Admissions

 

The nursery welcomes all children from our community regardless of ability, background, ethnicity, culture or religion.  Entry will be upon completion of the relevant registration documentation. Should the setting be full a waiting list will to be compiled.  We will consider all applications individually, taking into consideration the following: Child’s date of birth, distance the child lives from the Nursery, sibling already attending, date of registration on waiting list, number of sessions booked (at least 2 per week).

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Settling In

 

The Nursery believes that a partnership between parents and staff is important to help settle a child into Nursery.  Staff will work with parents to ensure that children are not distressed and use the following steps to aid settling in.

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Prior to starting, both child and parents are invited to visit for a whole or part session to help establish familiarity with the setting.  They will be shown around the building and will be able to play with the toys and other children.  Parents will be given the opportunity to ask any questions and to exchange information about their child with staff and the child’s keyperson.  They will be shown where to hang coats and leave personal possessions.

 

We recognise that some children will settle more easily than others.  Parents are welcome in Nursery at any time and can stay with their child for as long as needed in order to make the child feel happy and secure.  Advice will be given if staff feel it is appropriate that a parent try to leave their child.

 

The Nursery will not allow a child to become distressed and not be comforted.  If a child is distressed for a prolonged period (no more than 30 minutes) we will inform parents by telephone.  If staff believe that it is in the child’s best interest, they will ask the parent to return to Nursery.  If a child is distressed when parents depart, but later settles, we will also inform parents that their child is no longer distressed.  This helps establish a positive relationship with parents and to reassure them that their child is secure and happy. After a six week period, parents will be invited to meet with their child’s keyperson to discuss how the settling in period has progressed.

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Parental Involvement

 

The Nursery believes that parents/carers are the prime educators of their children and that they have a right to partnership in their child’s education.

 

We operate an informal “open door policy” and involve parents in the settling of their child into sessions.  We seek opportunities to share information about the child before s/he starts attending sessions.

 

We provide both formal and informal opportunities to share their child’s work, records and discuss their next steps in learning.  We involve parents in the planning process by asking them to share their child’s interests and learning styles or passions with staff or in a “Learning Journey’. Parents are fully informed of events and news in regular newsletters and invited to participate in social, fundraising events or invite parents/carers to share their skills with children and encourage volunteers into sessions. Parents are invited to join the Management Committee.

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Collection/Non-Collection of Child

 

Details of the person(s) with parental responsibility for the child and the name and contact numbers of three adults who will be responsible for the collection of the child from Nursery in an emergency.  A password known only to the Nursery and responsible adults.  Details of anyone who should not collect the child.

 

A child will only be handed over to the authorised person if the following procedures have been met in full. At the beginning of the session, the Manager or Deputy is advised of any changes to collection arrangements that day.

 

At the end of the session the password must be confirmed verbally by the Session Leader and responsible person. The authorised person collecting the child must give the password to the leader and proof of identity maybe requested.

 

In the event of a child remaining uncollected at the end of a session, or above procedure not being satisfied, after twenty minutes, the leader or Nursery will contact one of the three named authorised persons.

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If the Nursery is unable to reach any authorised person after a period of one hour then the session leader will contact Social Services – Salisbury Team or the out of hours emergency service.  

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Special Needs/Disability

 

We provide an environment in which all children are supported to reach their full potential.

 

Aims:

• We will have regard for the DfES Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (2014) and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001.

• We seek to ensure inclusion of all children in our provision.  Our admissions policy ensures equality of access and opportunity.

• We employ and train staff who are able to support parents and children with special educational needs (SEN)/disabilities. Provision for children with SEN is the responsibility of all staff

• We identify the specific needs of children with SEN/disabilities and meet those needs through a range of strategies.

• We monitor and review our practice and provision and, if necessary make adjustments

 

Methods:

• We employ a range of methods to implement the above aims.

• Our designated member of staff Kate Chorlton and Kim Hibberd is our special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) and will work with parents.

• We work closely with parents to create and maintain a positive partnership and to ensure that they are informed at all stages of the assessment, planning, provision and review of their children’s education. We ensure that parents are informed prior to commencement of SEN/disability support if there are any financial adjustments they will be asked to fund in the event of shortfall in 1:1 and/or additional funding.  We will work with

• parents to minimise any financial impact for themselves or the setting.

• We work with other professionals involved with SEN/disabilities and participate in multi agency meetings and procedures, for example, the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) and Local, District and Transition Inclusion Support Meetings.

