PROSPECTUS
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PROSPECTUS
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Welcome
to CLOCKHOUSE PLAYGROUP We are run by a committee of
parents and ex-members of staff. The playgroup
is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance. We hope for a lot of parental involvement both on the committee and in our day to day
sessions. We have three regular staff members each morning and always welcome parents who want
to come in and help, learn or simply play. We hope that you and your children will make many new friends and spend many happy hours with us. Before children start school they need to mix with other children and adults to learn
essential skills to prepare them for life in the classroom and playground. They
also need somewhere to get messy, something that may be more difficult to do regularly at home. We are committed to the principles of Learning through Play and have adopted the scheme of Early Learning Goals as issued by the Dept. of Education. An outline of this scheme
is included in this prospectus with an outline of the activities we provide to help the children develop. DAILY TIMETABLE/ROUTINE: 9.30am-10.30am First Half The first half of
the morning is given over to quiet table and floor based activities, running and shouting are not allowed and children are
encouraged to sit and play with whatever they choose from what is available or are offered an opportunity to choose their
own activity by looking at our photo based choosing book. Activities available
in the first half of the morning include: Sand-encourages co-operation and sharing, It gives opportunities for chatting andstrengthening fingers ready for writing.
It stimulates imagination and teaches properties of substances, wet, dry, etc. Painting- an emotional outlet yet relaxing at the same time. It develops hand to eye co-ordination, develops knowledge
of colours and mixing colours, textures etc. Construction
toys -develop co-operation and sharing skills. They develop hand to eye co-ordination and develop
small muscles and experience building in 3 dimensions Playdough Develops co-operation and sharing skills and develops fine
muscle control and language around table. Learning shapes, colours and materials. Develops imagination and creativity and
help the children express themselves Sticking - develops concentration and following simple instructions in a sequence and achieving something that is admired
at home. It improves hand to eye co-ordination and language development, fine muscle control using scissors, spreaders etc. Develops imagination and creativity and helps the children express themselves Computer
- basic IT skills, pc microscope for discovering mini-beasts. Home corner- Social skills practice, role playing, sharing, taking turns etc. Book corner – a range of stories and factual books with comfy cushions to lie and read, Small world
play - dolls houses, toy cars, trains, farm and zoo animals all extend the imagination, develop
small muscles and encourage playing together. Maths table – a wide variety of maths based toys and equipment to teach all aspects of numeracy and problem solving Other activities: cooking, stencils, jigsaws. - water play, early science – magnets, optics etc tracing, colouring, 10.30 Tidy-up time. All the children are encouraged
to join in tidying up the mornings activities. This encourages helping and working as a group. An opportunity to get noticed
and chosen for important milk time jobs. 10.40 Milk time - opportunities for children
to do important jobs like handing out cups or snacks. A chance for group discussion about many topics, to look at books covering
different cultures or other topical subjects. A chance for the children to learn to sit quietly or to join in if they wish. 10.50 Singing Time.
Singing songs in a group or solo, dancing, making music, playing
with rhythm. Alphabet songs, number songs and nursery rhymes. 11.00
– 11.45 Second Half Climbing frames,
slides, tunnels, balance bars and wobble boards all develop major muscle strength,
increase confidence and health. Cars, skates, scooters and bikes need co-operation and sharing skills as well as balance and strength, a
noisy play time develops essential skills ready for the school playground. 11.45 Story
Time Sitting quietly listening
to a story or getting actively involved. Learning about safety and about the
world, 12.00 Home
Time STAFF PROFILES: SARAH: Playgroup founder. Worked at Playgroup since 1989. Working towards Level 5 (Degree level) Has three children now aged 20-29. MARK: Worked at Clockhouse Playgroup since 1989. Qualified to level 3.
