How To Run A Pre School

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2 Welcome to Frieth Pre-School! We are based in the village of Frieth using Frieth Village Hall, next door to Frieth CEC Primary School. We are a pre-school, opened in September 2013, for children aged 2-5 years old. We offer a warm, caring and friendly environment for children to play, grow, develop, and prepare them for entry into school. We have a Christian ethos, in line with Frieth School and we offer children a range of learning opportunities and experiences. We take a maximum of 24 children with at least four members of staff. In January 2014 we received a Good grade from Ofsted. We are open 38 weeks per year during school term-time and we are closed on Bank Holidays and Frieth School s inset days. Hours of opening Monday to Wednesday 8:40am till 3:30pm Thursday and Friday 8:40am 12:30pm We do a staggered drop-off in the mornings between 8:30 and 8:40. Parents and Carers are welcome to drop off any time during these 10 minutes, with the session starting at 8:40. We offer mornings, afternoons or all-day sessions. Each session is 3 hours. We have a lunch club every day 11:40am till 12:30pm. Our facilities We use the main hall for indoor play and have a secure bathroom area with changing facilities, a kitchen, and a small secure area outside, on the outer perimeter of the hall for free-flow in warmer weather. Out here, we have our sand and water play and other smaller outdoor activities. Weather permitting, children can come and go inside and out to extend their learning and to enjoy a mixture of activities. In addition, we have a set time for outside play and we use Frieth School fenced playground area. We have lots of outdoor toys and equipment in our own shed on the school s ground that the children use. Our Aims We are committed to the principle that high quality, child-focused, early years education provides each individual child with the best start in life, meets the needs of the individual child and builds a strong foundation for life-long learning. We therefore aim to:

3 Provide a safe and secure learning environment, to enable children to grow and develop at their own pace and within their own interests. Let children be children, having the freedom to explore and enjoy their environment. Add to the life and well-being of the local community. Give each child the opportunities to reach their full potential. Ensure equality of opportunity for all children. Develop a positive and interactive partnership with parents and carers through effective liaison and communication. Equal Opportunites Our pre-school is open to all children and families. We have an Equal Opportunities policy for parents to see at any time. We welcome any child with religious or cultural beliefs, any allergies, English as an additional language, or children with an additional need. We have a named SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co- Ordinator) who liaises with parents on how to best support their child with an additional need. We work with parents to ensure the pre-school meets the individual child s needs. Curriculum Our pre-school is registered with Ofsted and is governed by the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). We have received our first inspection from Ofsted and received a Good grade. We are members of the Pre-School Learning Alliance, which ensures we are in touch with up-to-date information in the field of education and we have the help and support of the Early Years Team at Bucks County Council. Our pre-school reflects the four overarching principles of the EYFS: A Unique Child Every child is a unique child who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured. Positive Relationships Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships. Enabling Envirnoments Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners, parents, and carers. Learning and Development Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision including children with special educational needs and disabilities. How we provide for development and learning Children start to learn about the world around them from the moment they are born. The care and education offered by our pre-school helps children to continue to do this by providing them with interesting activities that are age-appropriate for their stage of development. The 7 Areas of Development and Learning comprise: Prime Areas Personal, Social and Emotional Development Making relationships, Self-Confidence and Self-Awareness, and Managing Feelings and Behaviour Physical Development Moving and Handling, and Health and Self-Care Communication and Language Listening and Attention, Understanding, and Speaking

4 Specific Areas Literacy Reading and Writing Mathematics Numbers, and Shape, Space and Measure Understanding the World People and Communities, the World, and Technology Expressive Arts and Design Exploring and using Media and Materials, and Being Imaginative Characteristics of Effective Learning We understand that all children engage with other people and their environment through the characteristics of effective learning that are described in the Early Years Foundation Stage as: Playing and Exploring Engagement Active Learning Motivation Creating and Thinking Critically Thinking We aim to provide for the characteristic of effective learning by observing how is a child is learning and being clear about what we can do and provide in order to support each child to remain an effective and motivated learner. Learning Through Play Our pre-school uses the Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage guidance to plan and provide a range of play activities, which help children to make progress in each of the areas of learning and development. We plan on a weekly basis, reflecting the children s current needs and interests. Children can access a variety of toys and equipment to enable them to learn through play. Children can use the resources laid out or choose themselves. These are some of the activities we offer: Free play Children can chose the toys they want to play with and ones which are already out in the hall. This may be small world play, construction, role play and dressing up in our Home Corner. Children will love the large mirror on the wall! Painting, Drawing and Messy Play The art easel is out every day for children to use at their leisure. We will have playdough, sticking and cutting and other messy activities, drawing and colouring. As mentioned previously, we will have sand and water play outside. Structured play Adult initiated activities with desirable learning outcomes such as a cooking activity or a craft activity. Group Times Stories, songs or group discussions. Snack Times Every session we provide healthy snacks of fruit and vegetables with the addition of some carbohydrates and sometimes also cheese. These are all offered with a choice of milk or water. Children wash their hands and sit at the table and we sing our thank you song. Independence is encouraged as children cut their own food, using child-safety knives, and they are encouraged to wash up their things afterwards. Water is available for children to help themselves throughout each session. Please let us know if there is any food your child cannot eat and ensure this is written down on your child s registration forms. It is advisable to discuss this with the Supervisors. Drama and Music and Movement Acting out well-known stories and pretend play as a group. Singing, dancing and moving to music, using musical instruments and learning about different types of music and

