HANDBOOK

David Livingstone Memorial Primary School Nursery Class

2015/2016

2

Welcome Welcome to David Livingstone Memorial Primary School Nursery Class. We are delighted that you have chosen to send your child to our nursery class. In the class there will be a maximum of 20 children in the morning and 20 children in the afternoon. Each individual child is very important to us and we aim to provide a secure and happy learning environment. We recognise that you are the prime educator in your child‟s life and by working with you we will be able to support your child‟s needs. This partnership will allow us to create a positive ethos which will allow every child to receive a continuous quality Early Years education. I hope you find The Handbook useful and if you require any further information please contact me. Janette Miller, Head Teacher.

3

CONTENTS

Staff in the Nursery Page 4 Nursery Address and Phone Number Page 4 South Lanarkshire Nursery Aims Page 5 David Livingstone Nursery Aims Page 5 Parents‟ View Page 5 Nursery and School Holiday Dates Page 6 Safety Issues Page 7, 8 Complaints Page 8 Admissions Policy Page 9 Opening times Page 9 Nursery Roll Page 9 Starting Nursery Page 9 Nursery Registration Page 10 The Accommodation (+cloakroom) Page 10 Equal Opportunities and Race Equalities Page 10 In the Nursery – The Curriculum Page 11 Assessment Page 11 Tooth Brushing Programme Page 11 Structure of the children‟s day Page 11 Snacks Page 12 Illness Page 12 Accidents Page 12 Partnership Page 13 Visits and Visitors Page 13 Meeting Room Page 13 Nursery Uniform / Clothing Page 14 Transfer to School Page 14 Contributions & Fund raising Page 14 Nursery Staff Remits Page 15

4

Staff Head of Establishment – Mrs Janette Miller Depute Head Teacher – Mr. Roland Peck Nursery Teacher – Mrs Moira Monk Early Years Team Leader – Mrs Heather Brandon Early Years Worker – Mrs Margaret Mullarkey Early Years Worker – Mrs Pauline Caskie School Support Assistant – Appointed when required The two Early Years Workers job share. Students and other professionals may also be working in the Nursery from time to time. All staff and workers in the Nursery have been PVG checked by SLC and hold suitable qualifications Address and Telephone Number David Livingstone Memorial Primary Nursery Class Morven Avenue Blantyre G72 9JY Telephone Number – 01698 823680 Fax Number – 01698 712830

5

SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL’S AIMS FOR THE NURSERY South Lanarkshire Council is committed to developing high quality education for all learners. It aims to provide the highest quality of education by:-

providing a stimulating curriculum to meet the needs of learners

promoting partnership with pupils, parents, staff and the wider community

ensuring the quality of education within establishments

encouraging learners to achieve their maximum potential

ensuring equality of opportunity

establishing opportunities for staff development

encouraging effective teaching and learning

providing safe and appropriate premises

promoting access to education as a lifelong process

maximising the use of resources Currently the Council provides a range of Early Years Services and works in partnership with the private and voluntary sector. “Curriculum for Excellence” provides guidance on meeting these aims in Early Years establishments in South Lanarkshire. Our Nursery Class Aims to:

create a happy and safe learning environment where children are motivated and engaged in their own learning.

constantly review and improve our practice through working together, to offer the best learning experiences for all children.

respect and work cooperatively with all those involved in the children‟s education. This will include listening to the views and opinions of the children, their families, educational agencies and other groups.

Statement expressing our parents’ views: We as parents in our children‟s learning want DLMPS and the Nursery Class to be a happy, safe place where our children are inspired, engaged and willing to take part in their own learning. We believe that in order to learn, our children must feel happy and secure in surroundings that give them a sense of belonging, whilst celebrating achievement and hard work. We wish our children to receive high quality teaching and learning which is challenging and enjoyable but fosters responsibility and respect for themselves, their peers and their community. Our children need to be provided with active learning experiences which motivate them to work independently and cooperatively, learning skills that will take them on their journey through life.

