depend on the good will of parents and their involvement to keep going. Membership of the setting carries expectations on parents for their support and commitment.
We aim to ensure that each child: § is in a safe and stimulating environment; § is given generous care and attention, because of our ratio of qualified staff to children, as well as volunteer parent helpers; § has the chance to join with other children and adults to live, play, work and learn together; § is helped to take forward her/his learning and development by being helped to build on what she/he already knows and can do; § has a personal key person who makes sure each child makes satisfying progress; § is in a setting that sees parents as partners in helping each child to learn and develop; and § is in a setting in which parents help to shape the service it offers.
Children's development and learning The provision for children's development and learning is guided by The Early Years Foundation Stage . From September 2012 the Early Years Foundation Stage became law and recently revised (www.foundationyears.org.uk) Our provision reflects the seven areas of learning and development which guide professionals' engagement with your child's play and activities as they learn new skills and knowledge. The EYFS Framework explains how and what your child will be learning to support their healthy development. Your child will be learning skills, acquiring knowledge and demonstrating their understanding through 7 AREAS OF LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Children should mostly develop the 3 prime areas first. These are : * personal, social and emotional development; * communication and language; and * Physical development
These prime areas are the most essential for your child's healthy development and future learning. As children grow, the prime areas will help them to develop skills in 4 specific areas. These are: * Literacy * Mathematics * Understanding the world * Expressive arts and design
For each area, the practice guidance sets out the Early Learning Goals. These goals state what it is expected that children will know and be able to do by the end of the reception year of their education.
The practice guidance also sets out in ‘Development Matters’ the likely stages of progress a child makes along their learning journey towards the early learning goals. Our setting has regard to these matters when we assess children and plan for their learning.
Personal, social and emotional development Our programme supports children to develop: § positive approaches to learning and finding out about the world around them; § confidence in themselves and their ability to do things, and valuing their own achievements; § their ability to get on, work and make friendships with other people, both children and adults; § their awareness of, and being able to keep to, the rules which we all need to help us to look after ourselves, other people and our environment; § their ability to dress and undress themselves, and look after their personal hygiene needs; and § their ability to expect to have their ways of doing things respected and to respect other people's ways of doing things.
Communication and language Our programme supports children to develop: § conversational skills with one other person, in small groups and in large groups to talk with and listen to others; § their vocabulary by learning the meaning of - and being able to use - new words; § their ability to use words to describe their experiences; § their knowledge of the sounds and letters that make up the words we use; § their ability to listen to, and talk about, stories; § knowledge of how to handle books and that they can be a source of stories and information;
Physical development Our programme supports children to develop: § increasing control over the large movements that they can make with their arms, legs and bodies, so that they can run, jump, hop, skip, roll, climb, balance and lift; § increasing control over the small movements they can make with their arms, wrists and hands, so that they can pick up and use objects, tools and materials; and § their understanding about the importance of, and how to look after, their bodies.
Literacy § knowledge of how the purposes for which we use writing: and making thier own attempts at writing § enjoy rhyming and rhymic activities § use their knowledge of the sounds and letters used around them
Mathematics Our programme supports children to develop: § understanding and ideas about how many, how much, how far and how big; § understanding and ideas about patterns, the shape of objects and parts of objects, and the amount of space taken up by objects; § understanding that numbers help us to answer questions about how many, how much, how far and how big; § understanding and ideas about how to use counting to find out how many; and § early ideas about the result of adding more or taking away from the amount we already have.
understanding the world Our programme supports children to develop: § knowledge about the natural world and how it works; § knowledge about the made world and how it works; § their learning about how to choose, and use, the right tool for a task; § their learning about computers, how to use them and what they can help us to do; § their skills on how to put together ideas about past and present and the links between them; § their learning about their locality and its special features; and § their learning about their own and other cultures.
Expressive arts and design Our programme supports children to develop: § the use of paint, materials, music, dance, words, stories and role-play to express their ideas and feelings; and § their interest in the way that paint, materials, music, dance, words, stories and role-play can be used to express ideas and feelings.
Our approach to learning and development and assessment Learning through play Play helps young children to learn and develop through doing and talking, which research has shown to be the means by which young children learn to think. Our setting uses the practice guidance Early Years Foundation Stage to plan and provide a range of play activities which help children to make progress in each of the areas of learning and development. In some of these activities children decide how they will use the activity and, in others, an adult takes the lead in helping the children to take part in the activity. In all activities information from the practice guidance to the Early Years Foundation Stage has been used to decide what equipment to provide and how to provide it.