Has three children now aged 15 – 20. YVONNE: Worked at Playgroup since 2004. Qualified to level 4, working towards level 5 (Degree level). Has two children
now aged 8-11. IRENE: Originally started work with playgroup in 1989, rejoined staff in 2005 as SIPS worker. Qualified to Level 3. Has two children
now aged 25 - 30 WE ASK
FOR PARENTS’ CO-OPERATION IN THE FOLLOWING ILLNESS Advising
the Playgroup Leader of any infectious illness Preventing
the spread of illness by keeping at home any child who has been unwell for at least 24hrs after he/ she has recovered. SAFETY Advising the leader
if anyone other than a parent is taking their child home. CLOTHING Please send your child in old clothing because although aprons are provided, glue and
paint often finds their way onto uncovered parts, (especially when you are 3 years old) Tip: If clothes do get glue on them soak in cold water as hot water sets the glue making
it harder to remove. In the summer we often have water play outside,
plastic shoes i.e. ‘jellies’ are the most suitable for this. Please dress your child in clothes he/she can undo themselves when going to the toilet.
Dungarees or one piece body warmers are generally unsuitable as they can cause
‘accidents’. We do have spare clothes if necessary. Please enusre that your child is wearing shoes suitable for using the climbing frame
- long dresses are also unsuitable for climbing In the
interests of safety only stud earrings should be worn. You
are welcome to stay and settle your child for as long as necessary but we find that most children settle quickly once their
parents have left provided they say goodbye. BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT Corporal punishment, including
smacking, slapping and shaking, are not used in any circumstances. A child is
only physically restrained if it is necessary to prevent injury. Even then, it
is at the most minimal level. The use of violence or
abuse by staff towards a child could lead to the instigation of disciplinary procedures. 1. Whenever possible good behaviour should be ensured by praise and discussion.
Where this is not
possible the reasons for a sanction should be clear and it should be in proportion to the nature of the offence. 2.
Poor behaviour can be caused by tiredness or over excitement. In this case it is best to give the child some 'timeout'. That is isolate them from the rest of the group and allow them to rest or pursue a
quieter activity. Our disciplinary code
of practice for dealing with behaviour which is unsociable of likely to cause injury to other children or staff is:- To calm
the situation down and find out what has happened; explain why their behaviour is unacceptable and to try for an apology..
Under
no circumstances is a child put outside, shut in a room or left unsupervised.
3. At other times children may be excluded from a particular activity or prevented from using a toy or a piece
of equipment. Such sanctions are applied immediately and not continued unnecessarily. Young children have short memories and
the point would be lost. If a child persistently hurts or endangers other children they will be asked to ‘take time
out’ for a few minutes and be talked to. 4. On no account are children deprived of a drink or biscuit as a sanction. 5. Children are never threatened. Phrases like 'Wait until
I tell your mother' are never used. A
parent will usually be informed by the group Leader of any unacceptable behaviour 6. Some children may come from families experiencing problems and may exhibit quite disturbed behaviour. Staff should acquaint themselves with any particular problems and take them into account. Where a child's behaviour is of great concern it should
be discussed with the parents by the group Leader. If this does not produce a
satisfactory conclusion the Registration and Inspection Officer can provide advice or make suggestions as to organisations
who can.
. Any
staff administering discipline of an unacceptable nature will receive instant dismissal. The pre-school recognises
that children come from different types of family background and have an equal love and concern for their children. The pre-school offers
a flexible payment scheme for families with differing means. All children will be respected
and their individuality and potential recognised, valued and nurtured. Activities and the use of play equipment offer children
opportunities to develop in an environment free from prejudice and discrimination. Children will be encouraged to explore,
acknowledge and value similarities and differences between themselves and others. These will be chosen to
give children a balanced view of the world and an appreciation of the rich diversity of our multi-racial society. Materials will be selected
to help children to develop their self-respect and to respect other people by avoiding stereotypes and derogatory pictures
or messages about any group of people. The pre-school recognises
the wide range of special needs of children and families in their community and will consider what part it will play in meeting
these needs. Planning for pre-school
meetings and events will take into account the needs of people with disabilities. The Special Educational Needs child must be educated alongside mainstream children where possible These are unacceptable
in the pre-school . All children/workers are
encouraged to be responsible for their choice of words. The response will aim
