The MulberryBushPre-school

@HowardPrimary School

Dering Place

South Croydon

CR0 1DT

020 8688 7233

Ofsted registration number EY291996

Insurance Number Sun Alliance RTT209838
Charity Number 1084590

Information Booklet

Qualifications
Manager / Jean Loh / Early years teacher
B.Ed (Honours)
Early Years Professional Status
Deputy Manager / Susan Staples-Attah / NNEB
Montessori Nursery Teaching Diploma
SENCO / Beccy Bloomfield / NVQ Level 3 Early Years Care and Education
After school supervisor / Jade Cobley / DCE level 3 in childcare and education

The Mulberry Bush is an independent charitable pre-school, sited in the grounds of HowardPrimary School.

Our group is part of the Pre-school Learning Alliance. We are registered with Ofsted and accommodate up to 32 children. We take children from 2-4 years during our normal daily sessions (i.e. 8.00 am–6.00 pm) and offer wrap around care for primary school age children from Howard school. We accept children from the age of 2 even if they are not toilet trained.

As we are Ofsted registered and inspected we can offer funded nursery places to 3 and 4 year olds who fit the current criteria.

Our staff have relevant childcare qualifications and/or experience. This varies from recently qualified staff, to members with over 25 years experience. This provides the pre-school with a staff base having both experience and youthful enthusiasm.

The pre-school will be closed for three in-service training days (dates to be advised) per academic year; these and any bank holidays that fall in term time have to be paid for.

The Mulberry Bush’s aim is to help parents to form a balanced, confident and sociable child, well able to independently want to learn and explore.

Fees

Fees for each half term are payable in the first week unless a prior arrangement has been made. Please pay by cash,bank transfer (Jean has forms)or cheque made payable to:

‘The Mulberry Bush Coulsdon Ltd’.

Should you wish to remove your child from the group, or reduce their number of sessions, four weeks’ notice is required in writing otherwise four weeks’ fees will be charged. Fees are payable in advance and are still due if a child is absent either from illness or being on holiday. Sessions that fall on training days or bank holidays during term time have to be paid for. In the event of closure due to an Emergency situation (severe weather/water loss/heating breakdown or electrical failure) fees will remain payable for one day. Thereafter fees will be refunded on the next term’s invoice.

Funding

All children who are funded will receive their funding following their 3rd birthday. There are three date in the year when this takes effect – 31st March, 31stAugust and 31st December. Your child must be 3 by this date to receive funding from the following month. Children can have up to 15 hours funded a week (This is subject to Government legislation). This has to be taken over a minimum of 3 days and is for 38 weeks of the year. If you wish your child to do more sessions these will need to be paid for. Children taking fewer sessions may do so. If you wish to build up the sessions your child is taking you must let us know as soon you know and we will endeavour to accommodate him/her.

Term Time

8.00 - 9.00am / Breakfast club / £ 4.00
£ 4.25 / To include cereal, toast and milk/water/fruit juice served by 8.30am
If taken to school.
9.00 - 12.00 / Morning session / £ 11.50 / To include water/ milk and snack.
Water will be freely available
12.00-12.30pm / Lunch club / £ 2.75
£2.10 / Please no kiwi fruit, sweets, nuts (as we have children with nut allergies) or drinks in packed lunches. We will provide milk / water to drink.
School meal
12.30- 3.30pm / Afternoon session / £ 11.50 / To include water/ milk and snack.
Water will be freely available
3.30 - 4.30pm / After school club / £ 6.00 / To include a drink.
3.30 – 6.00pm / After school club / £ 12.75 / To include a light tea served after 4.30pm.

Holiday Club will run during all school holidays except Christmas and one week in the summer at our Byron site in Coulsdon.

Holiday sessions may be booked at our Byron Centre in Coulsdon for each individual holiday period. Fees for holiday club places are due before the commencement of the holiday club. Please speak to Jean or Susan if you wish to book holiday club sessions.

Children under 3 years who attend term time may join us for Holiday Club, places are very limited for this age group so please book as soon as you are able.

8.00am-1.00pm / 3- 5 years £16.00
5 -7 years £13.00 / They must bring a packed lunch. No Kiwi fruit, sweets or nut products.
1.00pm-6.00pm / 3 - 5 years £16.00
5 – 7 years £13.00 / Children will be given a light tea.
8.00am-6.00pm / 3 – 5 years £30.00
5 - 7 years £25.00 / They must bring a packed lunch. No Kiwi fruit, sweets or nut products. Children will be given a light tea.

It is the objective of the pre-school to:

  1. Provide a safe, comfortable and secure place, in which children can play, learn and encounter new experiences.
  2. Enable children to become socially acceptable and confidently independent with the aid of toys, role play, and imagination.
  3. Stimulate and teach the children, through play and when ready, prepare them for the start of full time school.
  4. Encourage children to share, communicate and recognise the possible needs of their peers in everyday living.
  5. Work within the Early Years Foundation Stage.
  6. Have regard to the Special Education Needs code of practice.

