FERGUSLIE PRE-FIVE CENTRE

HANDBOOK

Ferguslie Pre-five Centre

The Tannahill Centre

76 Blackstoun Road

FergusliePark

Paisley PA3 1NT

Tel: 0141 889 2305December 2010

Contents

Page

Contents2

Parents’ Letter3

Renfrewshire Council’s Vision, Goals and Values4

Nursery Aims 5

Applying for a Nursery Place

& Enrolment Information6

The Staff Team7

General Information 8 - 11

Security Issues12 - 13

The Nursery Programme14 - 15

Promoting Positive Behaviour16

Partnership with Parents17

Public Holidays and In-Service Days 2008/0918

Complaints’ Procedure19

Useful Addresses & Telephone Numbers20

Dear Parents/Guardians

Welcome to Ferguslie Pre-five Centre.This handbook contains advice on how to apply for a nursery place and provides basic information about how our service is organised.

The first five years of life is a period of great growth and development. AtFerguslie Pre-five Centrewe value each individual child and appreciate that children enter nursery having already benefited from a whole range of learning experiences provided by their families and communities. We aim therefore, to build on this learning through working in partnership with parents and carers.

This partnership begins as soon as your child is allocated a place. Talking with you about your child’s previous experiences and achievements as well as their needs and interests allows us to find an appropriate starting point for learning in the nursery setting. We can then work together to develop and broaden the range of children’s learning experiences, encourage them to become confident and enthusiastic learners and help them progress towards the next stage in their education.

As well as providing a balanced curriculum to meet the children’s learning needs, we also aim to meet the needs of families through providing a flexible service. The nursery remains open during school holiday periods and in some instances can provide full day placements. Further details are provided in the General Information Section of this handbook.

Should you require more information about our service or would like to talk about your child’s needs, I will be happy to discuss this with you.

Please telephone or drop in at any time.

Both the staff team and I, look forward to working in partnership with you and your child.

Yours sincerely

Judith Thomas

Head of Centre

Renfrewshire Council

Education & Leisure Services’ Vision

Renfrewshire Council’s vision is a learning Renfrewshire which empowers to fulfil their potential and contributes to the economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being of local communities.

Education and Leisure values are:-

involve and empower;

listen and communicate;

aim to be the best;

treat our customers well;

value our employees;

tackle inequalities;

work in partnership; and

represent the community.

Our priorities for 2010-11 are focused on:

  • safer and stronger
  • wealthier and fairer
  • greener
  • smarter
  • healthier
  • developing our organisation
The aims of Ferguslie Pre-five Centre are to:
  1. Develop a partnership with parents, carers and families where they are supported and engaged in their children’s learning and development. Their views are responded to and through changes they can be an integral part of their child’s care and education within the nursery.
  2. Empower our children with knowledge, skills and experiences reflected within a curriculum for excellence that will provide them with opportunity, flexibility and quality learning experiences to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors.
  3. Support staff through their professional involvement, commitment and community of practice to provide a high quality experience of education and care for children. In creating a culture of collegiality all staff have ownership and responsibility of the life and work of the nursery community and feel valued.
  4. Have an active role in the community engaging in partnership working to enrich our provision and the experiences of our children and their families, creating a climate of understanding, care and respect for their local environment.
  5. Work together with children, parents, staff and the support of appropriate agencies in responding, supporting and caring for vulnerable children and their families.
  6. Ensure that staff, children, parents and other agencies will be kept informed about the work of the nursery and developments we are making. Through our evaluation and consultation process they are included in actions for improvement and policy making to enhance the service for all children and their families.


Enrolment Information

Ferguslie Pre-five Centre is situated within the Tannahill Centre in the FergusliePark area of Paisley. It is a local authority pre-five establishment and welcomes applications from families residing in any part of FergusliePark. Places may also be available for priority applications from outwith the area. Applicationforms are available from Ferguslie Pre-five Centre or any other local nursery.

All applications are considered by the local admission panel which meets every 4-6 weeks. Membership of the panel includes:

  • Head of the local authority pre-five establishment
  • Head of Hillview Nursery (Partnership Nursery)
  • A representative from the Day Care Project
  • Health Visitor from the local clinic
  • There may also be input from the social work department

All nursery places are allocated according to Renfrewshire Council Admission Policy and nursery staff will be happy to explain how this policy operates when you apply for a place. A parent leaflet is also available. The admission panel makes every effort to ensure that places are allocated to the nursery of your choice. This is not always possible, however, parents are asked to list establishments in order of preference on the application form.

When the admission panel has allocated places in a nursery, parents will be informed by letter. Parents are then offered a home visit or invited to visit the nursery to discuss start dates and make arrangements for your child’s enrolment and settling in period.