Assessment We assess how young children are learning and developing by observing them frequently. We use information that we gain from observations, as well as from photographs of the children, to document their progress and where this may be leading them. We believe that parents know their children best and we ask them to contribute to assessment by sharing information about what their children like to do at home and how they as parents are supporting development.
Two year check From september 2012, all children starting at a setting between the age of two and three years will have an EYfs progress check completed by a practitioner at the setting. parents will be actively involved and asked to complete part of the observation. the check comprises of a short written summary of the child's development in the three prime areas, personal, social and emotional, communication and language and physical development.
We make periodic assessment summaries of children’s achievement based on our ongoing development records. These form part of children’s records of achievement. We undertake these assessment summaries at regular intervals as well as times of transition, such as when a child moves into a different group or when they go on to school.
Records of achievement The setting keeps a record of achievement for each child. Staff and parents working together on their children's records of achievement is one of the ways in which the key person and parents work in partnership. Your child's record of achievement helps us to celebrate together her/his achievements and to work together to provide what your child needs for her/his well-being and to make progress.
Your child's key person will work with you to keep this record. To do this you and she/he will collect information about your child's needs, activities, interests and achievements. This information will enable the key person to identify your child's stage of progress. You and the key person will then decide on how to help your child to move on to the next stage.
Working together for your children In our setting we maintain the ratio of adults to children in the setting that is set through the Welfare Requirements. We also have volunteer parent helpers where possible to complement these ratios. This helps us to: § give time and attention to each child; § talk with the children about their interests and activities; § help children to experience and benefit from the activities we provide; and § allow the children to explore and be adventurous in safety.
Child’s Play Oh! What a busy morning, I’ve been playing with the dough, And, with a little help, upon a card I learned to sew. I helped my friend, ‘Nurse Sarah’ to perform an operation, Then fixed the track together for my train and build a station. I popped inside the Wendy House to make a cup of tea, And stood beside the cooker making lunch for twenty-three! I completed three whole jigsaws and played a new board-game, And had a turn on all the bikes, the slide and climbing frame. I handed round the biscuits at milk and biscuit time, Then listened to a story and sang a nursery rhyme. But now the mornings over and the Mummies are all waiting, I hope my mother doesn’t say “I wish you’d done a painting”.
How parents take part in the setting Our setting recognises parents as the first and most important educators of their children. All of the staff see themselves as partners with parents in providing care and education for their child. There are many ways in which parents take part in making the setting a welcoming and stimulating place for children and parents, such as: § exchanging knowledge about their children's needs, activities, interests and progress with the staff; § helping at sessions of the setting; § sharing their own special interests with the children; § helping to provide, make and look after the equipment and materials used in the children's play activities; § being part of the management of the setting; § taking part in events and informal discussions about the activities and curriculum provided by the setting; § joining in community activities in which the setting takes part; and § building friendships with other parents in the setting.
The parents' rota The setting has a dated rota which parents can sign if they would like to help at a particular session or sessions of the setting. Helping at the session enables parents to see what the day-to-day life of the setting is like and to join in helping the children to get the best out of their activities.
Joining in Joining the rota is not the only means of taking part in the life of the setting. Parents can offer to take part in a session by sharing their own interests and skills with the children. Parents have visited the setting to play the clarinet for the children, show pictures of the local carnival held in their neighbourhood, and show the children their collection of shells.
We welcome parents to drop into the setting to see it at work or to speak with the staff.
Key persons and your child Our setting uses a key person approach. This means that each member of staff has a group of children for whom she/he is particularly responsible. Your child's key person will be the person who works with you to make sure that what we provide is right for your child's particular needs and interests. When your child first starts at the setting, she/he will help your child to settle and throughout your child's time at the setting, she/he will help your child to benefit from the setting's activities.
Learning opportunities for adults As well as gaining qualifications in early years care and education, the setting staff take part in further training to help them to keep up-to-date with thinking about early years care and education.
The setting also keeps itself up-to-date with best practice in early years care and education, as a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, through the Under 5 magazine and publications produced by the Alliance. The current copy of Under Five is available for you to read in the reception area.
The setting's timetable and routines Our setting believes that care and education are equally important in the experience which we offer children. The routines and activities that make up the day in the setting are provided in ways that: § help each child to feel that she/he is a valued member of the setting; § ensure the safety of each child; § help children to gain from the social experience of being part of a group; and § provide children with opportunities to learn and help them to value learning.
The Session We organise our sessions so that the children can choose from, and work at, a range of activities and, in doing so, build up their ability to select and work through a task to its completion. The children are also helped and encouraged to take part in adult-led small and large group activities which introduce them to new experiences and help them to gain new skills, as well as helping them to learn to work with others.
