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Corstorphine Primary School Nursery Handbook Session 2017-2018 CORSTORPHINE PRIMARY SCHOOL NURSERY CLASS Staff – Session 2017/2018 Head Teacher Depute Head Teacher Nursery Teachers Early Years Officers Early Years Practitioners Mrs Pamela Briggs Mrs Jacqueline Bracewell Ms Jenny Quin (Mon –Tues) Mrs Ruth Gaffney (Wed – Fri) Ms Laurie McNulty (Mon-Wed) Mrs Maureen Sloan (Thur-Fri) Mrs Lorna Hutton Mrs Suzanne Lewis Miss Karolina Choluj Mrs Hannah Callaghan Miss Linzi Manderson (Maternity leave) Corstorphine High Street Edinburgh EH12 7SY Phone: 0131-334-3865 Corstorphine Primary School Nursery OUR VISION At Corstorphine Primary Nursery, we will provide a safe, caring and nurturing environment for all our children. We will ensure that all children have opportunities to develop their skills, socialise, have fun and learn through engaging play-based experiences. OUR VALUES We will promote the same values as the school within all of our actions: CARE TRUST FAIRNESS

RESPECT HARD WORK HONESTY By doing so we will encourage all of our children to become responsible citizens with a sensitive, moral awareness and respect for self and others. OUR AIMS To provide stimulating and inspiring indoor and outdoor learning environments that promote curiosity and creativity. To ensure that staff are skilled and knowledgeable about how young children learn and develop. To ensure that planning is responsive and takes into account children’s needs and interests. To encourage children to make choices about their learning and develop their skills through play based opportunities. To work in partnership with other agencies to meet the needs of our children and provide appropriate support. To work together with parents and carers in helping their children develop enthusiasm for learning and celebrate their achievements. To ensure that all children and families are listened to, respected, valued and included. To promote health and wellbeing through positive

relationships and a culture of respect. Dear Parent/Carer The Staff at Corstorphine Primary School Nursery Class extend a very warm welcome to you and your child and look forward to a happy and productive association with you both. We hope that your child will feel secure and happy here and that the time they spend at Nursery will provide the kind of experiences and opportunities which will set them on the road to becoming confident lifelong learners, capitalising on their individual strengths and qualities and recognising that education can and will have a significant positive impact on their lives. We value the important role that you as parents and carers play in the all-round development of your child and aim to support this by seeking your co-operation in partnership with us. We welcome parents and carers into Nursery and are keen to encourage you to take an active role in the life of the Nursery, whilst recognising that for some parents this will not be possible due to work

or other commitments. Termly newsletters and Learning Overviews will be issued to keep all parents informed of Nursery activities, learning and events. The weekly plans and termly goals are available to view on the Nursery entrance boards and parents are welcome to join the children for shared ‘stay and play’ sessions at intervals throughout the year. This booklet is provided to familiarise parents and carers with our aims, our methods and our organisation, so that home and Nursery can combine to foster the all-round development of children. It is hoped that parents will find the booklet informative and that it will encourage and enhance the liaison that exists between us. Finally, please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any concerns about any aspect of your child’s Nursery experience. Most concerns can be resolved very easily Open and frequent communication helps a close partnership to develop and we would actively encourage you to contact the Nursery teacher at an

early stage should you have any concerns, however minor they may seem. Where possible, we would appreciate if an appointment could be made – but if you need to speak to someone urgently, this will be organised. By the same token we will also aim to contact you as often as we can, not just if we have a concern, but also to communicate positively about your child and their successes. Jacqueline Bracewell (Depute Head Teacher) SETTLING INTO NURSERY On your child’s first day in Nursery, he/she will be welcomed by a member of staff and will be introduced to their key worker. We operate a key worker system whereby each staff member has a group of about twelve children, selected on a random basis. The key worker is the main adult responsible for settling your child into nursery and supporting you. Each group of children are identified by a name related to a theme - our current groups are Oak, Willow, Sycamore and Rowan. Your child will be introduced gradually to the Nursery. For the