 

We use the graduated response system for identifying, assessing and responding to children’s needs.  We provide a broad and balanced curriculum to meet individual needs and abilities and plan, monitor, evaluate and review individual educational plans (IEPs).

We ensure privacy of children when intimate care is provided.

We monitor and review our policy annually.

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Behaviour Management

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We strive to provide a warm, friendly environment which fosters and encourages positive behaviour; courtesy, consideration, respect for others, oneself, property and the environment. We recognise that for their own safety and that of their peers, children require set boundaries of behaviour.

 

We believe that children need to be encouraged to recognise that bullying, fighting, hurting as well as verbal abuse (such as making personal or racist comments) is not acceptable behaviour.  Children need to be supported in developing appropriate strategies to enable them to speak out and stand up for themselves so that adults and children will listen.

We believe that adults working in the Nursery are behavioural and linguistic role models for the children and we do not tolerate inappropriate examples.

 

Personal achievement and positive actions of children will be acknowledged and praised by staff.  This enhances self-esteem and confidence and which encourages children to see that they are respected and valued.

In cases where actions need to be taken to modify a child’s behaviour, the Nursery will work with the relevant parents/carers to ensure they support, and are kept fully informed about, the actions to be taken.  All discussions will be kept confidential.

 

Corporal punishment (for example, slapping, pushing, smacking or shaking) will never be acceptable and will not be used in the setting.  Shouting at and humiliation of children is also not acceptable.  However, in an emergency, it may be necessary to use restraining action to prevent personal injury or serious damage to property.  In this event, the action will be witnessed, documented and reported to the parent/carer and to the session leader or manager by staff.

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In extreme cases, the child will be removed from the classroom or outside play area until he/she has calmed down and has had time to reflect on their behaviour. 

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Parents/carers will be informed if their child is persistently unkind to others or if their child has been upset.  They will be asked to work with staff to ensure a consistent approach is taken at home and in the setting.  An agreed behaviour modification plan will be drawn up. In some cases, the Nursery may request additional advice and support from external professionals such as educational psychologists or child guidance counsellors.  If behaviour remains unacceptable, the Nursery reserves the right to restrict access to, or exclude the child from the setting.

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Contagious Diseases

 

We would appreciate parents’ co-operation in ensuring that children are fit to attend Nursery and cope with the day’s activities.

If your child becomes ill whilst in our care we will inform parents/carers immediately and they will be required to collect/arrange collection of their child straight away.

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Once they are well, they can return to Nursery unless they pose a risk of infection to others, in which case they should remain at home. Reoccurring head lice infestations will result in you being asked to collect your child and treat before returning back to nursery.

A list of exclusion periods after illness is available online.

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Fee Payment

 

Invoices are sent out monthly. A payment date, usually two weeks after date of issue, will be stated on the invoice.  A reminder will be issued after one week requesting payment of any outstanding balance. Fees should be paid before commencement of the following month.

 

If payment has not been received within two weeks from the date of the reminder, a meeting with the parent/carer will be set up to discuss payment arrangements. If not effort is made to repay the outstanding debt, them we reserve the right to withdraw the child’s unfunded Nursery place until monies are received. All discussions and payment arrangements will be held in strictest confidence.  We promote inclusion of all children and will help source and apply for grants and bursaries.

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Healthy Eating

 

The Nursery promotes healthy eating within sessions both at snack and at lunch times. Fresh drinking water will be available for children to drink at all times.  We will provide a choice of milk or water only to drink at snack time and water will be available at lunch time. Children with allergies will be provided with alternative foods should this be necessary. 

 

We do not provide squash drinks, fizzy drinks, sweets, crisps or food with high saturated fat, processed sugar or salt content.  Parents will be asked not to provide the above in lunch boxes.  Staff will promote healthy eating at lunch times by encouraging children to eat sandwiches, fruits and savoury foods before any sweet item. The Nursery reserves the right to remove fizzy drinks and sweets from lunch boxes and replace with fruit and water if available.

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Equality and Diversity

 

Old Sarum Nursery is committed to providing equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children and families.

We aim to: Provide a secure environment in which all our children can flourish and in which all contributions are valued.

Include and value the contribution of all families to our understanding of equality and diversity. Provide positive non-stereotyping information about different ethnic groups and people with disabilities. Improve our knowledge and understanding of issues of equality and diversity. Make inclusion a thread which runs through all the activities at Nursery. The Nursery has a named person with responsibility for monitoring and reviewing this policy. We have special regard to equality and diversity in respect of:

Admissions, Employment, Training, Curriculum, Meetings and Food provided.

