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How do I
Register my Child?
To register a
child with the Pre-School, please complete a registration
form, available from the supervisor. The data on the form is
necessary for the Pre-School to know, but will be kept
confidential and will not be passed on to anyone without
your permission. The group abides by the Data Protection
Act.
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When can my child
start? |
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Children will be accepted at Spire
from the age of 2 years. After you have returned your
registration form you will be sent an acknowledgement and
then, during the term before your child is due to start
pre-school, you will be sent a starting date and an
invitation for you and your child to visit Spire for a
special session.
What if I
change my mind?
If, however your situation changes and you no longer wish
to reserve a place at the pre-school, please let
administration know so that your place can be allocated to
someone else. Also if you intend to take your child out of
Spire at any time, we will require half a terms notice.
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Session Times. |
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The
Pre-School runs five days a week, offering BREAKFAST
/MORNING /LUNCH & AFTERNOON SESSIONS
You can chose a combination of any of the above.
You are requested not to leave your child at the Pre-School
before these starting times and to pick up your child
promptly at the finishing time of each session, as our
insurance only covers us between these times.
Your child can also
bring a packed lunch and join our highly successful
Lunchtime Sessions, which run from 12.00pm- 1.00pm each day,
there is no need to book.
Lunchtime Sessions are very popular with the children, our
Lunch Club is a great social event, no need to book, just
turn up on the day. Please name all lunch boxes and place
cool packs in them. No nut products, sweets or fizzy drinks
permitted. "Think Healthy Eating ".
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How should I pay ? |
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Our Fees are payable half termly in advance or weekly by
prior arrangement with the Administrator.
Please see your Supervisor for the current rates.
Each Lunchtime session is payable on the day.
Fees continue to be payable if a child is absent for a short
time. In a case of prolonged absence, parents should consult
the Administrator about fee payment.
These fees are kept to an absolute minimum and cover such
expenses as rent, electricity and staff wages. We are a
totally self-funding and non profit making group and depend
a great deal on fundraising events.
Nursery
Funding?
Because the group is inspected and passed by Ofsted, we
are eligible to receive 3 and 4 year old funding.
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Policies |
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Spire has complete and comprehensive Policy Documents,
please ask your supervisor for a copy.
The Team
Pre-School Committee is
responsible for reviewing both policy and practice of the
group, the employment and appraisal of staff and the day to
day administration of the group. The Committee works in
close association with the Staff.
They work together as a team and there is an overlap of
staff across the week and when cover is needed.
The importance of careful staff liason is recognised.
Our membership of the Pre-School Learning Alliance
ensures that we are constantly in touch with new thinking in
the field of childcare and education. On going training of
staff is encouraged and information concerning new courses
is made readily available to all staff.
Parent Helpers
At Spire we greatly
appreciate parents coming in and lending a hand. The
following information is a guide to help you.
The
daily routine, though flexible, is basically the same
throughout the week;
9.15am Free
Play
10.15
Registration/Circle Time/Snack Time
10.45
Adult lead
activities
11.20
Songs and
Rhymes
11.30
Outside Play
11.50 Story Time
12.00 Home Time
You could;
- Let your child
give you a guided tour.
- Hang up any
finished paintings.
- Look at reading
books with children.
- Help children with
the dough, puzzles, home corner, water play, sand tray
etc
Lend a hand with adult lead activities (Your role will
be explained to you).
- Every day tasks
such as sweeping the floor (sand that has been on the
floor goes in the bin), or washing up (paint lids and
brushes cleaned daily pots are washed only when empty).
- Play simple ball
games or circle games such as Ring-o-ring-a-roses etc.
Please remember that the children are our top priority
and conversations with staff should be kept to a
minimum.
- At Spire we
recognise that parents have many useful skills that
could be shared with the children. If you have a hidden
talent such a splaying a musical instrument or other
hobbies that we could make use of please let us know.
As a Parent helper
there are just a few limits to what you can do;
- You CANNOT take
children to the toilet other than your own.
- It is possible
that you might learn of sensitive information i.e child
behaviour problems, changes in family circumstances etc.
All information should remain confidential.
Members of staff will
be pleased to answer any questions that you may have and of
course you can refuse to do anything that you are not
comfortable with. We hope that the time you spend with us is
enjoyable and that you and your child benefit from the
experience.
Spire Pre-School in partnership with Parents
Parents are the most important people
in a child`s life. They are the child`s first teachers; they
know more about their child than any teacher can ever know
and have watched and cared for their child from the first
day of his or her life.
We know how vital it is that all the
staff maintain personal links with parents. There are many
opportunities for us to both establish and build such a
partnership, for example we will;
- Give you sufficient time and
opportunity for questions.
- Provide your child with a gentle
introduction to pre-school, suggesting that you stay
until your child is happily settled.
- Keep regular written reports of
your child`s activities and progress and share these
with you.
- Lend you books to read at home
with your child.
- Send home children`s paintings
and other work.
- Invite you, where possible, to
come into pre-school to see how your child is
developing.
- Provide invitations to social
events.
- Give you the opportunity to
obtain copies of pictures when the children have been
photographed at pre-school.
- Provide information to you on
health issues, behaviour management and first aid either
through talks, articles or book lists.
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Fundraising |
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Parents automatically become members of the “Friends of
Spire Pre-School”, when their child joins Spire.
