Larklands Nursery Information

Larklands Nursery has a dedicated team of staff whose combined experience provides a wealth of learning opportunities for the children
 

Nursery Teacher: Mrs Stephanie Astle (full time)             

Headteacher: Mrs Helen Smith (covers PPA)
Nursery Teaching Assistants:
Mrs Lesley Williamson (part-time)            Mrs Zoe Johnson (part-time)               Mrs Sam Marshall (full-time)
                                                                                  Miss Sonya Atkin (full-time)

Miss Helen Banks (full time - on Maternity leave)           Mrs Melanie Fisher (full time - on maternity leave)

Each Nursery child is entitled to 15 hours of funded education each week. Most children take this as 5 3 hour sessions, however if you have working commitments and would prefer the hours to be flexible, please talk to Mrs Astle and subject to us being able to provide an uninterrupted curriculum, we will do our best to meet your needs.

The Nursery opens at 8.30 and closes at 3.15pm. If your child is in Nursery over lunchtime then a lunch is provided at a cost of £1.90. Please enquire at the main school office if you think you are eligible for free school meals.

Your child can attend Nursery in the Term after they turn 3 and they will go up to Reception in the September of the year they turn 5.

A good routine contributes to a child’s security, our routine reflects an atmosphere where our children know what to expect and what is expected of them.

Depending of the hours your child will attend, a typical session in the nursery will include:

•         Self registration and a hello to everyone

•         Play - Child initiated/focus activities (indoor and outdoor)

•         Group time (stories/rhymes/songs/physical activities/phonics)

•         Continued play

•         Tidy up time

We would prefer your child to be toilet trained upon entry into Nursery and if your child has any special needs please discuss this with Mrs Astle.

At Larklands, parents/carers need to be aware that your child’s safety and wellbeing to paramount to us and we are required to take reasonable action to ensure the safety of our pupils. If we have any reason to be concerned about a child’s welfare, our Headteacher is obliged to follow Child Protection procedures and inform the relevant services.

Larklands is commited to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All staff are CRB checked.

Parent helpers are welcomed at Larklands Nursery and valued for their range of skills. To ensure that safety procedures are followed, all helpers are police checked.  Let Mrs Astle know if you are able to help in Nursery.
 

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a framework which supports your child’s learning and development from birth to five years. The framework is based on four important principles.

A Unique Child Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.

Positive Relationships Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person.

Enabling Environments The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning.

Learning and Development Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates and all areas of learning and development are equally important and interconnected.
The old EYFS Framework was reviewed and updated and we began implementing the new framwork in September 2012. It has a number of changes including different areas of learning, more specific early learning goals and clearer guidance regarding the balance of adult led and child led activities.

Play is vital for children. It is through play that young children learn, grow, gain confidence and have fun. The EYFS helps us to provide appropriate play experiences to enable children to develop in all areas. It enables us to recognise children’s strengths and areas they may need more support to develop new skills. The activities we provide for children will prepare them to progress with confidence and underpin their skills through 3 prime areas and 4 specific areas. The prime areas cover the knowledge and skills which are the foundations for children's school readiness and future progress and which are applies and reinforced by the specific areas.

The three prime areas are:

• Communication and Language
• Physical Development
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Expressive Arts and Design
• Understanding the World

Each individual child will learn through high quality play that is tailored to their individual needs.

We operate a key person system; this ensures that there is a named person who will work closely with you and your child.

A key person is:-

•         a named member of staff who has more contact than others with your

•         child

•         someone to build a relationship with you and your child

•         someone who helps your child become familiar with our nursery setting

•         someone who meets your child’s individual needs and care needs

•         someone who responds sensitively to your child’s feelings, ideas and

•         behaviour

•         the person who acts as a point of contact with you.

The key person system enables your child to experience consistent interactions

and expectations. This kind of experience is important for children moving between

the world of home and school where the environment and routine may be different.

Children do best when parents and professionals work together. You know more

about your child than anyone else. We actively encourage you to share experiences or raise any concerns you may have with your key person or any other member of staff.

Understanding what your child is doing when they are with us will help you notice

how well they are developing and learning. Nursery practitioners meet on a weekly basis to discuss children’s interests and areas for development incorporating this into the plan of activities.