first session your child will be there for approximately one hour and you are usually expected to remain with them during this time. Children all settle at different rates, therefore, after the first day, please be guided by the staff as to the length of time your child (and possibly you too) should stay each day until he/she is fully confident and happy. You are free to discuss concerns and seek information from any staff member. However, you may prefer to speak initially to your child’s key worker who will know your child best. Nursery Times Morning session : Mon – Fri 8.35 am – 1145 am Afternoon session : Mon – Fri 12.25 pm – 335 pm (flexible pick-up from 315pm) • • Please make sure you arrive for your child before the finishing time – we open the doors slightly earlier than this so you can collect and exit before closing times. Please make sure the staff know if another adult is collecting your child – you will be asked to sign the pick-up book. Children should

not be collected or brought by anyone under 16 years of age. CORSTORPHINE POLICY ON NOTIFICATION OF A CHILDS ABSENCE Parents/carers will be contacted by the school by 10.30 am/130 pm at the latest if their child has not appeared at Nursery as expected and no phone call has been received. This contact will be by text message. We will only contact you on the first day of a childs absence. Please note that it is your responsibility as a parent/carer to notify us when your child should have returned to Nursery. Parents/carers also have a responsibility to ensure that the contact information held by the Nursery is accurate and up to date. We seek your continued support in operating this policy to ensure that all of our children are safe and their whereabouts known. Please note that in the situation where a child does not turn up for Nursery, no phone call has been made by a parent/carer and we are unable to make contact with you on any of the numbers you have provided no further action

can be taken by us to establish the whereabouts of your child. This is why it is crucial that we have up to date numbers for you where you or your representative can be contacted. ILLNESS If your child is at all unwell we strongly advise you to keep your child at home, both for their own sake and to prevent the possible spread of any infection to other children. We can provide advice on how long it is advisable to keep your child off following an illness. Children who vomit or have diarrhoea should not return to nursery until at least 48 hours after the last bout. If a child falls ill during a session we will of course contact you immediately. If your child has a communicable infection, for example impetigo or chickenpox, we would appreciate if you let us know. COMMUNICATION Nursery staff are available at the start and end of every session if parents need to pass on information. Parents are welcome to make an arrangement for an informal chat with the team at any point. If you

require a more in-depth discussion, please phone to make an appointment. Regular newsletters are produced throughout the session with information about events, outings and current Nursery news. Information notices eg local outings details, snack menu, weekly and termly learning overviews, weekly set activities such as P.E are displayed on the notice board inside the Nursery cloakroom. Please remember to check the notice board daily for current information. We also add information to our Nursery pages on the school website www.corstorphinepsuk PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS You are your child’s main educator and know them best. We aim to work in partnership with you and always appreciate any information on your child’s interests or progress at home that you would like to share with us. Wider achievements can be added to your child’s Learning Journal at any time. This is beneficial in helping us to get to know your child HOW PARENTS CAN BE INVOLVED IN NURSERY We are always keen to

have parents/guardians/childminders help in the Nursery. Below are ways in which parents have helped us in the past: • • • • • Sharing a particular talent such as baking or crafts Teaching dance Accompanying the children on outings Reading stories Making resources for the Nursery/Sewing In addition, we are always willing to share ideas with you and if you would like advice on activities to try at home with your child, please ask the Nursery Team. Finally - we are always looking for new ways to fund raise - if you have any good ideas or would like to help in this way - please contact the Nursery teacher. YOUR CHILD’S PROGRESS Children’s progress is continually assessed within the Nursery environment. The staff observe the children at group time and whilst engaged in free-flow play. These observations, along with photographs, are evidenced within children’s online Learning Journals. The observations are used to inform planning and children’s next steps in learning