6

SCHOOL HOLIDAY DATES/ IN-SERVICE DAYS 2015/2016

In-service Day - Thursday, 13 August and Friday, 14 August

(only staff attend)

Pupils return - Monday, 17 August at 8.55 am

September Weekend Friday, 25 September – Monday, 28 September

School re-opens on Tuesday, 29 September

October Break - Monday, 12 October – Friday, 16 October

School re-opens on Monday, 19 October

In-service Day - Monday, 16 November (only staff attend)

Christmas/New Year - School closes on Tuesday, 22 December

at 2.30 p.m. and re-opens on Tuesday,

5 January 2016

In-service Day - Friday, 5 February (only staff attend)

February Break - Monday, 8 and Tuesday, 9 February

School re-opens on Wednesday, 10 February

Easter Holiday - School closes on Thursday, 24 March

and re-opens on Tuesday, 29 March

Spring Break - School closes on Friday, 1 April at 2.30 pm and

re-opens on Monday, 18 April

May Day - Monday, 2 May

In-service Day - Thursday, 5 May (only staff attend)

Local Holiday - Friday, 27 May and Monday, 30 May

School re-opens on Tuesday, 31 May

Summer Holidays - School closes on Friday, 24 June at 1.00 p.m.

7

SAFETY ISSUES

At all times our team are particularly aware of safety issues when working with such young children, in the Nursery Class.

There are many safety procedures that are followed each day. Below are some examples of safe practice in our nursery. SCHOOL SECURITY Shortly after the children‟s arrival at the Nursery Class, the main school doors are locked and the Security arrangements for the school are then in place. A security entrance system with a monitor in the Nursery Class controls entry throughout the day. SAFETY IN THE NURSERY

There are always at least two members of staff working with the nursery children at all times.

Safety issues are considered each day in the layout of equipment for play and this safe environment is maintained throughout the session.

Outdoor Area and Playroom are assessed before and during each session.

Children are taught how to handle equipment safely and reminded of the equipment which they should not touch.

Power points not in use have safety covers.

Cleaning materials and sharp knives are kept in a cupboard at a high level inaccessible to the children.

Cupboards have child locks on them.

Children are familiar with the fire safety regulations and participate in school fire drills.

A Panic Button links the Nursery to the emergency services and school offices.

SAFETY OUTSIDE THE NURSERY

When arranging a trip, staff visit the area beforehand to check its suitability and ensure there are no hazards.

Reliable and safe transport with regulation seatbelts is arranged.

Signed consent forms, with relevant medical information and emergency contacts are taken on the trip.

A first-aid box is always taken on trips.

Children are constantly reminded that they must stay close to adults at all times when out with the Nursery Class.

8

PERSONAL SAFETY

The first step we take to ensure that children gain a sense of security in the nursery is by getting to know them and helping them to build relationships with staff and the other children.

This sense of security is further developed as they become familiar with the daily routines of the Nursery Class.

Personal safety is a part of our curriculum and to reinforce this a police officer visits the Nursery at least once a year. During this visit the children are alerted to the dangers of going with strangers and given some advice on what to do if they become lost.

The Home Safety Officer also visits the nursery to raise the children‟s awareness of potential hazards and dangers in the home.

Road safety is taught through the use of materials from the Traffic Club and a visit from the School Crossing Patrol Person help to teach the children about Road Safety.

Child Protection – All agencies work in a collaborative way to promote the safety and well being of the children in Lanarkshire. As part of our Duty of Care we have procedures and protocols in place, within the school, which are designed to ensure all children, are kept safe. Where there are any concerns about a child‟s welfare these are passed onto the Head Teacher (Child Protection Officer) who will if necessary liaise with the relevant agencies to discuss these issues. If appropriate we will contact parents/carers to inform them of any action we have taken. Our staff is trained in South Lanarkshire Procedures to be vigilant over Child Protection issues and are reminded often of the importance of this area. Complaints Procedure We make every effort to respond to complaints within 7 working days as per South Lanarkshire Council‟s Guidelines. For more information please ask to see the complaints procedures – „have your say‟.

9

Nursery Admissions Policy We follow South Lanarkshire‟s guidelines for admissions to the nursery Opening Times The Nursery Class is open from Monday to Friday each week during school term time. Holidays and In-service days are the same as those of the school. A nursery session will last 3 hours and 10 minutes. We recommend children for the morning session arrive at 8.45am and are collected and out of the nursery by 11.55am and for the afternoon session arrive at 1.00pm being collected out of the nursery by 4.10pm. Since we must take into consideration the security of the primary school pupils we would ask that you do not arrive at the school until these opening times of the Nursery Class. Nursery Roll During each session we have up to twenty children in the Nursery Class. The age range varies from 3 to 5 years. The Nursery is non-denominational and we welcome children and parents of all religions and faiths. Starting Nursery When your child has been allocated a place in the Nursery you will be informed by letter and will be given a starting date. Shortly after this we will invite you and your child for an informal visit during a Nursery session, when you will meet the staff and be introduced to the Nursery environment. We operate a system of staggered entry into the Nursery Class with small groups starting over a period of a few weeks. This works effectively, allowing Nursery Staff time to spend with the new children as they settle them into the group. Parents are welcome to stay with children as long as is necessary. Most children settle very quickly into the Nursery Class. However, initially some younger children may benefit from shorter sessions, gradually increasing the time as they become more confident.

