Eglinton
Welcome to our Nursery
We understand that for many parents and carers this will be the first time that your child has left you. You may feel anxious and need to have many questions answered. The following information is intended to provide reassurance, answer frequently asked questions and share information about how we work.
You are your child’s first teacher and you know your child better than anyone. We aim to work in partnership with you, and together we can extend and develop the learning that your child brings from home. Our partnership will ensure that your child’s time in Nursery will be a successful start to your child’s educational experience.
The aim of our Nursery is to provide a caring and lively atmosphere where you and your child feels welcome. The Nursery aims to reflect the rich variety of cultures within our school, and to value everyone, giving each other the chance to fully develop.
We hope that you and your child enjoy working with us in the Nursery.
Times of Sessions
Mornings: 8.45am – 11.45pm
Afternoons: 12.45pm – 3.45pm
30 Hours Sessions
8.45am – 3.45pm
(1-hour lunch provision will be charged on a daily basis @ £6.46. School meals are charged separately @ £2.65 per meal)
Ensuring that your child arrives to Nursery on time, when the session begins, will ensure that your child has a calm and purposeful start to the session. There is a range of activities on offer for your child, once they have said goodbye to you upon entering the setting. Research suggests good practices around attendance and punctuality have a positive impact on children’s educational experiences.
Why an All About Me meeting?
In order for your child to feel welcome and secure at school, you and your child will be invited to an ‘All About Me’ meeting in school prior to starting Nursery. This will provide your child with a familiar contact who will be available to offer regular reassurance to your child during their settling in period. During the meeting there will be the opportunity for you to share information with your child’s nursery teacher and practitioner with regards to their prior learning and experiences and also to ask any questions that you may have prior to your child’s first day. The more we work together, the happier your child will be and the more progress they will make with their learning.
Settling-In
Young children need time to build relationships with staff and other children. Even if they have attended other settlings such as playgroup or a child-minder, settling into Eglinton will be a new experience for them. It is important that your child has a gradual settling-in and separation process. Separating is a very individual process for each child and their parent and the staff will work with you to design a settling-in plan to suit your needs.
Please note that we only allow adults aged 18 or above to settle and collect children from Nursery.
Safeguarding and Child Protection
Children need to be brought into Nursery and welcomed by a member of staff each day before saying good-bye to their adult. In order to keep you informed of any accidents or injuries staff will use accident forms as a record and a copy will be given to you should this occur. Similarly, if your child has an accident or injury at home or on the way to school please let a member of staff know so that we can support your child if necessary.
In the event of any concerns around child safety or welfare the school will use the local authority procedures in order to follow up on concerns.
A Session in Nursery
After settling in your child will be confident to say goodbye to you and enter the provision with a big welcome from the nursery team who will be with your child throughout their time with us. Throughout the morning, the children have access to a range of activities that have been carefully planned to inspire the children to learn and explore in all the areas of the curriculum, as well as support the children’s interests. To support children to learn it is important that they have access to high quality resources that are interesting, challenging and exciting. The Nursery is designed and set up in various learning zones, which are resourced to promote curiosity and thinking skills. Inside and outside you will see specifically designed areas, which include: role-play which includes a home area, mud-kitchen, small world, music and dance, writing and mark-making, physical, maths, paint, collage, design and dough.
In the areas the staff work alongside children in order to support and extend their learning through introducing and modelling new vocabulary, by observing their interests and planning activities to further support their learning and through asking questions to promote thinking. Throughout the week children are also given the opportunity to engage in adult-led activities which introduce new skills and learning to the children. There is open access to milk, water and fruit throughout the session and children are taught to understand the importance of making healthy choices around food and exercise. At the end of each session children engage in a story session with their class teacher or practitioner. Through our choice of high quality texts, the children are introduced to new vocabulary and ideas, which support and extend their learning.
Parents receive a weekly newsletter which outlines the learning for the week and also provides ideas for how parents could support and extend the children’s learning at home.
Helping Your Child
To help your child make progress it is important for you to take an interest in their work – this begins in Nursery. We know that you will value work that your child brings home as a means of encouragement and support.
Extend your child’s interests and experiences by letting them join in with a range of experiences in the home such as washing, shopping, cooking and cleaning. Through these activities, there will be lots of opportunities for your child to develop their sorting, counting and writing skills along with their speaking and listening. As your child’s first teacher, you have the opportunity to have a positive impact on their achievement and success now and in the future.
It is our intention to make your child’s experience in Nursery happy and rewarding.
Please speak to a member of our friendly team should you have any questions.