You will also be asked at intervals to contribute information from home to add to the online journals. We will provide you with log in details when your child starts with us If you do not have access to the online journals from home, you are welcome to come in and staff will provide opportunities for you to access your child’s online journal within the Nursery. Alongside online journals, the Nursery team capture evidence of your child’s learning and progress in group time and in topic work. This evidence is displayed on the wall in the Nursery and within big planning books and can be viewed by parents. There are formal parents’ afternoon or evening meetings in autumn and spring. The nursery teacher will meet with the parents of pre-school children and the Early Years Officer will meet with the parents of ante-pre-school children. Parents are encouraged to come to our termly ‘Stay and Play’ sessions where they can share learning activities with their children. A written

transition report will be issued at the end of the year for children about to start school. However, you are welcome to ask about your child’s progress at any point HEALTH AND SAFETY At Corstorphine Primary School we strive to maintain high standards of Health and Safety within the Nursery. Parents and carers can help us by observing the following safety precautions : • • • • • A security system is in operation and the door of the Nursery requires to be opened from the inside by an adult. Please take care that only your child leaves the Nursery with you. If your child needs the toilet whilst they are with you, please use the family toilet. We do not allow parents to enter the children’s toilets within the Nursery. Please also note that there is no parking allowed on the yellow zigzag lines outside school. There is a voluntary one-way system from East to West along Manse Street at the back of the school. Please leave empty buggies parked outside the nursery •

• Buggies with younger children in them can be left outside while you drop off an older child. A member of staff is always by the door Could we please ask that no dogs (other than guide dogs) are brought into the school playground. SNACK Snack time is an important aspect of the Nursery session. We are guided by the Setting the Table document which is national nutritional guidance and food standards for early years childcare. Children choose the snack from a range of healthy vegetarian options They have the opportunity to become involved in the selection of the menu and the preparation of a healthy snack. Snack time is also a time when children can take part in social interaction at the snack table. As we provide all snack for the children, including birthday treats, there is no need for parents to supply any food or drink. In addition, we sometimes have children with severe food allergies so we monitor any food given. Snack costs £2 per child per week which is payable on a termly

basis via ParentPay. Some of this money may also go towards the cost of outings, a gift at Christmas and any parties the Nursery hold for the children. Parents should inform staff of any allergies or dietary requirements. CLOTHING AND PERSONAL BELONGINGS Nursery is fun and often messy! We do provide aprons for water and paint but children do get dirty at Nursery. It is best to dress your child in washable easy-fitting clothes that your child can manage independently for going to the toilet unaided. Elasticated, pull on clothes are often best. Please label all clothes as it helps us to reunite misplaced garments with their owners. We cannot guarantee the safe keeping of personal toys and it is a distressing experience for a child to have a precious toy lost or damaged. Please leave all personal toys and games at home. GOING TO SCHOOL The Nursery works closely with the school and uses facilities within the main building, for example the gym hall and General Purpose spaces. The

Nursery children are included in school special events as far as possible. There is close liaison between the Nursery and the school over transition to school with planned joint activities. Details of enrolment for school will be issued in November to all our pre-school Nursery children. Please note that a place in our Nursery does not guarantee a place in Primary One at Corstorphine Primary School if you are not in our school catchment. Catchment children are given priority by the City of Edinburgh Council. If you are not in the school catchment, you may apply for an out of catchment placing request to the City of Edinburgh Children and Families Department. In recent years, very few of these requests have been granted NURSERY CURRICULUM It may seem on first sight that the children ‘just play’. However, each part of the Nursery environment is planned and set up carefully to facilitate the children’s learning through play. The curriculum in Nursery is based on the principles

of Curriculum for Excellence The Curriculum for Excellence is based round 4 capacities to develop Successful Learners Confident Individuals Responsible Citizens Effective contributors The principles of the new curriculum design are • • • • • • • Challenge and enjoyment Breadth Progression Depth Personalisation and Choice Coherence Relevance The Curriculum for Excellence has 8 curricular organisers: • • • • • • • • Expressive Arts Health and Wellbeing Languages Mathematics Religious and Moral Education Sciences Social Studies Technologies Expressive Arts Within the Nursery the Expressive Arts are very important in encouraging children to develop confidence in their own abilities. There are many opportunities within the Nursery environment to develop skills in model making, drawing, painting, collage and transitory art. We place a high importance on creativity and provide the children with access to a wide variety of media and choice in how they