At Larklands Nursery we assess our children through observations of consistent and independent behaviour, predominantly children's self-initiated activities but also adult led and focussed activities. Our judgements will be used to create the EYFS Profile. This is a way of summing up each child's development and learning achievements at the end of the EYFS. It is based on practitioners' ongoing observation and assessments in all areas of Learning and Development. We use Classroom monitor which is an online assessment and recording tool which allows us to map your child’s development across the Foundation Stage and then on through Key Stage 1 at Larklands. The Nursery Teacher holds parent meetings in the Autumn and Spring term and provides a written report in the Summer Term.
 

At Larklands, if pupil numbers allow, we enjoy opening up our Nursery each term for a couple of hours to families who attend and also for perspective families to come and look around and see what kind of activities we do. This is a chance for parents/carers to chat informally to your child’s key worker and get up to date with your child’s development. It is also a chance for your child to show off their Nursery to extended family who don’t often get to see what goes on at Larklands. During visiting hours, refreshments and other fund raising activities eg. Tombola, will be available to raise funds for new resources and materials. 

The external doors to our Nursery are locked throughout the day and access is only available by a member of staff opening the door. The outdoor area is secure within school hours. For Fire and Safety reasons when visiting during school hours, please sign the Visitors Book. 
 

Larklands Nursery will not discriminate against any child on the grounds of race, gender, disability or religious belief and will take positive action to ensure as far as possible the needs of all children are met.


 

Head lice

It is vital that you read the head lice leaflet in the other information area of our school's website about treating head lice. Please check your child’s hair frequently, you will find a head lice comb makes this easier and is essential if they need treatment- they are available at the main school office for 80p.

Please ask one of us if you need any advice about the problem.

Medicines

We are not allowed to administer any medication other than asthma treatment. If your child suffers with asthma please can you bring in a spare inhaler and spacer if used for us to keep. We are required to have consent forms giving asthma relief but these only take you a few minutes to complete. Please inform us if your child is on any medication.

Arriving at Nursery

When you arrive at Nursery please expect your child to hang up their own coat and please stress that it is important to stick to the same peg! Occasionally there may be another child using the peg, this will not be every day, all part of learning to share!

Please will you inform us if anyone other than the usual person is collecting your child. We will not let them leave with anyone else unless you have authorised this.

Please do not bring prams and pushchairs inside the Nursery, there is not room!

We would ask you to remember that the school grounds are a no smoking zone, please do not smoke outside the doors when you are waiting to bring and collect your child. Please will you use the pedestrian entrance to school; children should not be in the car park area. No dogs are allowed on the school premises.

Illnesses and Holidays

Children can only learn what we prepare for them when they are here; our aim is for every child to make full attendance. Occasionally they will have an illness like chicken pox or sickness when they will need a few days rest to recover but please don’t keep them at home for minor ailments like coughs and colds -or some children will never be here! Please can send us a telephone message if your child is ill and going to be absent.

However, if your child has sickness or diarrhoea please keep him at home until he is eating, drinking and sleeping normally to prevent this spreading through the class. This must be at least 48 hours from the last episode.

Please do not book holidays in term time, children can miss a lot of work if they have a two week break, they are often very tired for a few days after their return and have effectively missed half a terms work!

Jewellery

For safety and security reasons, the School Governors have stated that no jewellery should be worn. If your child already has pierced ears, studs are the only earrings that should be worn in the Nursery however they will need to be removed or covered for PE in school.

Uniform

Children attending the Nursery wear the same uniform as the children up in school. Jumpers, cardigans, fleeces, hats and coats are all available from the school office. Please will you ensure that all items of clothing that are likely to be taken off, in the Nursery including jumpers and cardigans as well as coats, hats, scarves etc are clearly labelled with your child’s name.

All coats, cardigans and sweatshirts should have a loop so your child can hang them on their peg.

Nursery equipment

Children do sometimes bring small items of school equipment home in their pockets, this is usually because they have been carrying them around and have forgotten! If this does happen, please can you return them, otherwise we would very quickly run put of resources!

Can you also check that your children do not bring any toys from home into school, there is a danger they will get lost or broken.

Please do not hesitate to ask a member of staff if you have any queries or worries.