Southmuir Nursery Welcome to Working in partnership with the whole family to support your child to learn and develop through the delivery of a Curriculum for Excellence

Our Team We would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Southmuir Nursery and introduce the various members of the team. We are looking forward to working closely with your child and family over the coming year. We have a key worker system which means that one member of staff will be the contact person for both you and your child. In order to welcome your child and help them to settle in, we value any information you can give us. We ask you to fill in the ‘My World’ document with your child to support this process. Please feel free to provide any additional information which you think it would helpful for us to know.

What you can expect to see A warm and welcoming environment, where we hope you feel valued and where your voice matters. We regularly consult with parents about how we can make improvements to benefit your child. Our setting is neutral in colour because we want the children and their work to be the colour and focus. Children will be encouraged to learn through play. There will be a balance of free flow play, where children can explore their environment using their own imagination, as well as planned learning experiences which have been created to extend children’s interests, knowledge, skills and understanding. We have a positive behaviour policy and are keen to praise good behaviour. The children create the nursery rules together and these are prominently displayed.

Our usual routines At the start of the session we free flow play At the end of the session we go into our “going home groups” Children are usually offered the choice of playing outdoors during the session. At group-time we discuss lots of different things that happen throughout the nursery.

If your child is unwell Please call 01575 577122 If your child is unwell, please call the setting as soon as possible. We will call you if your child is absent without a reason being given. Please keep your child at home until they are fit and well to reduce the risk of infection for other children and staff. If your child becomes unwell at the setting we will call you or your emergency contact to collect them. Please keep your contact details up to date.

Arrival and departure From August 2016 we are offering morning sessions, afternoon sessions and the option for pre school children only 2 ½ days. Option 1 Morning sessions 8.45am- 11.55am Option 2 Afternoon sessions 12.20pm – 3.30pm Option 3 Monday, Tuesday 9am-3.30pm and Wednesday 9am- 11.40am Option 4 Thursday, Friday 9am – 3.30pm and Wednesday 12.40pm – 3.30pm We open the doors 10 minutes early at the end of the session to ensure we are as flexible for families as we can be. If someone other than yourself is dropping off or collecting your child, please inform us. We can not release your child to anyone that is not known to us and it is not acceptable to release your child to anyone under the age of 16.

Clothing We will have lots of messy fun and spend lots of time outdoors. Your child will need comfortable, practical clothing that is suitable for all weathers. We encourage children to be as independent as possible, so your assistance in avoiding tricky fastenings and practising at home so your child can dress themselves and change their own shoes would be greatly appreciated. Children should bring gym shoes and wellies. Please label all belongings so we know who they belong to. Although we do have some spare clothes some children prefer to have their own garments in case of accidents, please provide a full change of clothes for your child.

Children attending 2 1/2 days Children can choose from bringing a packed lunch or can have a school dinner. Please provide your child with a healthy packed lunch and a cool pack to keep the lunch cool. Children will be having their in the school lunch hall, children will be accompanied by an adult.

Snack We have a healthy eating policy, so your child will be offered fruit and healthy snacks every day, with milk or water to drink. Snack is usually available throughout most of the session and children can choose when to visit. Learning to prepare, serve and clear up after snack is all part of the learning experience. Children also participate in some cooking and baking activities. Throughout the year we will try foods which explore different cultures and celebrate festivals as well as offer some new taste sensations. We ask parents to contribute £1.50 each week to cover the cost of providing snack. Please let us know if your child has any food allergies or dietary requirements.

HOW WILL WE KEEP YOU INFORMED ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S PROGRESS? Staff will use their observation notes, as well as photos, conversations, drawings etc. to document your child’s learning in an individual folio. Folios will be shared with families regularly, both children and parents are also encouraged to include their own responses to the folio. We use floor books, mind-maps, video, pictures and recordings to find out what the children know and what they would like to learn and to take their individual and group learning forward. We hope to share informal feedback on your child’s progress through informal chats. We also have regular parent meetings which provide an opportunity for you to meet with your child’s key worker. Written reports are provided in the final term, which will provide you with detailed information about your child’s learning and achievements.

How can you get involved? There is a notice board for parents/carers in the entrance and regular newsletters which provide information about how you can participate and support your child’s learning. Parents, carers and extended family members are all welcome to volunteer on the rota. If anyone has a particular interest or skill, please have a chat with any member of staff.

Your child is our priority We are keen to hear about your child’s interests and achievements outwith nursery. Our ethos is to extend the children’s interests and celebrate success whenever we can. We are very careful to keep all information about your child securely and we treat anything you tell us with confidence. If you use Social Media, it is important to consider the implications your comments may have on others. If you have concerns please contact the staff directly. We will make you aware of any incidents or minor accidents involving your child by completing an accident or incident form which you will be asked to read over and sign. We are keen to provide the best level of care for your child so if you have any concerns or worries, please come and talk to staff. There is a Complaints Policy in the setting, should the need arise. For the safety of your child and the other children within the setting the designated Child Protection Officer is Mrs Lynn Hawk Confidentiality should be stressed and parents reassured that staff will be discrete. Parents also have a responsibility to consider confidentiality, especially, with the use of social media and it’s implications. Provide information about how incidents or accidents will be reported. Inform parents about how they can address any concerns, you need to explain who they should speak to and how they can take it further if they feel an issue has not been resolved. We need to let parents know what they should do and who they should talk to if they have any concerns about the welfare of a child.

How will we support your child? Your child’s learning will be supported through the use of Curriculum for Excellence. The expectation is that most children will be working at the Early Level from entry to nursery as 3 year olds until the end of P1. Children’s transition into Primary 1 is carefully planned and supported. Some of the methods which we use to support transition are children will be giving a buddy that will support each child when exploring the school playground, we join up with primary 1 classes on a regularly basis. We hope to make learning a rich experience for children and will look to develop their experience within the setting, as well as, the outdoor environment and local community. We believe the setting should be a safe, positive and inclusive environment where children and families feel respected and valued. In order to promote this children, staff and parents are all involved in reviewing our aims. Reassure parents that transition is carefully planned and considered throughout the school year. Inform parents that staff may often make use of the outdoor area and wider community in order to support children’s learning. Involving parents in reviewing the aims and values of your setting allows them to feel that they have a voice.