Welcome to

Our Lady’s Pre-School

c/o Our Lady’s School

Oxford Road

Cowley

Oxford

OX4 2LF

Telephone: 01865 749629

Email:

What is Pre-School?

It is well known that the early experiences of young children have a profound and lasting effect on their learning. Pre-school therefore is not only just to prepare children for beginning school but a starting point for children’s learning.

The key thing to remember is that pre-school is a place where children learn through play in a safe and happy setting.

Pre-school is an opportunity for children to develop friendships through taking part in activities together whilst in a fun and educational environment as they gain confidence and have lots of chances to explore basic materials.

There are endless ways for children to discover the world around them as well as acquiring new skills. This may be through reading books, dancing to music, digging in the sandpit, building models together or even creating their very own work of art!

Here at Our Lady’s Pre-school, we try to make children’s play challenging but relevant too. If they think the doll’s clothes are dirty, we wash them. It is our job to encourage and teach all children to develop their own individual skills to enable them to have the emotional, social and educational skills needed to progress in their school life.

About Us

Our Lady’s Pre-School was established in 1982 and is a non-profit making organisation, registered and supervised by Oxfordshire County Council Social Services Department, in line with the Children’s Act 1989, and is a member of the Pre School Learning Alliance (PLA). We are inspected regularly by the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED). (A copy of our latest inspection report is available on our website).

We closely follow the principles of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage 2012 (EYFS) namely:

  • A Unique Child
  • Positive Relationships
  • Enabling Environments
  • Learning and Development

The Staff

Supervisor & Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO)
Maria O'Connor
Deputy Supervisor & Equal Opportunities Co-ordinator (EOCO)
Terry Keen
Pre-School Assistants
Barbara McAllister
Yvonne Quammie
Ruby Singh

At each session there is a ratio of at least 1 adult to 8 children.

The Key –Person System

One member of staff will be assigned to be your child’s key person when they begin pre-school and will remain throughout their time at the setting. Your child’s key person will therefore be your first point of contact should to need to discuss any issues regarding your child.

To show your child’s progress throughout the year the key person will monitor your child and make a record every term in your child’s profile. When your child leaves pre-school you will receive the profile containing all their educational principal areas that have been met, along with photos of your child’s stay during pre-school and activities they have participated in. You are entitled to see your child’s profile throughout the year. Please ask a member of staff.

We also hold a parents evening during the year to discuss your child’s progress.

Training

All members of staff have early years child-care qualifications along with many years experience of working in a pre-school environment. As well as gaining qualifications in early years care and education, the setting staff take part in further training to help them to keep up-to-date with thinking about early years care and education.We are members of the Pre-school Learning Alliance (PLA) and regularly take part in ongoing training as required by the PLA and the Early Years team.

From time to time, we may have a student who is studying for a childcare qualification helping us whilst gaining practical experience.

The Committee

As a community based, voluntary managed setting, we also depend on the good will of parents and their involvement to keep going. Our Lady’s Pre-school is run by a committee, made up mainly of parents. They are responsible for the finances and administration of the pre-school to ensure that the standards that are required are met. Without the Committee, the pre-school cannot legally run. You may consider joining the committee - you can be involved as much or as little as you like and it is a great way to get to know other parents and carers. For more information please speak with a member of staff.

Pre-school sessions

The pre-school is open for 5 days per week; Monday to Friday. For 38 weeks each year term time only. We run 2 sessions per day;
Session 1: 8:30 – 11:30
Session 2: 12:15 – 15:15

Fees

All three and four year olds are entitled to 15 hours of free nursery education (NE) for 38 weeks of the year. This applies until they reach compulsory school age (the term following their fifth birthday). A child becomes eligible for a free place from 1 September, 1 January or 1 April following their third birthday. They are entitled to 5 free sessions a week.

Parents will be required to pay for any sessions at pre-school should they choose to use their NE Funding at another setting. Fees are £12 per session. Subject to availability we can offer further sessions for £12 per session.

Parents of children too young to receive the NE Funding will be required to pay £15 per session.

We issue invoices weekly with an increased rate charged for late payments. Fees are still to be paid even if the child is absent for sickness or holidays. If you are having difficulty making payments please speak to the supervisor.