Outdoor activities contribute to children's health, their physical development and their knowledge of the world around them. The children have the opportunity, and are encouraged, to take part in outdoor child-chosen and adult-led activities, as well as those provided in the indoor playroom.
Snacks The setting makes snack time a social event at which children and an adult eat together using a rolling snack system. We plan the menus for snacks so that they provide the children with healthy and nutritious food. A jug of water is always available throughout the session for the children to help themselves. Do tell us about your child's dietary needs and we will make sure that these are met.
Policies Copies of the setting's policies and procedures are available for you to see at the setting. The setting's policies help us to make sure that the service provided by the setting is a high quality one and that being a member of the setting is an enjoyable and beneficial experience for each child and her/his parents. The staff and parents of the setting work together to adopt the policies and they all have the opportunity to take part in the annual review of the policies. This review helps us to make sure that the policies are enabling the setting to provide a quality service for its members and the local community.
Safeguarding children Our setting has a duty under the law to help safeguard children against suspected or actual ‘significant harm’. Our employment practices ensure children against the likelihood of abuse in our settings and we have a procedure for managing complaints or allegations against a member of staff. Our way of working with children and their parents ensures we are aware of any problems that may emerge and can offer support, including referral to appropriate agencies when necessary, to help families in difficulty.
Special Needs As part of the setting's policy to make sure that its provision meets the needs of each individual child, we take account of any special needs a child may have. The setting works to the requirements of the 1993 Education Act and The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (2001). Our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators are: Debbie Namruti & Vicki Foster
The management of our setting A parent management committee - whose members are elected by the parents of the children who attend the setting - manages the setting. The elections take place at our Annual General Meeting. The committee is responsible for: § managing the setting's finances; § employing and managing the staff; § making sure that the setting has, and works to, policies that help it to provide a high quality service; and § making sure that the setting works in partnership with the children's parents.
The Annual General Meeting is held once a year and is open to the parents of all of the children who attend the setting. It is our shared forum for looking back over the previous year's activities and shaping the coming year's plan. We would like to point out that without a fully committed committee the playschool will be unable to run.
Fees The fees are £9.60 per session and are payable each half term in advance. If paying in one go is a problem, please see a member of staff so a more flexible way can be arranged. The fees are collected in the first 2 weeks of the start of the new term. Fees must still be paid if children are absent without notice for a short period of time.
For your child to keep her/his place at the setting, you must pay the fees. We are in receipt of nursery education funding for three and four year olds; where funding is not received, then fees apply.
Registration Fee A £20 registration fee is required when putting your child’s name on our waiting list, this fee includes a playschool logo t-shirt, book bag, communication book and to cover any administration costs. Your child will automatically be allocated a place when it becomes available.
Lunch club (optional) A lunch club is available from 12 noon to 12.30pm each day. There is an additional cost of £2.00 for this service. You will need to provide a packed lunch and a drink in a NAMED lunch box.
Absence If your child is going to be absent due to a holiday/outing etc please could you let a member of staff know so we can mark this in our records. If your child is not well and will not be attending playschool please could we ask that you call the setting between the hours of 8.45am to 9.30am.
Notification of Leaving Four weeks written notice is required if your child is leaving. We regret that fees will be charged to cover our planned expenses if less than four weeks notice is given.
Starting at our setting The first days....... We want your child to feel happy and safe with us. To make sure that this is the case, the staff will work with you to decide on how to help your child to settle into the setting. The setting has a policy about helping children to settle into the setting.
Clothing We provide protective clothing for the children when they play with messy activities. We encourage children to gain the skills that help them to be independent and look after themselves. These include taking themselves to the toilet and taking off, and putting on, outdoor clothes. Clothing that is easy for them to manage will help them to do this.
Book Bag/Communication Book When your child starts the setting they will be given a named Book Bag which contains a Communication Book for you to write any comments or questions you would like answering. In the bag your child will choose a book from our library and all we ask is that when you have read the book to make a few comments so that we can change it for you! Please make sure your child brings their book bag to every session as we will update you with what your has been doing that day!
Toys Your child is very welcome to bring in one toy to playschool, related to the theme of the week to place on the ‘Display’ table. We must ask that it is clearly labelled with the child’s name on it as it may get lost among the playschool toys. Barney the bear is available for children to take home for a few days and return with a written diary of what he has been up to!!
We hope that you and your child enjoy being members of our setting and that you both find taking part in our activities interesting and stimulating. The staff are always ready and willing to talk with you about your ideas, views or questions.