Cranford Infant and Nursery School Brochure
CRANFORD INFANT AND NURSERY SCHOOL BROCHURE
Dear Parents,
Welcome to Cranford Infant & Nursery School.
It is important to make the right choice for your child. This brochure has been especially written to provide you with the necessary information and to help you understand what we have to offer.
At Cranford Infant & Nursery School, we provide a happy, caring and safe environment for your child. We work hard to ensure that your child’s experience of school is a positive one and one which encourages a love of learning from the start.
Children in our school come from different cultural backgrounds, they have different religions and they speak different languages. We celebrate and value this diversity. We encourage the children to be proud of their own culture, religion and language and to show respect for those of others.
The curriculum in the school is well planned with a priority given to developing high standards of literacy and numeracy. Our work is supported by a good level of resources and additional staffing to meet the individual needs of the children.
A positive partnership with parents is vital in achieving our aims. Home and school must work together and we need your support and co-operation. In return, we hope you will find the school welcoming, willing to listen and willing to respond to your questions, concerns or suggestions.
At present we have a number of staff who can speak languages other than English. These include Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, French and Portuguese. Staff will always be happy to translate for parents when needed.
M Walia Head teacher
CRANFORD INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL
BERKELEY AVENUE
CRANFORD
MIDDLESEX
TW4 6LB
HEADTEACHER:Mrs. M. Walia
DEPUTY HEADTEACHER:Mrs. S. J. Rayner
ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER:Mrs K. Briggs
CHAIR OF GOVERNORS:Mr. A. Chaudri
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR:Mrs. P. Gill
WELFARE ASSISTANT:Mrs. S. Samuels
TELEPHONE NUMBER:020 8759 0305
FASCIMILE NUMBER:020 8754 0208
E-MAIL:
WEBSITE:
Corporate Director: Ms Judith Pettersen
Childrens Services and Lifelong Learning
Civic Centre
Lampton Road
Hounslow
Middlesex
TW3 4DN
Telephone Number: 020 8583 2000
ENVIRONMENT
CranfordInfant School was moved to its present site in 1937 from a small building on the Bath Road. It shares the site with CranfordJuniorSchool. A Nursery Unit was purpose built in 1971 and two mobile classrooms were added in 1975. The school is now over 70 years old, but every effort is made to maintain it to a high standard.
The Early Years areas are arranged to allow for the wide variety of activities which take place. They are well-resourced with equipment suitable for the age of the children and which reflects the backgrounds and culture of the children. There is a safe Early Years playground where the children are able to play with a range of equipment including bicycles and a fitness trail. There is a covered outside area which allows for outdoor learning.
Due to our proximity to London Heathrow and the resulting levels of noise, we were provided with a new roof and double glazed windows and doors by BAA.
The school has good facilities including a large assembly and dining hall, an ICT suite, a community room and nine well equipped classrooms and nursery each with at least two computers and access to the Internet. Each class has an interactive white board. There is also a well resourced base for language support and a special needs room.
We are aware of the need for good security and the school has installed security systems and CCTV on the entrance doors near the classrooms and on other locations around the school site. This allows the doors to be locked shut during the school day and additionally allows us to monitor the whole site from the school office.
Outside, there is a conservation area. The large playground, which we share with the JuniorSchool, has been landscaped and marked out with games for the children to play. In the summer of 2005 a fitness trail based on soft surface was installed. There is also a large playing field bordered by trees. There are covered areas outside some of the classrooms in the playground to allow the use of this space for teaching. Near to the entrances to the classrooms there are shelters and bicycle/scooter racks
CHILDREN’S CENTRE
Cranford Children’s Centre was completed in May 2008 and is now open for use by the community. The centre has two buildings and is one of 14 centres in Hounslow.
Children’s Centres are a new way of supporting families with children under 5. The centre aims to improve the outcomes for local children. The Centre will provide a “Core Offer” of services that are designed to meet the needs of the community.
A privately run Nursery will provide care from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm 5 days a week throughout the year.
Community Lounge
The Community Lounge offers families a warm friendly environment where they can access a range of services.
The Centre will have links with Jobcentre Plus and will provide advice on training and courses. It will also be able to offer a range of courses for Adult Learners (ESOL and computer classes).
The Primary Care Trust will offer services such as Ante/Post Natal Care, baby clinic, breast feeding support, healthy eating and parenting programmes.
