2015/2016
CONTENTS PAGE
2.CONTENTS
3.ADDRESS
STAFF
HOURS
4.NURSERY AIMS
5.BENEFITS TO YOUR CHILD
MAKING FRIENDS
DEVELOPING SKILLS
ACCESS TO THE OUTDOORS
STAYING HEALTHY
6.NURSERY PLACEMENTS
ENROLMENTS
ADMISSIONS
ATTENDANCE
7.ARRIVAL AND COLLECTION OF CHILDREN
CHILD PROTECTION
DISCLOSURE CHECKS
PHOTOGRAPHY
8.EMERGENCY CONTACTS
EMERGENCY CLOSURE (CONT)
NEWSLETTERS
TRANSPORT
9.CAR PARKING
OUTINGS
PERSONAL ITEMS
PROMOTION OF HEALTHY EATING
NUT ALLERGIES
BIRTHDAYS
NO SMOKING POLICY
10.RECORD KEEPING
GIRFEC
MEDICAL INFORMATION
11.CURRICULUM FOR EXCELLENCE
12.THE NURSERY DAY
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
13.ASSERTIVE DISCIPLINE
ANTI-BULLYING
PARTNERSHIPS WITH PARENTS
14.FAMILY HOLIDAYS DURING TERM TIME
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
15.SOCIAL CARE AND SOCIAL WORK IMPROVED SCOTLAND (SCSWIS)
SCOTTISH SOCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL
TRANSFER TO PRIMARY SCHOOL
DEFERRED ENTRY TO PRIMARY ONE
16.DATA PROTECTION ACT/DISCLAIMER/IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS
HOLIDAY DATES
AddressCoalburn Nursery Class
Coalburn Primary School
Coalburn Road
Coalburn
Lanarkshire
ML11 0LH
Telephone01555 820221
Fax01555 820819
Staff
Head Teacher Mr William ScottB.S.c.,PGCE, PGCSEBD
Nursery Teacher (Job share) Sheenagh WilliamsonNNEB, Dip Ed
Nursery Teacher (Job share) Jackie WardB.A. PGCE
Team Leader (Job share am) Fiona MooreSVQ 3 Childcare & Education
Team Leader (Job share pm) Patricia MoranHNC Childcare & Education
Early Years WorkerCarol DaviesHNC Childcare EducationSchool Support Asst Alice Goodwin SVQ 2 on Play
Visiting Staff
Isobell Bell (Health Visitor) Named Person
Vicky Scott(Physiotherapist)
Sandra Ferry(Speech & Language Therapist)
Margaret Imray (Additional Support Teacher)
Dr Galloway(Paediatrician)
Tony Gillespie (Education Psychologist)
Coalburn Nursery is often supported by colleagues throughout the Health Board and have students on placements as and when required.
The Nursery class caters for children from 3-5 years.
Nominal roll20/20
Maximum roll30/30with a ratio of 1 adult to 10 children
Nursery hours are:
Morning8.45 – 11.55am
Afternoon1.00 – 4.10 pm
Nursery Aims
2 / Establishment Aims in Relation to Key Areas ofThe Child at the Centre
1.Key performance outcomes
To enable all learners to attain their full potential: to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. To ensure that the nursery community has a clear vision and an effective plan to achieve this. To ensure that the establishment meets all statutory duties and makes best value use of all possible resources, including the local community.
2.Impact on learners/Impact on children
To enable the whole nursery community to be fully involved in quality learning, be aware of their strengths and needs and to have opportunity to express their views on all aspects of nursery life.
3.Impact on staff
To ensure that all staff are involved in, and committed to, the whole life of the nursery, participating in all aspects of planning and evaluation of the work of the nursery.
4. Impact on the community
To ensure that Coalburn Nursery is truly at the heart of the community and that all members of the community have opportunity to work in partnership with the nursery. To ensure that the nursery shares effectively with the community and uses the community as a valued resource to enhance learning in the nursery. To ensure that the nursery challenges all learners and continues to develop quality experiences and outcomes for the benefit of all learners.
5.Delivery of education/Provision of early education
To develop a stimulating and enjoyable curriculum that challenges all learners, using high quality teaching, including ICT. To ensure that all barriers to learning will be challenged and all learners given necessary supports. To ensure that all participants will be fully involved in planning and assessment, including the setting of targets. To ensure that all learners will be fully challenged with every opportunity to celebrate success. To ensure that the nursery promotes fairness and equality and values diversity and its contribution to the nursery community. To ensure that the nursery reflects on all aspects of nursery life and constantly seeks ways to improve.