Home Visit

During the home visit a member of the management team and your key worker will complete the enrolment form and discuss the settling in period and answer any questions you may have. Parents and children are invited to visit the nursery, to meet staff and to arrange a start date. Initially, children will stay for only a short period, gradually extending the length of the session as children become familiar with and confident in the nursery environment. Staff and parents work together from the time of enrolmentto ensure that the transition from home to nursery is smooth.

The Nursery Team

NameTitle

Judith ThomasHead of Centre

Isobel HenneyDepute Head of Centre

Elaine StevensonPre Five Senior

Sarah CouplandNursery Officer

Myra DaillyNursery Officer

Susanne DaltonNursery Officer

Lynne DonoghueNursery Officer

Bernadette HillNursery Officer

Michelle LiddellNursery Officer

Rosemary McCluskeyEnhanced Nursery Officer

Shona McIntyreNursery Officer

Pamela McLachlanNursery Officer

Edith NisbetNursery Officer

Kathleen ReillyNursery Officer

Jackie SmallNursery Officer

Jane WoodNursery Officer

All staff holds a relevant qualification in Child Care and Education

Margaret LoveClerical Assistant

Katrina HoggCatering Assistant

Elizabeth RevieDomestic Assistant

David PeacockASN Classroom Assistant

General Information
Ferguslie Pre-five Centre was established in 1995 and is an integral part of the Tannahill Centre. It was built at a time of regeneration within FergusliePark and was originally funded under the Urban Aid Programme.

It was mainstreamed in 1999 and is currently funded and governed by the Local Authority. The nursery caters for children aged birth to 6 years.

Nursery Facilities

The facilities at Ferguslie Pre-five Centreinclude 3 playrooms, a quiet room, Snoezelen, a physical area, dance studio, garden/outdoor playarea, family room, staff room and offices.

The playrooms are bright, airy and attractive with plenty of natural light. The accommodation is used flexibly and a range of learning experiences is provided within each room to meet the needs of the children. At times throughout the week, children have the opportunity to use the physical area and dance studio facilities as well as the local library, etc. We have timetabled access to all facilities to ensure children have a breadth of experiences. The outdoor play area has soft surface and a planting area.

Number of Places Available

The centre can accommodate up to 69 children aged 0-6 years at any one time. Most children have part-time places, either 5 mornings or 5 afternoons, so there can be up to 138 children attending over the course of the day. A limited number of full-time places are available depending on circumstances. Decisions about full-time places are taken by an admissions panel. Lunch is available for children with full-time places or extended part-time places, i.e. 5 mornings with lunch.

Additional Support Needs

Children with Support Needs or Additional Support Needs are identified early or,

on occasion are known to support services. Some children require a support plan which enables staff and parents to set short term targets for children’s progress. Regular meetings including Extended Support Team meetings and held with all partners to discuss children’s needs and identify the right supports.

Further information about the provision for children with additional support needs can be obtained from the Head of Nursery.

Staff/Child ratios and the key worker system

On admission, each child is allocated a key worker. The key worker has special responsibility for developing a positive relationship with children and their parents. The number of children in each key worker group can vary depending on the age, stage of development and particular needs of the children. Generally, the ratio of staff to children is:

0-2 years 1 to 3
2-3 years 1 to 5
3-5 years 1 to 8
Hours of Opening

The nursery is open from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm each day. Morning sessions generally run from 9.00 am to 11.30 am and afternoon sessions from 1.00 pm to 3.30 pm. Extended hours can be negotiated with the Head of establishment. The nursery remains open during the school holiday and during the Christmas holiday periods. We are closed on public holidays and five in-service training days. These dates are given later in this handbook.

Nursery Funds

Please note that if required Renfrewshire Council has the right to charge for a nursery place. At present nursery provision is free of charge, however, we do ask for a weekly donation of £1.50. The donations help us to cover the cost of:

Baking ingredients

Local outings

Nursery Library Books

Additional Resources for topics

Photographs for the Records of Achievement and displays

Other small items

Snacks and Lunches

A healthy snack is provided for the children during both the morning and afternoon sessions. Each child is entitled to 1/3 of a pint of milk daily and snacks include fruit, cheese and biscuits. A two-course lunch is provided for children who attend full-time. Alternatively, parents can provide a packed lunch. Some lunch places may be available for children who attend on a part-time basis. Every effort is made to cater for special dietary requirements.

No Smoking Policy

The nursery has a strict no-smoking policy. Smoking is prohibited at all times within the nursery and surrounding areas.