A set of the pre-school policies and our latest Ofsted inspection report are always available for you to see should you wish to see them.

Snacks

Milk, water and snacks will be provided during the session. With the idea of encouraging healthy eating habits we ask parents to bring in at least one piece of fruit a week, if your child is attending more than two sessions then two pieces.Please do not bring kiwi fruit as we have children who are allergic to them.

If your child does not drink milk, please inform Jean or Susan.

Breakfast, lunch and afterschool clubs

Children attending breakfast club will be given cereal, toast and a drink. Breakfast is served to all children who arrive by 8.30am. Lunch club children may either purchase a school meal at the cost of £2.10 or bring a packed lunch, no kiwi fruit, sweets, chocolate, nuts or drinks please. A school menu will be available at the beginning of each term.

Children attending after the long after school session will be given a light tea, which will be served after 4.30pm. This is not designed to replace your child’s dinner but to keep them going until they get home. (A sample menu will be displayed on the parents’ notice board)

Fresh water is available throughout all sessions.

Daily plan for pre-school sessions

Children are free to choose and join in activities as they wish. They are encouraged to take part but not made to do so. Planned focus activities take place throughout the session. We encourage children to play outside in all weather, please provide your child with a waterproof coat and boots during the wetter weather and a sun hat and sun cream if it is hot.

Settling in procedures

We will set up a plan to suit your child’s needs when they join us. You are welcome to stay with your child in order to settle them for as long as you think necessary.

Discipline

Physical punishment such as smacking or shaking is never used, nor is it ever threatened. Calming time is used, as is moving a child to a different activity. The Parent/Guardian will be advised of any excessive or constant misbehaviour. We ask that all parents/carers sign a copy of our parent agreement.

Rest

Children staying for extended hours will have the opportunity for rest or sleep during the day. After lunch all children are encouraged to have a quiet period this may be quietly playing with puzzles, games looking at books or having a story read to them.

Photographs

We regularly take photographs of the children, to aid planning, for displays and to keep for our records. We ask that you give us signed permission on your child’s registration form.

Duty of Care

We have a duty of care to the children attending the Mulberry Bush and as such will record and report any incidents to the relevant authorities. Please see our Safe Guarding Policy for further details.

We ask for your co-operation in the following.

  • Please leave a named bag of named spare clothes on your child’s peg.
  • Advising Jean or Susan of any infectious illness. Preventing the spread of the illness by keeping at home any child who has been unwell until at least two full days after he or she has recovered. This is in line with current guidelines.
  • Advising the leader if anyone other than a Parent/Guardian is taking his or her child home.
  • Please name all outdoor clothing and jumpers.
  • Please also ensure your child is left with suitable clothing for outside play as we go out in all weathers.
  • Please send your child in old clothes because although aprons are provided, glue and paint often find their way onto uncovered parts and even covered parts. If you wish you may purchase The Mulberry Bush T-shirts and sweatshirts in order to save on ‘home clothes’. Please speak to Jean or Susan.
  • Can each child please bring in one box of tissues each half term.
  • If your child has pierced ears please make sure that they only wear small studs to pre-school.
  • We operate a key person system and you will be informed of your child’s key person during their first term. Key persons will do observations on the children during their time with us.
  • Key persons are available by appointment to discuss confidentially your child’s progress etc. Please speak to Jean or Susan to arrange a time.
  • The Mulberry Bush is a non-smoking Pre-school and we would ask all parents/carers, volunteers and staff to observe this.
  • No dogs are allowed on the school site.
  • On no account should cars be brought on the school grounds.
  • When arriving and leaving the pre-school please close all gates and walk round the edge of the playground if using that gate. During the day the only gate open for access will be the one in Dering Place.
  • In the event of a fire or major incident our assembly point will be the field to the rear of the setting.

Trustees

The Mulberry Bush is a charitable company limited by guarantee. As such all its operations are overseen by trustees. Trustees are currently people involved in childcare and parents. All parents are entitled to be members and as such can put themselves forward to be elected as trustees at the AGM each year.

For more information please speak to Jean or Susan.

Complaints Procedure

Should you have any complaint, please contact Jean Loh or Susan Staples-Attah or you may contact the Trustees directly on 0208 660 4180.

If you wish to take the complaint further please contact Ofsted on 0300 123 1231. A complaint file is kept at the pre-school and is available for everyone to see. If you would like to see it please ask Jean or Susan.

If you have any queries or points of concern please do not hesitate to contact either Jean Loh or Susan Staples-Attah.

September 2011

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