express themselves. Role play is a vital part of the daily Nursery experience and a permanent house corner as well as a variety of other role play opportunities are available to allow all children to develop their personalities and ‘try out’ being someone else. It also helps them to understand the world around them The children have access to musical instruments within the Nursery and are encouraged to explore how sounds are made. In addition, they are encouraged to join in singing sessions and more organised group music times. The children are encouraged to be as creative as possible and a variety of resources are provided in order for them to do this. On occasions, we are also able to offer the children input from a specialist in the Expressive Arts. Health and Wellbeing Health and Wellbeing is a key curricular area. It is planned under three organisers: • • • Mental and Emotional wellbeing Social wellbeing Physical wellbeing Circle time and small group time provide

opportunities to discuss emotions and feelings and how to make and maintain friendships. Within mental and emotional health are challenges such as; getting on with different people, learning to take care of others, learning to cope with small upsets and being confident without parents present. The children take part in activities from the whole school resource ‘Be Resilient’. The materials allow children to develop their sense of self and resilience when facing challenges. They will also learn about who to ask for help, the importance of friendships and caring relationships, and being able to understand and name their feelings. The staff help the children to develop emotional literacy in many ways including singing songs asking “How are you feeling today?” Staff use a wide variety of opportunities to help the children understand the main messages of health and safety, particularly when involved in outdoor play. The children are encouraged to wash their hands before making or

eating snack and after a visit to the toilet. In line with good practice in Health Promotion in Nursery, all the children have the opportunity to practise brushing teeth . We have a hygienic system set up and resourced for us by the dental service, with each child having their own named brush stored safely This helps to establish good habits in the children for life. The staff model appropriate social behaviour and support the children in recognising and using these good behaviour patterns. Resolving disputes gives opportunities to learn how to compromise and share. We also teach about healthy eating through discussion and preparing healthy snacks. The children have the opportunity every day to play and learn outside. Once a week they use the PE hall to develop their physical health and also take part in the ‘weekly mile’. Languages Developing literacy in all its forms is the key to learning in all other areas of the curriculum. As a result, language has a high priority within

all areas of the Nursery environment and is promoted throughout the Nursery sessions. The children have access to a wide variety of books across the Nursery and staff read stories to them on a daily basis. Children are encouraged to experiment with mark-making and early writing and opportunities for this are provided in both the indoor and outdoor environment. Below are some examples of ways in which children are introduced to literacy. Reading • listening to stories, rhymes and poems • exploring sounds and letters • using puppets to dramatise stories • using an information book to find things out • asking questions about the story and characters • commenting on and interpreting illustrations • choosing books and developing preferences Writing • putting detail in drawings and paintings • using a variety of materials to mark make • holding a pencil correctly • understanding that writing is a way of communicating • dictating own stories and thoughts to adults for

scribing Listening and Talking • • • • • • • • • in group and Circle Time – turn taking and having my say at story time with peers listening to others , following and contributing to discussions understanding and following instructions talking with adults asking questions expressing feelings and opinions talking in front of others in big and small groups Mathematics A variety of provision within the Nursery ensures that children develop Mathematical understanding across all the Early Level outcomes. Children come to an understanding of volume and capacity through playing in the water and sand tray. They can create patterns with beads, buttons, small toys and in art work at the placing and arranging table. Using boxes and containers in junk modelling and the big and small bricks, develops a sense of shape. Many interesting activities which boost Mathematical knowledge are provided outside. Many other activities develop problem solving strategies and

opportunities to count are built into activities such as snack preparation and tidying up. The daily calendar task teaches days and seasons in order and numbers in dates. Curriculum areas covered: • • • • • • • • • understanding and using mathematical vocabulary counting including one to one correspondence recognising number symbols and their value problem solving understanding comparative size and length developing the concept of volume and capacity recognising basic 2D and 3D shapes putting objects into categories making patterns Religious and Moral Education Within the Nursery, children will have opportunities to discuss and celebrate some of the main Christian festivals and those of major world religions and respect others’ points of view. A big emphasis is on developing a sense of caring for others and learning how to share and cooperate with other children. Regular discussions help children to understand the concepts of fair and unfair. Sciences Through