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Complaints Procedure

 

We aim to provide the highest quality care and education for all children who attend Old Sarum Nursery.  We believe that all children and parents are entitled to expect courtesy and prompt, careful attention to their needs and wishes.  Many concerns can be resolved quickly by an informal approach to the appropriate member of staff.  If this does not achieve the desired result, the following procedures should be used:

1. A parent who is uneasy about any aspect of the group’s provision should first of all talk over any worries or anxieties with the deputy and then the Manager.

2. If this does not have a satisfactory outcome within an agreed period of time, or if the problem recurs, the parent should put the concerns or complaint in writing to the Manager or the Management Committee Chair.

3. The next stage is to request a meeting with the Manager and the Chair.  Both parents and Manager should have a friend or partner present if required and an agreed written record of the discussion should be made and signed.

 

Most complaints should be resolved informally or at this initial stage.  If the matter is still not sorted out to the parents’ satisfaction, the parent should:

1. Contact the Committee Chair again.  At this stage it may be helpful to invite an external mediator, one who is acceptable to both parties, to become involved.

2. When the mediator has concluded his/her investigations, a final meeting will be held between the parent, Manager, Committee Chair and the mediator.  The purpose of this meeting is to reach a decision on the action to be taken to deal with the complaint.

All discussions will be kept confidential. A record of all meetings will be kept and signed by all concerned.

 

The Role of the Ofsted Early Years Directorate and Local Safeguarding Children’s Board.

Parents may approach Ofsted directly at any stage of this complaints procedure.  Details of the address and freephone number are displayed on the Nursery noticeboard. We believe most complaints are made constructively and can be sorted at an early stage.  We also believe that it is in the best interests of the Nursery and parents that complaints should be taken seriously and dealt with fairly and in a way which respects confidentiality.

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Child Protection

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We aim to create an environment which encourages children to develop a positive self image, to establish and sustain satisfying relationships within their families, with peers and other adults, to encourage a sense of autonomy and independence, self confidence and vocabulary to resist inappropriate approaches.  We aim to work with parents to build their understanding of and commitment to the welfare of all our children.

 

Our designated person who co-ordinates child protection issues is Angela Riley.

Our designated officer (member of the management team) who oversees this work is Libby Gold.

 

We ensure all staff are trained to understand our safeguarding policies and procedures and parents are made aware of them too.

All staff have an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues.

We provide adequate and appropriate staffing resources to meet the needs of children.

Applicants for posts within the provision are clearly informed that the positions are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Candidates are informed of the need to carry out 'enhanced disclosure' checks with the Criminal Records Bureau before posts can be confirmed. Where applications are rejected because of information that has been disclosed, applicants have the right to know and to challenge incorrect information.

We abide by Ofsted requirements in respect of references and Criminal Record Bureau checks for staff and volunteers, to ensure that no disqualified person or unsuitable person works at the provision or has access to the children.

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Liaison with other bodies:

We work within the Wiltshire Local Safeguarding Children Board’s guidelines.

We notify the registration authority (Ofsted) of any incident or accident and any changes in our arrangements which affect the wellbeing of children.

We have procedures for contacting the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) on child protection issues, including maintaining a list of names, addresses and telephone numbers of the area LADO and social workers, to ensure that it is easy, in any emergency, for the Nursery and social services to work well together.

 

Methods:

We have a named person on the staff team and committee who are responsible for child protection issues. We abide by Ofsted’s requirements  in respect of references and police checks for staff and volunteers.  Candidates are informed of this beforehand.  Volunteers and students do not work unsupervised.

We abide by the Protection of Children Act requirements in respect of anyone who is dismissed from our employment, or resigns in circumstances that would lead to dismissal for reasons of child protection concerns. The Nursery has defined and formalised procedures for responding to suspicions of abuse,

disclosure of abuse, the recording and reporting of abuse.

We seek out training opportunities for all adults working in the Nursery to ensure that they recognise signs of possible physical, emotional and sexual abuse and neglect.  We ensure all staff are aware of local authority guidelines and that they know procedures for reporting and recording their concerns.

 

We ensure that all parents know how to complain about staff or volunteer action within the Nursery, which may include allegations of abuse.

 

We follow the guidance of the Local Area Safeguarding Officer when investigating any complaint that a member of staff or volunteer has abused a child.

 

All suspicions and investigations are kept confidential and shared only with those who need to know.

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Protecting Your Data 

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We are committed to ensuring that any personal data we hold about you and your child is protected in accordance with data protection laws and is used in line with your expectations.

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The attached privacy notice (click here) explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it and how we protect it.

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