Timetable and Routines

 

Our Pre-School believes that care and education are equally important in the experience, which we offer children. The routines and activities that make up the session in the Pre-school 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 independently and help them to value learning.

 

Pre-school sessions and opening hours

 

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. We encourage independent learning, by letting children self choose activities they wish to do, and by choosing resources that they need. Children are also encouraged to tidy up once they have finished with something.

 

Our aim is to ensure we provide children with free flow indoor/outdoor activities, contributing to the 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 activities throughout free play sessions whenever possible.  The children also have the opportunity and are encouraged to free flow between the two rooms within Pre-school. The Caterpillar room is for our younger children, whilst our Butterfly room is for children from approximately 36 months to school age, dependent on capacity and your child’s needs.

 

Sessions can be selected in any combination, to suit you and your child’s needs. If your child is in receipt of 2 or 3 year old funding, they will be allocated 15 hours per week. In some cases, working parents may be eligable to up to 30 hours free childcare for three year olds. These too can be taken in any combination and any hours over can be invoiced to you.

 

Breakfast club              7.30 - 9.00        

Morning session            9.00 - 12.00       

Lunch club                   12.00 - 12.30    

Afternoon session         12.30 - 3.30       

 

A Typical Pre-school Day

 

On arrival, children are encouraged to hang up their own coat and bag (provided) on their named hook in the foyer. Children find their name card and then sit with the group on the carpet where registration will begin as soon as all the children are sitting down together. Once all the children are in the setting, the front door will be locked.

 

The children choose from the range of activities on offer including craft resources, sand or water play, constructive play, imaginative play, both inside and outside when possible, with a quiet area available inside.

 

Children are actively encouraged to, independently; choose activities from varied resources available.  All activities cover the areas of learning through our continuous provision, with a focused adult led and small group activity each week which children can partake in; a great chance for learning through play. During our free play session we encourage children to tidy up after themselves, to aid children’s understanding in being independent. Aspects of singing, dancing, music and movement to music, enables the children to be with the staff and their peers in a happy and relaxed atmosphere, will take place spontaneously during session.

 

We operate a “set snack time”, which ensures all children have their snack, within a restricted time frame. The children are encouraged to be independent in washing their hands, but a member of staff will always be available to assist if needed. Snacks are provided each day consisting of one type of carbohydrate and one portion of your child’s 5 a day.  The snack rota is displayed in the foyer on the notice board. Where possible, the fruit or vegetable is left in its entire form so that children can see exactly what they are eating and to encourage questions about their snack. Children have a choice of milk or water.  Drinking water will be provided throughout the session in a named bottle, these have the child’s photo attached to aid recognition.

 

As our setting has free flow indoor and outdoor play available at all times throughout the year regardless of the weather, we ask parents to provide appropriate outdoor wear on all occasions (coat, wellies, sunhat and a named bottle of sun cream for children attending a full day). Children are encouraged to independently put on their coats and any change of shoes that they may have with a practitioner on hand to help as required. Please remember to name all of your child’s belongings.

 

The front door will be unlocked five minutes before the end of the pre-school session, for parent/carers to enter the Foyer (if you pick up at a different time please use the buzzer to alert a member of staff you are here and wish to come in). Once in the foyer this is an opportunity for you to gather your child’s coat and belongings as you will be leaving via the rear door, this method allows us to maintain safety and avoid congestion.  The door to the main room will be opened by a member of staff and a few parents at a time allowed in. When you have entered the room and a member of staff has seen you, your child will be released from the carpet. Although staff are observant, it should not be assumed that they are watching your child. We do not wish to prevent you from being sociable, but if you need to talk to other parents/carers during these periods, please ensure you know where your child is. Staff are available to talk to you at the start and end of each session. However, we must ask that you do not distract staff on the front or back door. It is their responsibility to monitor who enters and leaves the Pre-school.  

 

Clothes and Sun Protection

 

We use paint and glue every day, and although they are made especially for children, some of the paints and glues can stain. We also have regular messy play sessions and although we encourage the children to wear aprons accidents can happen, so please send your child in old clothes so they do not worry too much if they do get paint etc, on their clothes. If you could also provide a change of clothes named in their bag and put on their peg we can change them if need be.  We also ask that you send your child in clothes that they are able to do themselves, i.e. shoes with Velcro, no belts etc. This encourages your child to dress themselves after going to the toilet.  If your child arrives in wellington boots due to bad weather, please ensure that suitable indoor footwear is also available. If you could supply wet weather wear all year round it helps us to ensure that children are suitably dressed for outside play. All clothing should be clearly labelled with your child’s name.

During winter months wellington boots and warm coats are required for outdoor play and during summer months hats are required. Sun cream should be applied at home, but if your child attends a full day you must provide a named bottle of sun cream and a completed permission slip for the staff to apply top ups if necessary in line with our sun protection policy

 

Uniform which carries our logo is available to purchase at www.myclothing.com Please ask a member of staff if you assistance to order.

 

Please provide nappies or ‘pull-ups’ for your child if applicable, along with wet wipes and nappy sacks. Please note, we can only apply nappy cream/ointments if the 'Nappy Cream Permission Slip' has been completed.