experimenting with a wide range of materials within the Nursery, children start to develop their understanding of the nature of the world around them. Baking and playing with water, sand, snow, ice, gluck and other materials teaches an understanding of changing states. The Nursery garden and the wider neighbourhood gives opportunities to learn about living things, how they grow and what is needed to keep them healthy. They will experience learning outdoors in different weather and be encouraged to express how it makes them feel. Through the use of devices such as Big Books, cameras and videos children can record their thoughts and understanding on different scientific concepts. Staff help to develop a sense of experiment and inquiry by asking deep questions about the world around them and supporting children in moving on their understanding. Social Studies This area of the curriculum covers a wide range of topics that help the children to understand the world around them and

understand their place in it. The children will learn how to look after their environment and experiment with ways of representing it in drawing and models. Opportunities will be regularly provided to learn about the sort of jobs people do in the local area and to visit local landmarks and shops. Developing a sense of history will be covered through discussion of their past and their family and looking at objects from the past. Role play opportunities will allow the children to explore their understanding of living in the past. The Nursery follows the Eco Schools principles and the children are encouraged to develop their understanding of care for the environment and resources, including regularly recycling their paper waste. Technologies Within the Nursery, the children have access to a range of ICT resources including an interactive smartboard, i-pads and remote control Beebots. With support, they can use ipads to take photographs and record their learning and achievements Through

junk modelling children are given opportunities to explore how to fix and fasten different materials. This session, we are introducing a woodwork bench and will be supporting children with how to use a variety of tools. The children are also encouraged to recycle and are helped to develop an informed attitude to the use and reuse of materials. A wide variety of building materials in the Nursery environment encourage problem solving. OUTDOOR LEARNING The Curriculum for Excellence puts an emphasis on children learning in all areas of the curriculum through opportunities available outside. This provides rich opportunities for elemental play with the natural elements, helping to develop creativity and curiosity. It also provides open-ended problem solving and cooperative play. All children within our Nursery have free access to the outside area. The Nursery staff have also been developing approaches to outdoor learning that go beyond our outdoor area and now include forest nursery walks

and the use of St Margaret’s Park. GETTING IT RIGHT FOR EVERY CHILD Taking care of our childrens well-being and making sure they are alright helps us ensure the most positive outcomes for them later in life. It gives them the potential to grow up ready to succeed and play their part in society. Our School and Nursery adopts the ‘Getting It Right For Every Child in Edinburgh’ approach, to give the right help to children and families when they need it from a joined-up multi agency team. We offer an inclusive environment where children who may need extra help with their learning and development are supported within the Nursery, sometimes with an Additional Support Plan or Individual Educational Plan. On occasions children may be supported by an extra member of staff. We work with other agencies and professionals, for example, Social Work Services, Educational Psychological Services, National Health Service and you the parent to make decisions with regards to the best

possible education to meet the needs of your child within the resources available. BUILDING THE AMBITION We use the Building the Ambition document to inform our practice. It describes what is good practice in creating caring and nurturing settings that allow wellbeing, communication, curiosity, inquiry and creativity to flourish. We use this detailed practical guide to inform our planning thereby ensuring that we provide high quality learning experiences and interactions in our nursery. CHILD PROTECTION GUIDELINES Corstorphine Primary School Nursery is committed to working in partnership with parents. As well as constantly striving to build children’s self-esteem, resilience and confidence, we place a high importance on the safety and protection of children. Corstorphine Nursery has in place Child Protection Guidelines that all staff must follow where there are concerns about a child. Should any parent wish to see the Guidelines, these can be made available Finally, please do not

hesitate to contact us should you have any concerns about any aspect of your child’s Nursery experience or would like further information on any aspect of the Nursery curriculum. COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES If you are unhappy about any aspect of the Nursery, we would encourage you to speak to the Nursery teacher in the first instance. Most issues can be easily resolved by talking You can also ask to speak to Mrs Bracewell or Mrs Briggs. If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact the Advice and Conciliation Service at the Education Department or the Care Inspectorate. ADVICE & CONCILIATION SERVICE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT Waverley Court level 1/5 4 East Market Street Edinburgh EH8 8BG 0131 469 3233 Email – cf.complaints@edinburghgovuk CARE INSPECTORATE Stuart House Eskmill Musselburgh EH21 7BP 0131 653 4100 Information within this booklet was correct at December 2017. There may be changes to staffing and other details since this booklet was written. If you have any

queries not answered within this document, please contact the school on 0131 334 3865