6.Policy development and planning
To ensure that nursery policies are concise, pro-active and living documents that have a positive impact on the life of the nursery, setting unambiguous directions and showing clear benefits. To ensure that all members of the nursery community are consulted and involved.
7.Management and support of staff
To ensure that all learners benefit from a well trained, committed and responsive staff working effectively and professionally together.
- Partnership and resources/Resources
- Leadership
Nursery Policy Statement
A folder containing all Nursery policies and procedures is available in the Reception Area. Parents are invited to review any documents in this folder.
Benefits to your child
We understand it can be difficult to leave your child for the first time at nursery. Coalburn nursery has a settling in policy which enables each child to settle in at their own pace.
Here are some of the aspects that will positively benefit your child.
Making friends
Nursery is a fantastic environment for making friends. At the age of three, children are starting to develop the skills to engage with others around them. Within the nursery we help to support children by creating small social spaces to encourage interaction without feeling pressured to do so.
We have a social snack times in which children can eat along with the other children and gives everyone an opportunity to take part in conversations.
Developing skills
Nursery gives children vital access to a range of activities and resources that will allow them to develop various skills. We provide natural objects in our investigation area that promotes natural curiosity, hand eye co ordination, imagination skills to name but a few.
Access to the outdoors
We ensure your child will have lots of opportunities to explore the outdoors. We have outdoor suits to keep the children nice and dry which leaves them free to jump in muddy puddles. Outdoor learning can offer children so many learning opportunities. It also helps them to learn and care for their environment and the living things within them.
Staying Healthy
In the nursery children will have the access to daily fresh water and milk along with healthy fruit. The children learn about and taste different types of fruit. The children are able to help prepare their own snack. This supports their self help skills and builds on their self confidence and self esteem.
Children also have the opportunity to take part in many health programs and activities such as “Child Smile” (Toothfairy) which helps children learn all about good oral hygiene and will teach children how to brush their teeth. Teeth brushing will be done on a daily basis at nursery.
The nursery is non-denominational. We respect and welcome children and parents from all religions, faiths and beliefs.
All Pre 5 services should reflect the council’s equal opportunities, policies and recognise the rights of both men and women to work with and care for children. The needs of children with disabilities or special illnesses are met. Coalburn Nursery is a Health Promoting Nursery, having achieved the gold award.
Nursery placement
All information provided by parents on the Enrolment, Registration and other forms is transferred securely to the South Lanarkshire Council computer system.
An Admissions Panel meets each year in May or June to allocate nursery places for the whole year.Parents will be informed in June when the child will start the following session; normally in August, January and March. Supplementary meetings are also held in December and February each year.
It is now possible for children who have passed their 3rd birthday to pay for a place until their normal starting date. Parents in receipt of certain benefits may be eligible for support.
Full details from the nursery or Education Resources, Early Years, Almada Street, Hamilton ML3 0AE
Telephone 01698 454545.
Enrolment
In June, once a child has been allocated a place, the parent will be contacted by letter with a starting date and time. Children are allocated either 5 morning or 5 afternoon placement which they are generally expected to keep for their time at nursery.
Parents and child will also be invited to attend an informal play session prior to their start date to become familiar with nursery surroundings, activities and staff.
On the first day a child attends nursery the parent is asked to fill in an enrolment form, and to leave their child with nursery staff for 1 hour. Depending on how each individual child settles, the length of time they stay will gradually be increased until they are comfortable staying for a whole session. This usually takes about a week. Parents are welcome to stay during the settling-in period if this is needed or wished.
Admissions
All nursery places are allocated in line with South Lanarkshire policies.
A copy of this document is available on request, or can be accessed on the SLC website.
Attendance
Children are expected to attend nursery on a regular basis
If a child is not going to attend nursery, parents are asked to call the School and leave a message on the answer machine by 9.15 (for morning children) or by 1.15 (for afternoon children).
If no contact is made then staff will telephone parents’ or carers’ telephone numbers, mobile and landline, then, if necessary, emergency contacts.
If no contact is made nursery staff may notify other agencies, including police and social work, to ensure the safety of a child.
If an absence continues for more than 1 week, parents are asked to update nursery staff on the reasons for the child’s absence.
If a child is absent for 2 weeks or more without prior notice to the nursery staff, a letter may be sent to the parent asking why the child is absent and when they expect to return. If theallocated place is not used regularly without good reason there is a very strong possibility that it will be given to another child on the waiting list at the next admissions panel.