All parents are welcome to put forward ideas for
Fundraising and their help is always needed to run the
events.
All events are advertised through the Newsletters and in
the Reception Area.
Am I needed
at Pre-School ?
Research shows that children learn better when their
parents are involved. Our rota system offers all parents in
the group a chance to help out in the group on a regular
basis. It gives you, as the parent the opportunity to take
an active part in the group, to see what happens here and to
talk about it afterwards with your child. In addition, the
rota system provides a valuable opportunity for children to
see their own parent/carer in a new role.
Please ask for one of our Parent Helper information
sheets.
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Healthy Eating Policy |
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The sharing of refreshments can play an important part in
their social life in Pre-School. We give the children a
healthy snack such as cheese, fruit, and biscuits.
Contributions are always gratefully received. Please see the
half termly menu in the Reception Area.
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Clothing |
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In order to feel free to explore and experiment with all
kinds of materials, including messy ones, it is best to send
children dressed in clothes that are easily washable.
No jewellery is permitted at Spire.
We also recommend soft shoes to be worn and simple
clothing which they can handle themselves. This will enable
them to go to the toilet when they want to and to put on and
take off their outdoor clothes without being too dependent
on other peoples help.
Illness
Please DO NOT bring your child to Pre-school if
they are unwell or have a contagious illness.
If your child is to be absent from Spire, please inform
the staff before 9.15am. In the event of illness or accident
at the Pre-school, every effort will be made to contact you
or the other persons on your Registration Form. In an
emergency, Pre-School staff will be authorised to act in
Loco Parentis and you will be contacted at the earliest
opportunity. Please inform the Supervisor if your child is
or has been infectious, so that we may let other parents
know of any localised contagious illnesses.
Keyworkers
Our Keyworker system gives each member of staff
particular responsibility for just a few 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 Keyworker is in a position to tailor the
groups curriculum to the unique needs of each individual
child. The Keyworker maintains links with the child`s home
setting, working with the parents through shared record
keeping to ensure that all children are supported in
reaching their full potential.
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Record Keeping |
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We are able to implement an excellent record keeping
system. We compile observations of the children in the group
situation and seek input from parents regarding their
child`s development at home in order to draw up a curriculum
for each child.
These records are only available for the staff and
parents of each child.
We cover the six areas of learning within our curriculum,
which are;
Personal, Social and Emotional Development,
Communication, Language and Literacy
Mathematical Development, Knowledge and Understanding of
the World,
Physical Development and Creative Development, and a
child`s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is
fostered correctly.
The First
Days
A child who is tense or unhappy will not be able to learn
properly. And it is important for parents and the Pre-school
staff to work together to help the child to feel confident
and secure in the group. This takes longer for some children
than others and parents should not feel worried if their
child takes a while to settle.
The Pre-School Policy on settling in is available for all
parents to read.
If your child is to be collected at the end of the
session by someone other than yourself,
PLEASE INFORM THE SUPERVISOR AND INDICATE ON COLLECTION
SHEET.
Your child will not be handed over to anyone who the
Pre-School does not know, unless you give prior warning.
Also please notify the Pre-School of anyone who is not
allowed to collect your child.
Equipment
We have Home Corner, Gluing Table, Puzzle Tables,
Sand-Pits, Water Play, Painting, Playdough, Drawing,
Chalk Boards, Dressing Up Clothes, IT Suite, Climbing
Frames, Slides and a wide range of Table Top and
Construction Activities, also a large supply of Outside
Toys.
We also encourage the children to play outside in our
dedicated securely fenced outside areas when the weather
permits.
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Library |
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We have a well stocked Library where the children are
encouraged to choose a book at each session and to bring it
back at the next session to change it after sharing with you
at home. We provide a named book bag for each child.
Non–Authorised Collection
If a non authorised person tries to collect your child,
we will try not to let your child leave with this person. If
this person persists in trying to take your child, we will
be forced to contact the Police and Social Services.
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Car Parking |
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Please do not use the
Church Car Park. This causes danger to the children walking
to and from Spire Pre-school. Please use the main town car
park.
Birth Certificates
We need a copy of your childs birth certificate. This
will enable us to register your child for the Early Years
Educational Entitlement. (Grant)
Showing Days
Please name all showing items and clothing. To avoid
disappointment for your child please check on the Notice
Board in reception which weeks are actually "Showing Weeks".
Birthdays
If your child is celebrationg their Birthday, please feel
free to send in special cakes or biscuits (must not contain
nuts) it always makes them feel special when they hand them
around the group.
Breakfast Club
You can bring your child to us anytime between 8/8.30am,
we will provide a healthy breakfast and care, settling them
into their morning session. Plesae pre-book this session
with 24 hours notice.
Wet Weather Play
We endeavour to let the children experience all weather
during our outside play time, therefore we request that you
provide a pair of named wellies for your child. Please leave
them in the basket under the coat pegs.
Other Notes
Please can we ask that when practice writing with your
child that you use lower case letters, this is to mirror
image the way schools teach. Thank you.
Donations of different sized boxes/colourful paper,
cotton reels and interestion items for our glueing table
would be gratefully received.
Please send your child in soft shoes, it saves wear and
tear on the equipment and they are safer in play. Plesae do
not allow your children t wear jewellery during session
time. We feel this is extremely dangerous. |