5 songs. Having a Christian Ethos, we may sometimes sing some Bible songs, including our thank you song we sing at snack time. ICT Children can learn basic computer skills such as mouse control and using the keyboard with educational software, listening to audio books or using electronic toys. Literacy and Maths Maths equipment in our Maths area and opportunities for developing Mark Making are seen throughout the pre-school. Quiet Book Corner Children can look at stories and have a rest on soft furnishings. Children who require a sleep can sleep in this area. Extra-Curricular Activities There are times throughout the year where we do some extra-curricular activities. We have an Easter Egg Hunt at Easter and at Christmas time we have our own Christmas Play where everyone will be invited to come and watch. Every summer we have a Sports Day. Our local Vicar may pay a visit to speak to the children (and sing!), and also our local Police Officer! We will keep you informed of any special activities we may plan. Outings There are times that we take the children for a little nature walk. We may see the cows and horses, splash in some large puddles and go to the woods! If we go out during a particular session, we will put a notice up on the front door to inform you. If we are planning a major outing involving transport, we will give you prior notice and a letter will be sent out. Lunch Club Lunch Club is a great social occasion. Children are asked to bring in a healthy packed lunch from home and eat together at the table. It encourages independence, confidence and social interaction. Parents can book lunch clubs for children doing morning sessions to finish with lunch club, or afternoon sessions to come in earlier for lunch. Children doing all day sessions will automatically stay for lunch. When children arrive in the morning we ask that they place their lunch box on the lunchbox trolley near the door. We encourage parents to pack a healthy lunch. We ask that parents include an ice pack as lunch boxes are kept on a trolley and it is important that the contents remain fresh. Bringing in a drink is optional as we provide water. All lunch boxes and drinks must be clearly labelled. We provide plates, cutlery and cups. Lunch boxes are not to include the following: fizzy drinks; chocolate (including chocolate biscuits or bars); sweets; nuts. We have a no nut policy in our pre-school. If your child has grapes in their lunch, we ask that you cut them in half. When each child has finished their lunch, they are encouraged to ask politely if they can get down to wash their hands, and then they can play.

6 Our Staff Kirstin Chaplin and Donna Watkins are the pre-school Directors and Owners. We are both fully qualified childcarers with over 20 years of experience between them. Kirstin has 2 children of her own. All our staff are professional and are qualified or undertaking qualifications. They ensure a happy and secure environment for the children. All staff undergo national regulatory checks before starting work, have a detailed induction and on-going training. Training includes health and safety, first aid, food hygiene and child development courses. Staff ratios are in line with the regulatory framework: one member of staff to four children for 2-3 year olds and one to eight for 3-5 year olds. Key Person At our pre-school we have a Key Person system. A Key Person is allocated to each child before they start with us. They will be that child s main carer throughout the pre-school day and will be the first point of contact for parents. They aim to develop a close bond with each of their key children and will work with parents in how to best settle their child and any settling-in sessions that are needed. They will be responsible for their key group s Learning Journeys at the pre-school and will discuss any queries or concerns parents have. Children s Learning Journeys Each child has their own Learning Journey at pre-school. This is started with an All About Me sheet and My Starting Points which the Key Person will fill out with the parent(s) before the child starts. The Key Person will talk to parents about the Learning Journey and it is a continued folder throughout the child s time with us. The Learning Journey will contain observations and progressing development, photographs and pieces of children s work. It will contain current developmental milestones and from those bases each child s next steps. This will enable us to ensure that our curriculum plans meet the needs of each individual child. The Learning Journey folder is always available for parents and children to see at any time and there is a page in the Learning Journey for parents to make their comments and contributions about their child s development and interests. To respect confidentiality, we ask that parents only look at their own children s folders and not those of others. Progress Check between 2 and 3 years old Between the ages of two and three years old, the child s Key Person will complete a short written progress check. This is a requirement of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and specifies each child s current development within the three prime learning and development areas of the EYFS: Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Physical Development; and Communication and Language. The aims of this check are to ensure a clear picture of the child s development; enable us to understand the child s needs and plan activities to meet them in the pre-school; note areas where a child is progressing well and identify any areas where progress is less than expected; and describe actions we intend to take to address any developmental concerns. Before we are due to carry this out, the Key Person will talk to the parent and the child about it, gather their views and contributions, and any information that may be helpful for the check.