Outreach Services will be established to enable families to access services.
A Baby, Toddler and Parent Group plus stimulating activities in Stay and Play sessions will also be on offer.
The Breakfast Club is also held in the Community Lounge.
ADMISSIONS
Prospective parents are very welcome to visit the school with their child and, if you can make an appointment in advance, the Head Teacher will be very pleased to show you around the school. Appointments can be made through the School Office.
Admission at the Beginning of the School Year
NurseryChildren are admitted part time to the Nursery at the beginning of the school year in which they become four following the offer of a place by the school.
ReceptionChildren are admitted to our full time Reception classes at the beginning of the school year in which they become five following the offer of a place by Hounslow Council.
Please note that the school year begins on 1st September and ends on 31st August.
The school operates ‘staggered’ admission arrangements for both Nursery and Reception. Children entering Year 1 or Year 2 at the beginning of the school year would start on the first day of the term.
Admissions Throughout the Year
Children are admitted at any time during the school year to classes where there are vacancies.
If the number of children seeking admission at the beginning of the year, or during the year, exceeds the number of places available, then priority will be given in accordance with the criteria published by the London Borough of Hounslow.
The school will try and arrange interpreter help at the time of the admission interview when and where this is possible.
From September 1999 the maximum full time school roll is 270.
Transfer from the Nursery to Reception is not automatic and places will be allocated according to criteria published by the London Borough of Hounslow.
Children start the Infant school in Reception and then move on to Year 1 and then to Year 2. At the end of Year 2 parents have to apply for a place for their child in the JuniorSchool. The JuniorSchool is a separate school, although it is on the same site.
TIMES
Nurserya.m. 8.45 – 11.45
p.m. 12.45 – 3.45
Infant Schoola.m. 8.50 – 12.00 p.m.
p.m. 1.20 – 3.30 p.m.
These times provide approximately 21 teaching hours per week for the Infant School, excluding registration, the daily act of worship, breaktimes and lunchtimes. The school is open for 190 days per year for children. Each year, there are five staff Training days and one day which is taken, as an occasional day’s holiday if the school is not needed as a Polling Station. A list of holiday dates for the current year is available separately.
Please make sure your child is brought to school in the morning and collected in the afternoon on time. In the interest of the children’s safety, please wait with them in the morning until staff arrive. Collecting children on time in the afternoon is also important, as they can get very upset if they think they have been left.
Children should be brought to school and collected from school by a responsible person. Please let the school know in advance if someone different is collecting your child from school. The school will not let a child go home with someone they do not know unless they have been told of a change in arrangements in advance.
Attendance
Please make every effort to ensure your child attends regularly as good attendance is very important. When your child is absent from school, please let us know immediately the reason by letter, telephone or verbal message. If you do not inform us then the school will contact you initially by text and then followed up by a phone call later that day. Our registration system is web based and this means we can monitor attendance closely. If a child is frequently absent, we will follow this up and we will involve our Education Welfare Officer. If your child is absent for any reason apart from hospital appointment, evidence of illness or family emergency then this will be marked in the register as an unauthorised absence.
Regulations about term time holiday are now much stricter. It is expected that families will take their holidays during the school holidays. Any period of unauthorised leave may trigger a Fixed Penalty Warning letter. As from September 2002, the Governing Body has agreed that no holiday leave during term time will be granted.
Punctuality
The entrance doors are now opened at 8.50 a.m. to help children to be prompt into class at 8.50 a.m. The doors are then shut at 9.00 a.m. Any children and parents arriving after this time will have to enter the school through the main entrance doors. A ‘late book’ will then have to be signed indicating the reason for being late. The school will involve the Education Welfare Officer where children are persistently late. Catchment area map
SCHOOL COLOURS
The school has a school uniform which all children are encouraged to wear.
The school colours are dark green and grey:
- grey trousers, skirt or pinafore dress
- white shirt, blouse or t-shirt
- green jumper, cardigan or sweatshirt
- a sensible pair of shoes that your child can put on and take off with the minimum of help
Sweatshirts and t-shirts with the school logo on are available by order through the school. Order forms are held in the school office.
Please make sure you put your child’s name in his/her clothes to avoid any confusion. A box for lost property is kept in the Medical Room.