If you require any further information please contact a member of staff.

Admissions Policy

  • Any child can be put on the waiting list from the age of two.
  • We arrange our admissions list in order of date of birth. Children’s names are added to this list when they have been on the waiting list for at least six months.
  • When allocating pre-school places, priority may be given to those children on the admissions list whose siblings have previously attended pre-school.
  • Our lady’s pre-school only offer five am or pm sessions per week. Your child will be charged for five sessions even if they do not wish to attend all five sessions.
  • Putting your child’s name down on the pre-school waiting list does not mean that their name will be automatically added to Our Lady’s school waiting list, you will have to register them separately with the school’s secretary.
  • Although the school and pre-school work closely together, when your child attends pre-school it does not mean they will be guaranteed a place in school. The school has its own admission policy and you should consult the school secretary for details.

We often have a waiting list. When we are able to offer a place for your child we will contact you in the half term before they are due to attend to confirm arrangements.

If you no longer require you place please inform us as soon as possible so that we can make arrangements to offer the place to another child. Failure to do so may result in a charge at the discretion of the Committee.

Starting at Pre-school

Before your child startsyou will need to make arrangements to have a minimum of three 1 hour visits before the end of term prior to them starting in order to help them settle in.

Leaving your child

On arrival, parents are expected to wait outside until a member of staff allows them to enter. Children are not to be abandoned at the door. Please ensure that you accompany the child into the building and make sure that they are settled happily before leaving.

Activities

Throughout the session the children take part in a variety of activities with an aim to progress successfully towards achieving the areas of learning and development of the foundation stage. These activities are based around play as it is the best way to learn! The majority of activities are chosen by the children independently with a part of the session focuses on group discussion, music or story time.

Snack time

Partway through each session the children help to tidy up and then sit down together to have a drink or either water or milk along with a healthy snack. If your child has any food allergies, intolerances or dietary requirements, please inform the supervisor.

Collection of your child

Please ensure prompt collection of your child at the end of the session. A fine policy (£10) is enforceable for late collections.

Staff must be informed if anyone other than the usual collector will be picking up your child from pre-school. No school children are allowed to collect children from the pre-school.

Suitable Clothes

Although we make every effort to keep clothing clean, accidents do happen. Therefore please send your child in practical clothes that are easy to care for as well as sensible footwear and clothing for appropriate weather. It is helpful for staff if items are labelled. We also ask that you leave a bag containing a spare change of clothes for your child on their peg.

Book corner

Children are able to borrow books from the book corner to take home. Please ensure that they are returned by every half term.

Sweets, Toys & Valuables

Please do not let your child bring sweets, toys or valuables into pre-school. We cannot accept responsibility for any of these items if they get lost or broken. Please also refrain from sending food items into pre-school without prior agreement of the supervisor due to allergies and intolerances of other children.

Behaviour and Discipline

Limits are set in the pre-school for the safety of all users and as a way for children to learn and understand the consequences of their own actions.

If a child is continuously disruptive or displaying unsuitable behaviour then the parent/carer will be contacted and we will aim to work with the family to help build a basis for improvement.

If, in very rare circumstances the behaviour does not improve, the placement at pre-school will no longer be offered.

Communication

Notices can found on the notice board as you enter the pre-school.

We send out a regular newsletter detailing what activities have been taking place and notifying of any upcoming events happening in the pre-school. A copy will be posted on our notice board and available to view on the website. If you would like to receive this via email please notify a member of staff.

Policies

Our Lady’s Pre-school have adopted policies of the PLA which are followed in the day to day running of the setting. We keep a Policies file in the pre-school which can be viewed upon request.

Equal Opportunities Policy

All the staff at Our Lady’s Pre-school has undertaken to treat all the children with equal concern and to meet their specific individual needs with regard to their religious persuasion, racial origin and linguistic background as well as gender, disability or poverty.

We believe that one of the ways of achieving this undertaking is by ensuring that the play situations present all children with positive images of themselves, their culture and communities, encouraging all children to value each other as well as themselves.