Equal Opportunities Policy

All pre-five services should reflect the council’s equal opportunities policy and promote positive attitudes and respect families of various cultures. The nursery environment is inclusive and supports children with additional needs. Children are given priority under the Authorities Admissions’ Policy and individual needs are met through a differentiated curriculum.

The nursery is non-denominational. We respect and welcome children and parents of all religions, faiths and beliefs.

Medical and Health Care

It is very important that full details of your child’s medical history are provided when completing the nursery enrolment form. If your child becomes ill or has an accident at nursery, you will of course be informed as soon as possible. If the illness or accident is of a serious nature appropriate medical assistance will be sought immediately. Staff are not permitted to administer medication to children unless it has been prescribed by a General Practitioner. If your child requires medication while at nursery, you will be asked to complete an Administration of Medicine form.

Children have an eye screening examination in the nursery in their pre-school year. You will be informed of the dates in advance and will be asked to sign a permission slipprior to the appointment.

Insurance

Parents are asked to note that Renfrewshire Council does not provide insurance cover for loss or damage to personal items in the nursery premises. Please ensure that valuable items are not left in the nursery and that all clothes, shoes and toys belonging to children are clearly marked.

Emergency Closure

Every effort is made to maintain a full educational service at the nursery but occasionally circumstances may arise which lead to disruption, for example, severe weather or power failure.

If for any reason, the nursery has to be closed, then every effort will be made to let parents know about the details of the closure and reopening. Parents will be contacted by phone or letter and, when required, through the local press or local radio station.

Suitable Clothing

While at nursery, children will participate in a range of activities such as painting, baking and water play. Aprons are provided for such activities but obviously it is best that children wear older clothes suitable for messy play. A change of clothes is also helpful.

Excursions and Consent Forms

When outings or excursions for children are planned you will be advised in advance. You will be asked to complete consent forms which give permission for your child’s participation. Please note that children cannot take part in outings unless completed consent forms have been submitted by their parent/guardian. Consent forms are also issued for permission for Internet usage and for any photographs or videos that may be used on our website.

Security Issues

There are a range of procedures in place at the nursery to ensure the safety and security of all who attend. Parents are informed of these in detail at the time of enrolment. The following are the most important aspects and should be noted by all parents and visitors:

Health and Safety Files

The nursery has Health and Safety files containing all guidelines and procedures provided by Renfrewshire Council. The Depute Head and an identified member of staff are responsible for keeping these files up to date and informing all staff of any changes or additions to the information. All staff have responsibility for implementing health and safety procedures and identifying any issues which may need addressed.

Door Entry System

The nursery has two main doors, one leading from the car park and the other from the Tannahill Centre. Both doors are operated by an intercom and camera system. To enter the building please press the appropriate button, a member staff will release the lock and open the door. When leaving the nursery please use the automated release button which will open the door.

Visitors

All visitors to the nursery must sign the visitors’ book and are given a security pass to wear while in the centre. Parents do not have to sign in when bringing or collecting children. However, parents should sign the visitors’ book and wear a security pass when they intend to remain in the building for any length of time e.g. when attending nursery meetings or parent activity groups.

Emergency Contacts

Parents are asked to provide details of emergency contacts at the time of enrolment. Each child’s file should contain names, addresses and telephone numbers of 2-3 contacts for use in the case of emergency. Please keep the nursery up to date with any changes in this information. Your key worker will update the emergency contact information once per term.

Arrival and Collection of Children

It is expected that all children will be collected by a responsible adult. Parents are asked to inform staff of any changes to the usual arrangements of if someone unknown to the staff will be collecting their child.

Parking

There is a car park designated to the nursery. It is located adjacent to the Paisley Partnership Office which is on Falcon Crescent. There is also one designated disabled parking space for those parents or children who are disabled.

Fire Alarm Tests and Drills

The fire alarm is tested weekly at the weekend and compulsory fire drills occur once per term. The drills will be held during either the morning or afternoon session and affects all users of the Tannahill Centre. On hearing the alarm, a CONTINUOUS SIREN, please leave the building by the nearest exit and meet at the assembly point at the nursery car park. Fire exits are lit with a green sign with a white figure running. Fire Procedures are displayed throughout the nursery.

Reporting of Accidents

Minor accidents are dealt with in the nursery by staff and/or one of the trained First Aiders. All accidents are recorded in an accident record book and parents are informed. You will also be asked to sign the accident book. There is a more detailed reporting procedure in place for incidents or accidents which result in treatment being required. First Aid Procedures are displayed throughout the nursery.

Safety on Outings

Parents are asked to sign the enrolment form authorising consent for their children to participate in local outings. Parents are always informed in advance of any plans for outings out-with the area and are asked to complete a specific consent form for this journey. Please note that children will only be allowed on these outings if the consent forms have been completed and signed.