to be sensitive to the feelings of the victim(s) and to help those responsible to understand and overcome their prejudices. Information,
written and spoken, will be clearly communicated in as many languages as necessary. Bilingual/multilingual children and adults
are an asset. They will be valued and their languages recognised and respected
in the pre-school. Many
festivals are acknowledged. Christmas is celebrated within the Playgroup. Notification of the nativity play/carol service will be given in advance to enable
you to withdraw your child should you wish to do so. We are
happy to celebrate birthdays. If you would like to bring in special biscuits
or cakes, (WITHOUT NUTS) on your child’s birthday we would be delighted to make that days milk time special for them. The pre-school is open
to every family in the community. The waiting list is not operated on a first
come, first served basis, but on a fairer system. We use the following system
for accepting children from the waiting list: - Arranging the waiting
list in order of date of birth rather than the date of enrolment and we are happy to negotiate with the Registering Body for
a dispensation regarding permitted numbers in case of emergencies. We do this so that we
do not exclude people who don't 'get in early' because they don't know the system. e.g. a. first-time parents. b. people from racial/cultural groups to whom the world of pre-schools and their methods are unfamiliar. c. people whose first language is not English or who may be unable to read or respond to publicity materials. d. childminders, who may not have detailed information about specific children a long time in advance. e. people who have not lived near the
group for long. (families moving to seek employment, traveller
families and others without a permanent address,
families in bed and breakfast accommodation) f. children whose need is urgent. The
pre-school is responsible for ensuring that all families are fully aware of its equal opportunities policy. The
Pre-school is open to every family in the community and children wishing to attend the Pre-school with a Special Educational
Need will go through the same process as all other children attending the Pre-school.
An occasional outing may be arranged in the summer term.
Information regarding the outing will be available beforehand and you will be required to sign a permission slip giving
authorisation for your child. Parental help is essential on these occasions. If a parent
fails to collect a child from Pre-school the following procedure will take place: 1. The child must have two members
of staff with them at all times. 2. One adult must reassure the
child. 3. The Leader or the Deputy Leader
will try to contact the parents or the carer on the telephone. If contact cannot
be made with parents or the carer then Staff will contact the emergency telephone numbers kept on file. 4. If contact with parents, carers
or emergency contacts cannot be made the Pre-school will contact the Social Services Duty Officer and inform them of the situation. A decision will be taken as to where the child should be taken. 5. If the child has to be driven
somewhere the driver must have proper insurance cover and make sure the child has a seat belt.
If possible a member of staff will stay with the child to reassure them. 6. The registering body of Ofsted
must be advised and the Chair of the Pre-school Deacon Pat Soule, as to the actions that have been taken as soon as possible. 7. A record of the incident will
be kept including names and times of contact with parent, carers and emergency numbers. 8. The Leader or Deputy Leader
will continue to contact the parent/carers to advise them what they have done or leave a note on the front door of the Pre-school. Parents will be asked to contact The Duty Officer at Social Services. Contact Numbers: Duty Officer,
Social Services –
020 8464 3333
Registering Body Ofsted –
020 7560 7004
Chair Rev Angela Shier-Jones
0208 658 6484 STAFF MUST BE INFORMED IF SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE NAMED PEOPLE ARE TO COLLECT CHILDREN. IF PARENTS DO NOT DO THIS STAFF MAY REFUSE TO LET A CHILD LEAVE THE PREMISES PROCEDURES FOR WHEN A CHILD LEAVES THE PRE-SCHOOL
UNACCOMPANIED We wish to assure parents
this should never happen however the Pre-school needs to have in place a system for the protection of children. In order to safeguard
all children the Pre-school will ensure that: · All exits from the premises will be locked/guarded, in a way, which makes it
impossible for a child to leave unobserved/unattended, while allowing rapid exit for the whole group in the case of an emergency. · An accurate and up-to-date register will be kept of both adults and children,
including visitors. · The pre-school will ensure that children and their parents know where they
may and may not go. · All children in the group will know the rules regarding safety and the
reasons for them. · Prominent notices will alert any parents and visitors to the need to
keep doors closed and locked and the reason for this. · Parents and staff will work together for the safety of all the children in
the Pre-school. Parents should alert a member of staff if they notice a child
whose behaviour suggests that s/he might be thinking of trying to leave. As a
professional child care establishment we are expected to report any forms of suspected abuse that may become apparent whilst
the child is in our care. Should