  • Our Lady’s Pre-school operates in accordance with the relevant legislation
  • The pre-school recognises that there are many different types of families
  • All children will be respected, nurtured and valued
  • Equipment and activities offer opportunity to develop from prejudice and discrimination
  • The pre-school is open to every family in the community
  • Opportunities will be given to children to value similarities and differences between themselves and others
  • The staff will always try to explain differences in cultures and beliefs to children and value them equally to their own
  • Resources will be chosen to give children a balanced view of the world
  • Materials will be selected to help children to develop their respect of others.

Discriminatory behaviour/remarks are unacceptable and will be challenged. The response will aim to help those responsible overcome their prejudice and to be sensitive to victims feelings.

  • Medical, cultural and dietary needs will be met
  • Our Equal Opportunities Co-ordinator (EOCO) is Terry Keen.

This policy was reviewed at a meeting of Our Lady’s Pre-school Committee held on 13.02.2012

Special Needs Policy and Procedures

At Our Lady’s Pre-school, we believe that all children have a right to attend and to be equally valued and to have their abilities or learning needs catered for.

We are committed to taking all reasonable steps to ensure that all children and carers are welcome and included.

Our pre-school aims to have regard to the DfES SEN Code of Practice and also to the guidelines supplied to private and voluntary providers of pre-school education. We aim to provide welcoming and appropriate learning opportunities for all children.

  1. Children with special needs, like all children, are admitted to the pre-school after consultation between parents, Pre-school Supervisor and Key-Worker.
  2. Our aim is to provide for the developmental needs of each child in the group.
  3. All children in the group, irrespective of their special needs are encouraged, wherever possible and appropriate, to participate in all the group’s activities.
  4. Our system of observation and recordkeeping, which operates in conjunction with parents, enables us to monitor children’s needs and progress on an individual basis.
  5. The needs and progress of children who have special educational needs are monitored by our group’s special needs co-ordinator (SENCO) Maria O’Connor.
  6. Our Key-Worker System ensures that each adult is especially responsible for, and close to 5 or6 children, so each child receives plenty of adult time and attention.
  7. We work closely with parents of all children in the group to ensure that:
  • The group draws upon the knowledge and expertise of parents in planning provision for the child;
  • The child’s progress and achievements are shared and discussed with parents on a regular basis;
  • Parents know the identity of the group’s SENCO Maria O’Connor;
  • Parents are aware of the arrangements for the admission and inclusion of children with special educational needs;
  • We take into account the voice of the child.
  1. If it felt that a child’s needs cannot be met in the pre-school without additional personnel and/or equipment, funding will be sought to ensure that provision is appropriate to the child’s needs.
  2. We work in liaison with relevant professionals and agencies outside the group to meet children’s specific needs.
  3. Our staff regularly attends in-service training in special needs arranged by the Pre-School Learning Alliance and other professional bodies.

This policy was reviewed at a meeting of Our Lady’s Pre-school Committee held on 13.02.2012

Concerns where the children are at risk of harm

If you are concerned about the harm or possible harm to your child, you should phone the local authority or the police immediately. Your local authority children’s services department must look into concerns involving the safety of children whilst with a registered provider or anyone connected with the registration of a provider.

Contact details:

OFSTED0300 123 1231

Oxfordshire Local Authority01865 810 603

Designated Officer

Complaints Procedure

Our Lady’s Pre-school’s aim is to provide the highest quality care and education for all of our children and offer a welcome to each individual child and family within which all children can learn and develop as they play.

We believe that children and parents are entitled to expect courtesy and prompt, careful attention to their needs and wishes. Our intention is to work in partnership with parents and the community generally, and we welcome suggestions on how to improve our group at any time.

Make concerns known

A parent who is uneasy about any aspect of the groups’ provision should first talk over any worries and anxieties with the pre-school supervisor. If this does not have a satisfactory outcome promptly, or if the problem reoccurs, the parents should put the concern or complaint in writing and request a meeting with the pre-school supervisor and the Chair of the Committee. Both parents and the supervisor can have a friend or partner present if required, and an agreed written record of the discussion should be made.

Most complaints should be resolved informally at this initial stage.

If the matter is still not settled to the parent’s satisfaction, the parent should again contact the Chair. If the parent and group cannot reach an agreement, it may helpful to invite an external mediator, one who is acceptable to both parties, to listen to both sides and offer advice. A mediator has no legal powers but can help to clarify the situation.