If your child has sickness or diarrhoea you must keep them at home for 48 hours until it has cleared. We ask that if your child has an infectious illness that you let us know as soon as possible.
The nursery follows Lanarkshire Health Board advice when a child has an infectious illness.
Arrival and collection of children
On arrival parents are asked to sign the register and indicate who will collect their child. Parents are asked to keep their child quietly beside them until they are allowed into the playroom. Your child willself register on the smart board. Parents are invited to wait in the reception area until the door is open then come into the nursery to sign your child out. For security reasons, the door is to be answered ONLY by a member of staff. Parents are asked to keep their childwith them at the end of the session and not allow children to run into the playground or car park.
In the interest of security, parents must notify staff if someone different i.e. not known by staff, is to collect a child from nursery.
No one under the age of 16 is permitted to bring a child to or collect a child from nursery.
Parents and carers are asked to inform the staff each day who is expected to collect their child.
Each child has a tray in the Reception Area and parents are invited to collect letters and children’s artwork etc from this tray each day.
Child Protection
All education employees have a professional and contractual obligation to report all allegations or suspicions of child abuse to the head of establishment, who will take the necessary steps. South Lanarkshire Council has clear Child Protection guidelines and all staff are trained in these annually. The Child Protection Co-ordinator is Mr. W. Scott.
Mr Scott has the responsibility to record all concerns and to contact other agencies as necessary.
Throughout all child protection procedures, the welfare of the child is paramount. All staff have a contractual obligation to share any concerns with the Child Protection Co-ordinator or another agency.
Disclosure Checks
All staff, including students, have obtained a PVG Check through the ‘Protecting Vulnerable Groups’ legislation (2011). We encourage parent helpers throughout the year. If you wish to volunteer please speak to a member of staff about application for a PVG form.
Photography
Photographs and videos may be taken by staff or at events by parents and grandparents. Parents are asked to photograph only their own child. Parents will be invited to come forward at the end to take photographs. Parents who do not wish their child to appear on photographs and videos should notify staff in writing that they wish to withdraw their child from the event or activity. Please do not put pictures on Social Media.
A permission form should be completed annually.
Emergency Contacts
Parents whose children attend nursery are asked where possible to provide names and addresses as well as land-line or mobile numbers of at least two contact persons for use in an emergency should the parent be unavailable for any reason.
It is essential that parents keep the nursery up to date with any changes to this information.
Emergency Closure
The nursery will be open at the times already outlined,but there may be occasions when closure is unavoidable. Establishments may be affected by severe weather, power failure, or fuel shortage. If this happens we will do all we can to let you know about details of closure and re-opening.
Later Opening
Snowy weather often strikes just as staff, parents and children are setting off for school in the morning. It may prove possible to open the school and nursery at, say, 10 am – this will allow staff and children extra time to reach the school, hopefully when conditions have improved – the council are also more efficient at clearing roads and pavements.
It is appreciated that this may not suit all parents’ especially working parents, and that some children who are cared for by grandparents or friends, or who live outside the village etc, still may not be able to attend. A 10 am opening will only be decided upon if the conditions are improving and the weather forecast for later that day is favourable. Even then, parents must be aware that it still may be necessary to close the school during the day and that arrangements must still have been made to collect children. It is strongly advised that children arrive at 10 am – not before, as staff may also be timing their arrival at 10 am. No child will be sent home without an adult to accompany them. Parents may wish to arrange for other adults to collect their child – but it is important to notify the nursery of this arrangement.
Messages will be sent by text, email and, if necessary, by telephone to parents as early as possible. It is essential that all parents give any new phone numbers (mobile, home and emergency contacts to the school immediately, and parents ensure that mobile phones are switched on, with a good charge and signal, in the event of any inclement weather.
Information on school closures is also available on the South Lanarkshire Council website, Twitter and on local radio stations.
The health and safety of all children, parents and staff is paramount and a large number of factors will be considered when it is safe to open, or close, the school.
The car park may be inaccessible and willnot be cleared.
Newsletters
Newsletters will be issued each month.
Transport
The local authority does not normally provide transport for children attending nursery class.
Car Parking
There is a large car park, accessed from Coalburn Road. Please be aware that the carpark is used by the whole school and is very busy at peak times. The disabled bay should be clear at all times and only used if you hold a blue badge.
Outings
Prior to an outing or excursion being planned parents will be notified. You will be asked to complete a consent form, which gives your permission for your child to participate. Please note that children cannot take part in an excursion or outing unless a completed consent form has been submitted by the parent/guardian.
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