7 Partnership with Parents We recognise that parents know their children best. They are their child s first and most enduring educators, with in-depth knowledge of their child s development, therefore their views and knowledge of their children are paramount in ensuring that we are able to provide the best possible care. We encourage the continuous sharing of knowledge and information between parents and their Key Person to not only gain a greater picture of the child as a whole, but also help plan together and think through ideas of how to move the child forward. We encourage parents to be involved in their child s pre-school life. We will be sending out newsletters, keeping parents informed of our activities and events, and we will have termly parent s evenings. There will be opportunities for parents to give any feedback to help us evaluate our practice, so if there are any comments or suggestions we would be very happy to hear them. No Smoking and Use of Mobile Phones We have a no smoking policy at the pre-school so we ask that parents would refrain from smoking and also from using your mobile phone on pre-school premises. Working in Partnership with Frieth CEC School We work closely with the school next door, using their playground facility and we are involved in some of their events during the year. We work with the head teacher and reception class teacher in creating a smooth transition between both our settings to help those children moving from our pre-school onto the school. Please note: Although we are next door to the school, your child will not automatically be given a place in their reception class. We are not on the school s admissions policy and like other schools, places are allocated to children in catchment first. Around the term before our children start school, we will be working with the reception class teacher at the school to talk to them about how to best prepare the children for the class. The teacher will come in to the pre-school to meet the children and talk to them about big school. There will be opportunities for our children to go into the class to see the classroom and join in with a class activity like story time. Each child will have a little book with photos, pictures and information in about their new class. This can be taken home during the summer holidays to familiarise them with school before they start in September. Do most of the children go on to attend Frieth School? Around three quarters of our children move on to Frieth School. Other children go to Cadmore End CEC School, Stokenchurch Primary School or Ibstone C of E Infant School. We d be happy to talk to you about these schools if you want more information. Policies and Procedures We have a set of Policies and Procedures we work within. These are: Child Protection Suitable People Staff Qualifications, Training and Support Key Person Staff:Child Ratios Health

8 Managing Behaviour Safety and Suitability of Premises Environment and Equipment Equal Opportunities Information and Records A hard copy of the policies is kept in the entrance hall if parents wish to look at it and we are more than happy to send out specific ones upon request. They will be reviewed every year by the Supervisors and we will let parents know of any changes we may have made. Practical Information Address, telephone number and website Frieth Village Hall, Main Road, Frieth, Henley-On-Thames, RG9 6PR. Tel: Correspondence Please address all correspondence to: 52 Slade Road, Stokenchurch, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP14 3PX. frieth-preschool@outlook.com Registration To apply for a place please contact us for an application form. Once we have received this, we will let you know if a place is available. Admissions are prioritised in birth order. Terms and Conditions Upon offer of a place and nearer to the time your child will be starting, you will receive our terms and conditions which we will ask you to read and sign. This helps to build a fair and trusting relationship between yourselves and us. You will also receive our full registration forms for you to fill in. Fee Structure Our current fees are: 16 per session (3 hours) all day session (this includes Lunch Club) 4.50 Lunch Club We are in receipt of the Early Education Funding (EEF) for 2, 3 and 4 year olds. There are certain criteria that must be met for a child to be eligible to receive the 2 year old funding. To see if you are eligible, go to the website and look under Childcare and Free childcare for two year olds. For 3 and 4 year olds, the funding is for the term after the child turns 3. There are cut off dates for this, which are: 31st March, 31st August and 31st December. EEF will fund 15 hours per week over a minimum of 38 weeks per year, 570 hours in total. This is across a maximum of 2 providers (offering the same model) at any one time. Parents can take these funded hours, 3 hours a day over 5 days of the week (this can be a mixture of mornings or afternoons) or 5 hours a day over 3 days of the week. Lunch Club is not included in the EEF hours and will be charged separately. If your child is eligible, there are forms we will need you to fill out. We are happy to accept Childcare Vouchers in respect of fees. Please speak to the Supervisors if you wish to pay in this way. What do I need to bring for my child? Your child will have a named peg in the entrance hall, for belongings to be kept. We ask that you would bring in the following each session:

9 Named bag containing at least 2 full spare changes of clothes. Any comforter, particularly during your child s settling-in process. Your child s lunch box if they are staying for lunch. Any nappies and baby wipes if your child needs them. All items need to be taken home each day and returned for your child s next session. What does my child need to wear? We have a pre-school uniform for the children and staff. This is available to purchase from the pre-school. Uniform gives children a sense of belonging and unity, and it also helps prepare them for a school environment. Also, parents don t need to worry if they get a bit messy! The uniform comprises of a red polo shirt both with our logo on. We also have red book bags and red drawstring bags both embroidered with our logo. The book bags are very useful for taking home any pictures of work the children have done, borrowing books from our Lending Library or for any parent s letters or notes we may send home. The drawstring bag can be used as your child s pre-school rucksack containing their spare clothes. Please speak to the Supervisors if you wish to purchase any of these and we can give you an order form. We usually have plenty in stock. Children should wear clean comfortable shoes for playing inside and outside. Please make sure they are clean before coming into pre-school. Flip flops are not permitted and please help to encourage your child s independence in dressing by providing them with footwear they can try to take off and put on themselves if needed. We ask that you do not dress your child in his/her best clothing and that they are dressed suitably for the preschool environment. What about wet weather? We go outside in all weathers as it is healthy for the children to have regular fresh air and exercise. Due to this, it is important the children have waterproof clothing. Please provide the following: A waterproof coat (with a hood) every day A pair of welly boots which are to be kept at pre-school for the duration of your child s time with us. These should be labelled with your child s name and brought in on his/her first session. We will inform you if they need to be replaced at any point. We provide waterproof trousers for wet weather. What about the different seasons? Summer Please provide a good sun hat to be kept at pre-school and apply sun cream to your child before they come in. We have pre-school sun cream to apply to children staying all day but they need to have it applied before they come in for their pre-school session. Winter During the colder months children should come in every day with a warm hat, scarf and gloves. All children s belongings, including their uniform, needs to be clearly labelled with their name. Other Information Children will have a named drawer where they can put any pictures or work they may do. Please check your child s drawer regularly.

10 We ask that you do not let your child bring in toys or cuddly toys from home. This is in the event of an item getting lost and also we are teaching the children about the importance of sharing the pre-school toys. This can be difficult when a child brings in their own item from home. We have Show and Tell once per month and there may be a special topic when children will be allowed to bring in a special item from home. We will let you know when these things occur. If your child has a comforter for settling-in purposes or for comfort when they are upset, this is fine to bring in to pre-school. When it is not being used, they will be encouraged to keep it in their drawer or bag. Accidents, Illness and Medication In the case of accidents and children needing to be given medication, we have forms that we ask parents to sign and fill out. If a child is on a medication that has not been given to them before, we advise that parents keep their child at home for the first 24 hours to watch for any reaction to the medicine and to give it time to work. If any child has an allergy requiring medication, parents will need to write this on the registration forms and discuss with the Supervisors as to how we can manage this effectively at pre-school. After diarrhoea, children are to be kept at home for 48 hours or until a formed stool is passed. After sickness, children are to be kept at home for 48 hours after the last time they were sick. Children need to be well enough to attend the pre-school and if a child falls ill during the day, we will contact the parents to come and take them home. When you arrive for your child s session... Parking We ask that you park either in the allocated spaces outside the hall, or along the road. Please do not park directly in front of the hall. It is important for the safety and well-being of the children walking to preschool that there are no cars coming and going in front of the entrance. Also this is where the school bus parks to drop off the school children in the morning and this area must not be blocked. Please encourage your child to hang up their belongings on their peg. You will then need to sign your child in on our register which is kept out in the hallway and write who will be collecting your child at the end of the session. When the play room door is opened, children are to find their name and place it on the welcome board. If they have their lunch box, this goes on the red lunch box trolley. Encourage them to choose something to play with and when they are settled, say goodbye. Tell them they will be picked up later. Some children do cry when they are initially dropped off by their parents, however, the majority of children do settle quite quickly once their parents have left. You can ring us if you are concerned and we would always contact you if your child was not settling quickly. New children will be greeted by their Key Person and they will keep an extra special eye on these children during the settling-in process. Please check the notice board in the hallway in case there are any important notices to read. When you come to collect your child, you will see what they have played with during the session, activities, and snack which are all written on our white board in the entrance hall. If you have any queries don t hesitate to contact us. Frieth Pre-School Team