General Information
Settling In Procedure
Fees
What Your Child Will Need
Other Information
Useful Websites/Links
Settling In Procedure
Initially a child will be invited to attend two session accompanied by their parent/carer – these sessions are free and are used to allow the child and parent/carer to get to know the key-worker assigned to the child.
The key-worker will explain some of the fundamental policies to the parent/carer and allow them to familiarise themselves with the pre-school.
The aim is that the child will be confident to be left on their own from the 3rd visit onwards.
The pre-school has a notice board which is situated in the foyer directly opposite the stairs. The notice board holds information on the pre-school routine, activities information, snack, term themes, parent rota, name label order forms, policy booklet, certificates etc.
Each session has a rota parent/carer helping – main duties are to prepare the snack and tidy up afterwards. All parents can volunteer to help out on the rota if they want to.
Parents are advised to dress children in clothes that are easy for the child to manage themselves and bear in mind that they may get paint on their clothes.
Children will need to bring a home bag (for paintings etc), a pump bag and pumps – all items should be clearly labelled with child’s name.
Children can attend the pre-school wearing pull-ups, but spares and wipes must be provided.
If a child is ill then they may need to be excluded from the pre-school e.g. 24hrs after sickness, temperature etc. For further details please go to our policies section.
Fees
Fees are as follows: £7.50 per session and £2.00 per lunch club session.
Please note that fees are still payable when your child is ill or you go on holiday as we still have to cover the same costs to keep your place available.
Fees are billed up front for the forthcoming month and will be given to you via the child's home bag. The invoice will give a date by which to pay it in. There is a £10 charge for late payments.
Payment can be made by cheque or cash placed in a clearly marked envelope. Please always check your bill is correct and if you have any queries then speak to a member of staff immediately so it can be resolved quickly. If you have trouble paying fees for whatever reason, then also let us know and we will try to work with you to help. Fees are organised and collected by a parent volunteer who will be doing their best, so please remember this should any problems arise!
What Your Child Needs
A home bag to use for taking home paintings, newsletters etc. These can be a covered cereal box or a bought bag.
A pump bag and pumps. (The children change into their pumps before going into pre-school and the pump bag can be left in the basket at the bottom of the stairs ready for collection at the end of the session).
Clothes that are easy for the child to manage themselves and that are not their best as the children are encouraged to take part in activities that involve paint and glue! T-shirts with the pre-school logo are available to buy.
A sunhat. We request that parents apply sun cream to their child before the session when the weather is very sunny as we do use our outdoor area in fine weather.
If attending lunch club they will need their food in a labelled bag/box with a freezer pack as we are unable to refrigerate any contents.
Other Information
The pre-school notice board is situated in the foyer directly opposite the stairs. The notice board holds information on the pre-school routine, activities information, snack, term themes, parent rota, name label order forms, policy booklet, certificates etc.
Each session has a rota parent/carer helping - main duties are to prepare the snack and tidy up afterwards. All parents can volunteer to help out on the rota if they want to - even if they have a younger child with them. If you are paying fees at the time you can claim £1 off for every rota session you do.
The Pre-school aims to take the children out on trips at least once a term. You will be notified before this happens and may be asked to be a volunteer helper if you are free!
As a charity we do rely on fundraising for any extras - e.g. new equipment, trips, end of year parties etc. If you are willing to help out with any fundraising activities please speak to staff.
As a charity we have to hold an Annual General Meeting, usually in November. Reports are given by the committee on the last year and the new management group is voted in. Their role is a vital one as they oversee strategy, staffing, certain O.F.S.T.E.D and Charity Commission requirements, finance and fundraising. Of course along with this comes some new friends, experience to write on your C.V. and a great way to learn how to help your child at pre-school and enhance their learning. Without this group of people the pre-school would not be able to run, so we are always looking to add to our number!
Useful Websites/Links
www.pre-school.org.uk The Pre-school Learning Alliance - a leading educational charity specialising in the early years.
www.netmums.com Netmums - a unique local network for parents, offering a wealth of information on both a national and local level.
www.ofested.gov.uk The Government's Office For Standards in Education, Children Services and Skills. Click here to view our latest inspection report.
www.surestart.gov.uk Sure Start is the government programme to deliver the best start in life for every child. They bring together early education, childcare, health and family support.
www.charity-commission.gov.uk The Charity Commission - The Regulator for Charities in England and Wales.
www.staffordshire.gov.uk/health/socialservices/childrenandfamilycare Staffordshire County Council's Children and Family Services Webpage including ways to contact the First response team if you have any concerns about a child.
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk The National Health Service website - providing information and advice about health, illness and health services.
www.ncma.org.uk The National Childminding Association for England and Wales