For P.E. lessons your child will need:
- good fitting plimsolls
- a white t-shirt or vest
- a pair of black shorts or leggings
N.B. No Jewellery
P.E. clothing should be clearly labelled with your child’s name. It should be kept in a bag on your child’s peg during term time.
School Uniform Shop
Items of school uniform are available to buy. Shop opening times are:
3.15 to 3.45 pm on Tuesdays
8.45 to 9.15 am on Thursdays
HEALTH AND WELFARE
All staff will do their best to ensure that children are kept safe and well in school. The Welfare Assistant deals with minor accidents and illness during the school day with the lunchtime supervisors being particularly responsible at lunchtimes. However, if your child is injured or is really unwell then we will contact you by telephone.
To help us it is very important that you make sure the school has your
telephone number and that you inform us immediately of any changes to your home, work or emergency numbers.
In the interest of the children’s safety, the Nursery staff need to know who will be bringing and collecting your child each day. If you are unable to come please inform the Nursery staff as they will not let your child go home with someone they do not know unless they have been told in advance.
The school has a number of staff who are qualified first aiders.
Height and Weight Checks and Hearing tests are carried out during the Reception year and dental checks are carried out for all groups.
The School Nurse can be contacted through the school office and she is happy to answer any questions and concerns parents may have.
The school does not give medication to children except for medicines related to asthma or if a child is on long term medication for a particular illness. In this case parents will be asked to complete a medication form indicating what the child has to take, when and how much. A record is kept of all medications given.
The health and safety of all children and adults on the school site is extremely important and the following items are intended to assist in this:
- Only stud earrings and essential items of jewellery with religious significance should be worn in school. They need to be covered during P.E.
- Children are supervised in the playground at all times during the school day, but we would ask that children do not play on playground apparatus before or after school when unsupervised
- In the interest of safety please be considerate in your parking outside the school and where possible leave the car at home. We would advise parents not to park on the zig zag yellow lines as they may incur a penalty for doing so.
- The school site is a no smoking area
- Dogs are not allowed on the school premises
The school carries out regular health and safety checks. If you should see something that is a risk to children or adults please inform the school office immediately.
SCHOOL MEALS/REFRESHMENTS
School meals are prepared in the JuniorSchool and they offer a fully nutritional and balanced diet. There are a choice of meals available each day. If your child does not eat certain foods for any reason please make sure we know. Vegetarian meals are on the menu everyday.
Please send dinner money for the week to school on a Monday morning in a purse or envelope with your child’s name and class on it. If your child will be arriving late, please let us know as it is difficult to order school meals after 10.00 a.m.
Children may bring a packed lunch to school instead of having a school dinner. Drinking water is provided for all children. Children may also go home for lunch. Children should be collected at 12 noon and returned to their lunchtime supervisor between 1.15 p.m and 1.20 p.m.
Each class has its own lunchtime supervisor who is responsible for supervising the children while they eat their lunch and also while they are at play in the playground. The lunchtime supervisors work very closely with the teaching staff, but any problems which arise during the lunchtime will initially be dealt with by them.
Children are able to have a carton of milk each day and this has to be ordered in advance of a new term. A letter will be sent out to let parents know when milk has to be ordered. Children are allowed to bring an alternative drink if they are unable to drink milk for medical reasons. At other times during the day parents are encouraged to provide a small bottle of water for their child to drink when he/she feels thirsty.
If you receive income support you are entitled to free school meals and milk. Please enquire at the school office for more details.
A piece of fruit is provided for your child every day, please let us know if your child is allergic to any fruit.
BEHAVIOUR
We aim to create an environment in which children feel happy, secure and confident and in which children are able to learn how to read and write, how to discover, how to play together and how to make things. Our expectation is that each child should develop a positive self image. We also expect the children and adults in the school to show, in the way they behave, that they value and respect each other as individuals. Therefore, racist or sexist behaviour, or any other behaviour which undervalues or offends, is unacceptable in our school. We use a social skills programme to encourage the children to think independently and take responsibility of their own actions. Incidents of inappropriate behaviour, bullying and aggression will be responded to by all staff in accordance with school guidelines. Our most important task is to educate the children at our school. We need parental support to ensure that children become independent, self-disciplined and responsible as this behaviour benefits society as a whole. At the beginning of the year, the classes set rules for behaviour in the classroom and these are displayed for everyone to see and to refer to, as necessary.