you have any complaints please contact the Playgroup Leader. If you wish to take
any complaint further please contact the Ofsted on 0845 601 4772 who will advise you on the best course of action. You are also at liberty to contact Social Services Complaints Department if you would prefer to do so.. If you
have any queries or points of concern please do not hesitate to ask the Playgroup Leader,
or the Bromley Pre-school Learning Alliance representative, or the Chair. A
full list of Committee members is on the notice board. Our
Group is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance. It is registered to accommodate 24 children with the Local Authority
and is inspected annually. We are
allowed to accept children from the age of 2yrs 6mnths, to a maximum of 12.5% of our registered number ; the other 87.5% (21)
must be over 3 yrs of age. The
children must be toilet trained. We are open for 4 sessions each week. Monday,
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. from 9.30 am to 12.00 pm, term time only. and are closed during the state school holiday periods. Fees
are £4.00 per session, payable half termly in advance. Refunds are not made for
absences. (Fees payable for a long term absence are negotiable) Cheques should be made out to Clockhouse Playgroup. We offer
a flexible payment system for families having difficulties meeting fees - please talk to the Playgroup leader as we are well
aware that families may have problems at home e.g. relationships, financial, benefits or housing and may well be able to help
with advice etc. From
the term after your child’s 3rd birthday fees are paid by the Government unless your child also attends another setting
in which case we may need to charge you. Should
you wish to remove your child from the Playgroup a half terms notice is required, otherwise a half terms fees will be charged. Milk,
water, biscuits and fruit are provided during the morning. As part of our Being
Healthy Policy we encourage chidren to try new fruits and snacks throughout the year.
If your child has special dietary needs please inform the Playgroup Leader. The
Playgroup Leader reserves the right at his or her absolute discretion to terminate any contract or to refuse renewal of any
contract for a further term. How can I help my child at Playgroup? Get
to know us before your child starts to attend so that you both have a chance
to get used to it. We always welcome visitors. Stay
with your child until he or she feels comfortable without you. Take
an interest in what goes on and what they do so that you can talk about it with
your child at home Stay
and join in with our activities if you can.
Your child will be pleased, you will understand more about what happens during a Playgroup session and you will certainly
enjoy yourself. Talk
to the staff about your child. We can tell you what your child has been doing that day so you can talk about it with them.
Children invariably forget what they have done at school that day. Keep
the Playgrroup informed about any factors at home that may be affecting the child's behaviour: new babies, family crisis etc. Let
us know of any of your childs achievements so we can talk about them and add them to our records. Both
the Playgroup staff and the Church are happy to offer help, support and advice to parents with difficulties of any kind. Confidentiality will be respected. · Make time to talk through what your child has done that day. · Share books, songs and games with your child, and talk about them together. · Encourage your child to use pens, pencils, chalk, paints and simple tools such
as scissors. · Talk to your child, introducing new words whenever you can. Children learning English as an additional language need first to develop confidence in their home language. · Help your child to recognise shapes, colours, numbers and words in familiar
places such as food packets, street signs and advertisements. · Provide opportunities for your child to investigate and ask questions about
the world around. · Write your child's name and help them to recognise it. · Introduce the language of counting during activities such as cooking and shopping. · Provide opportunities for running, climbing and chasing. · Let your child enjoy and invent sounds,
words, songs, music and rhymes. · Bear in mind that schools use lower case letters ie abc rather than capital
letters in writing and also use sounds (phonics ) rather than letters
in reading. · Try to observe what your child is capable of doing, then try to show them something
a bit harder or more difficult. Learning takes place in little steps the order of which vary with individuals The
Playgroup does not accept responsibility for
anything lost at the Hall; coats, pushchairs etc. are left entirely at the owners risk. For further information about the Pre-school Group contact: Sarah Campbell Tel: 0208 663
6149 during Playgroup sessions or 0208 402 9114 at other times There is also a Parent and Toddler group which is held on Tuesdays from 10.00am to 12.00pm For further information about the Parent and Toddler Group contact Sarah. PLAYDOUGH RECIPE: 1 CUP SALT 2 CUPS WATER 1 TABLESPOON OF OIL 1 TABLESPOON OF CREAM OF TARTAR FOOD COLOURING Mix thoroughly in saucepan. Stir constantly over a low heat until mixture leaves the sides
of the pan (note this gets to be hard work) Store in airtight container in the fridge |
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