10

Registration Children must be brought to the Nursery and be collected from there by a responsible adult. This person must be at least sixteen years of age. On arrival the child is signed-in on the Nursery register and on leaving is signed-out by that person. We understand that more than one person may be doing this and their names should be listed on the enrolment form. Should anyone different be collecting your child Nursery staff must be informed. Accommodation The nursery class is located in the infant corridor of the school. This provides us with opportunities to work collaboratively with the other staff and children in the lower infant classes. The nursery has a separate entrance which is near the main entrance to the school. We are very excited to have our own outdoor play area which we will be developing over the next session. If you have any ideas or suggestions please let us know. Cloakroom The Nursery cloakroom is outside the Nursery Class. Here each child has a labelled peg and shoe box. They also have a tray labelled with their name. In this tray you will find finished work, newsletters etc. and we would ask that you check it daily. Children can see this tray as their special place within the Nursery Class. Please do not allow your child to bring any item of value since the school cannot be responsible for these. South Lanarkshire Council has no insurance to cover the loss of personal items. Claims would only be met in a case where the authority can be shown to have been negligent.

Equal Opportunities As an equal opportunities establishment we are committed to all our children, regardless of race, gender or religion. There is a school statement which follows the advice and guidance from SLC. If you wish to see this please ask.

11

CURRICULUM We are now using a „Curriculum for Excellence‟ as our main curriculum guidance. The activities in the nursery are taught through „Active Learning‟ which encourages the children to know how and what they are learning. Curriculum for Excellence covers the following areas:-

Literacy and English

Numeracy and Maths

Sciences

Social Subjects

Technologies

Religious and Moral Education

Health and Wellbeing

Expressive Arts

Assessment Children are assessed daily on their tasks and evidence is kept. Staff report to parents informally on a daily basis. There are two formal parent evenings in the session. Tooth brushing Programme Nursery children are involved in The „Childsmile‟ Programme promoted by NHS. The Oral Hygienist has trained our staff to teach children in how to brush their teeth and supports us in this. The children brush their teeth daily in Nursery under adult supervision. Before the programme begins you will be invited to a meeting where ideas will be shared with you. Structure of the Day

Free choice and structured activities are available for children to choose from the start of each day.

Staff are responsive to each child‟s development needs and interests as they arise, using the activities set up in the Nursery to help them in their learning.

Snack Time is an important time in the Nursery routine for developing social skills.

Physical play is planned for outside or inside the Nursery throughout the week.

At the end of the daily session staff hold an “altogether” time

12

Snacks Children are given a snack during each session. The children are encouraged to develop a sense of independence by choosing their own snack. Children are allowed to take their snack when they are hungry. There are also „Together‟ snack times for the children. We promote healthy eating by including a selection of fruit and vegetables, which vary from day to day. We encourage children to drink the milk provided for them or as an alternative give them water. Throughout the year the children are introduced to different cultures and encouraged to try a variety of foods. If your child has an allergy to any food or requires a special diet please let us know. Illness In the nursery we follow the advice contained in the document – Infection prevention and Control in Care Settings (Day Care and Child Minding Settings) (March 2011.) A copy is available for reference You are asked to provide us with information on any health issues related to your child or any allergies they may have on the enrolment form. If your child requires medication details of this should be discussed with a member of staff. A relevant consent form must be completed and updated should there be any change. Medicines should be clearly labelled with your child‟s name. If your child is ill we would welcome a call to let us know that he or she will not be attending Nursery. Where a child has sickness or diarrhoea they are asked to remain away from nursery until 48 hours after this has stopped. If your child becomes ill while at Nursery we will contact you. Accidents You will be informed of any accident your child has in Nursery at the end of the session or immediately should we feel there is any cause for concern. Details of accidents are noted in the Accident Book. It is essential that we are given names, addresses and telephone numbers of two emergency contacts on the enrolment form. Please keep us updated should any of these details change.

13

PARTNERSHIP We recognise that when nursery staff and parents / carers work together for our children, the nursery is a better place. So the Nursery staff will look to work closely with you, the parents/carers, at all times to ensure your child‟s success and happiness. We have two parents meetings each year, one in October and one in May but understand the importance of exchanging information on a more regular basis. This can be done informally but is best done outside nursery session times. Arrangements can be made for a meeting at the end of most Nursery sessions to discuss any issues or concerns you may have. Parents are kept informed of more general Nursery information through regular newsletters and notices on the Nursery News Board. Here you will also see a copy of our current plan of work. Through our Sharing the Learning Days we introduce you to the Nursery curriculum and discuss ways in which you can be involved with your child‟s learning in the Nursery Class. Parents are invited to spend time with the children and share in the work of the nursery class. Mrs. Brandon will co-ordinates our Parents and Family‟s Group this session. This group provides us with invaluable support when we are fundraising and organising events. Visits and Visitors Throughout the year the children are taken on a variety of outings to reinforce work on the Nursery curriculum. Safe transport is always arranged and parents are given details of excursions well beforehand. We always ask for your written permission unless the visit is within the immediate environment of the school. On most occasions we ask some or all parents to join us. We also invite many visitors into the nursery to help in our work on the curriculum. This includes visits from the people working in the local community e.g. a police officer, health visitor etc. Meeting Room The Meeting Room near the Nursery Class is available for your use at any time. Please help yourself to tea and coffee and take the opportunity to get to know other parents. If on any occasion you have to arrive early you will be able wait in the Meeting Room.

14

GENERAL NURSERY INFORMATION Nursery Uniform and Clothing Children should always wear comfortable clothing to Nursery. No matter how well covered they are with overalls they still manage to get paint and glue on their clothes from time to time. In this respect we prefer them to wear play clothes. Polo shirts with the Nursery logo are available to order at the beginning of each year. For safety and hygiene reasons we ask children to change into gym shoes or slippers when they arrive at the Nursery. These should be clearly marked with their name on the inside. Children should have a change of clothing left in the Nursery. In the case of an accident children are more comfortable being changed into their own clothes. Outdoor clothing should be left in the cloakroom so children can be changed for outdoor play. It is really important, given how quickly our weather can change, that the children have a jacket with them when they come to Nursery. As with all South Lanarkshire Authority buildings, football colours are not to be worn on the premises Transfer to School Many children move from our Nursery Class to David Livingstone Memorial Primary School, for them we are able to arrange informal visits into a Primary 1 class, as part of the induction programme children will also have visits with their parents. Information on your child is now passed to the Primary School through the standard document for South Lanarkshire – the Transition Record. We will give you more information on this during your child‟s pre-school year. Contributions and Fund-raising South Lanarkshire Council have introduced a small charge towards the cost of providing the children with a healthy snack etc. This money will be collected on a weekly basis or monthly basis. To supplement these contributions we arrange a few fund-raising ventures throughout the year to finance nursery visits and various other activities. We always welcome any new ideas parents may have for this. All money collected will be spent throughout the year directly benefiting your children. Accounts are kept in accordance with South Lanarkshire Council guidelines.

15

NURSERY STAFF REMITS/LEADERSHIP ROLES

Moira Monk Class Teacher Daily management of the Nursery

Lead role in planning, learning activities and assessment

Deliver appropriate programmes to individual children

To ensure a network of communication and links with services within the community

Collaborative planning and liaising with Primary One staff

Communication with parents Mentoring Teaching Students Key worker for 20 children Heather Brandon Early Years Team Leader

Support and contribute to planning and implementation of curricular Programmes Support in observing, recording and reporting children‟s progress Overseeing role of students Management of resources Celebrating achievements Planning for and managing snack Maintaining Policies and Procedures Facilitating visits, visitors and events Overview of Health and Safety Processes and Risk Assessments

Pauline Caskie Early Years Worker Contribute to planning and implementation

of curricular programmes Observation, recording and reporting on

individual children‟s progress Develop specific themes as a focus for

children‟s learning including consultation Mentoring Students Key worker for 10 children

Margaret Mullarkey Early Years Worker Contribute to planning and implementation

of curricular programmes Observation, recording and reporting on

individual children‟s progress Develop specific themes as a focus for

children‟s learning including consultation Mentoring Students Key worker for 10 children