ADMISSION PACK

Kingsland Pre-School
The Coronation Hall
Kingsland
Leominster
Herefordshire
HR6 9QS
Tel. No: 07871480680

Email: info@kingslandpreschool.com
Website: www.kingslandpreschool.com

WELCOME WITAM BIENVENUE BENVENUTO

BIENVENIDO
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Welcome to Kingsland Pre-School!

There is a lot of important information in this booklet. We know it is rather long
but could you please read it carefully and keep it for future reference.
We wish for all families to feel welcome, involved and included with Pre- School
and its activities from the outset, and that the settling in process is a smooth
transition for all parties concerned. We feel that supplying you with this relevant
information about the pre-school plays an important part in this.

About our group

Kingsland Pre-school is a charity registered Early Years day-care provision,
overseen by a committee of parents for local children aged between 2 and 4
years old. It has run for a number of years at the Coronation Hall in the beautiful,
rural village of Kingsland, on a termly basis. We have the same school holidays as
Kingsland Primary School.
We are very lucky to have use of the outside patio and grass area and tennis
courts, which we make very good use of.
We also enjoy visits to areas of interest in our local community, such as the small
play area on the village green, church, post office and fire station
If you would like to become a part of this committee to have a say in how your
childs pre-school is run, and help with necessary fund raising etc, express your
interest to the staff. We will notify you when committee meetings take place in
our half termly newsletters so you can attend if you wish. Committee members
are always needed, and ideas for fund raising. As all pre-schools we depend on
parental help, support and involvement to continue running well and as we would
all like.
We have extremely good links with Kingsland Primary School, often visiting school
to watch their Christmas play, or to play in their playground and even with the
children in class 1.
The Reception Teacher visits us a number of times during the school year.
When your child is in the final term before starting school, a transition form will
be given to the reception teacher, this gives brief information about your child
(parents are able to read the document before it goes to school).
Our Pre-School is independent to Kingsland Primary School and children who
attend our Pre-School do not have automatic entry to the Kingsland Cof E School.

Pre-Schools Progress
Our last OFSTED report in January 2009 was glowing. The overall quality and
standards of the care are reported as GOOD. The quality and standards of the
nursery education are GOOD.
Just a small selection of the lovely quotes we received are:

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children make excellent progress
towards almost all early learning goals because staff have a secure knowledge of
the Foundation Stage and a very clear understanding of how children learn.
Children are provided with exciting and interesting activities many of which are
very practical, these are used effectively to capture childrens interest and
promote their development and learning.

Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children are forming trusting relationships with staff and other children, because
of the very good individual support they receive. The well balance curriculum
means that children enjoy planned activities, both indoors and outside, that
support their learning and development well. Records, policies and procedures
are well maintained, mostly in line with requirements and reflect the good
practise used in the Pre-School. Partnership with parents and other agencies are
good, a consistent approach is used to ensure that childrens individual learning
and welfare needs are met.
You can view all of the report in its entirety on the OFSTED website by putting
Kingsland Pre-School into their search engine. We also have copies you can look
at in Pre-School, please ask staff.

Quality Assurance Bronze Award achieved in January 2009

We have been awarded Quality Assurance Bronze Award, for Quality Improvement
in an Early Years, Childcare and Education Setting. This is a programme to
encourage and endorse good practise in Pre-School Management and Education.

What to do if there is a problem while your child is at preschool

There is a comments book in the foyer for the parents to write any very minor
complaints or comments (such as my child enjoyed playing with the sand today),
which may be anonymously written if required.
If we should have any major complaints (OFSTED involvement) we will write a
brief but accurate account of the complaint (excluding names-keeping it
confidential) in the comments book so you are kept updated of any problems
experienced. This is now an OFSTED requirement. So please look at the
comments book quite often to keep you aware of any happenings.
We hope that should you encounter any problems, you will speak to the
Supervisor or Deputy Supervisor as experience shows the faster it is sorted out
the better.
If it is a problem of a serious nature you should contact OFSTED at once, and let
us know as soon as possible.
We have a private area to talk in if you wish to discuss things you deem as
sensitive.
If the staff are the problem, or the problem still exists, give a sealed letter with
your phone number, requesting an interview with our committee chairperson,
Rebecca White and we will hand it to her.

If you find that the problem has not been resolved, as you would like, Rebecca
White can then ask EYES (Early Years Extended Services) for their help to resolve
the problem and mediate between and work with both parents and pre-school.
Their address and phone number is:
Early Years Extended Services
Herefordshire District Council,
Blackfriars,
Po Box 185
Blackfriars Street,
Hereford
HR4 9ZR
Tel no: (main switch board) 01432 260000, or visit the website for Herefordshire
Council and
search for Early Years Education.

If you still feel you have a legitimate complaint that has not been dealt with you
can get in touch with OFSTED at:
OFSTED
Royal Exchange Buildings
St Anns Square,
Manchester
M2 7LA
Tel no: 08456 404045
Who will try to help us all solve the situation.
Of course most problems can be dealt with quickly and effectively. I hope all this
doesnt alarm you but we want you to know the measures to take if a potential
problem arises. We want everybody involved with pre-school to be happy and
confident.
Our contact address and phone number
Kingsland Pre-School
The Coronation Hall
Kingsland
Leominster
Herefordshire
HR6 9QS
Tel. No: 07871480680
Web site: www.kingslandpreschool.com
Email address: info@kingslandpreschool.com

Opening Times (term time only)

DAY
Monday
Tuesday

MORNING
SESSION
9.00 12.00
9.00 12.00

AFTERNOON
SESSION
12.00 3.00
12.00 3.00
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Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

9.00 12.00
No session
9.00 12.00

12.00 3.00
No session
12.00 3.00

Cost per hour is 3.50

(These prices and opening times are subject to change, but are currently right
when printing the admission pack)

Nursery Education Funding (3-4 year olds).

Your child is able to claim 15 hours funding per week, your new bills will show how
many hours funding you have claimed and additional hours that will be payable.
Children under the age of three will be invoiced hourly.

Lunch Time(12.00-12.30pm)
During the morning session we provide a nutritious snack and a choice of milk or
water, Water is available at any time wanted during session time.
If your child attends the morning session and would like to stay for lunch, this can
be included in your 15 hours funding or you can pay for the extra half an hour. (If
your child does not received funding you are still able to stay for lunch and pay
for the half hour for lunch.
We promote healthy eating as a Pre-School Policy, and ask parents/carers to
support us in this by ensuring that lunchboxes do not contain chocolate bars,
crisps or fizzy drinks. We also have deemed it necessary to establish a blanket
ban on foods containing nuts such as peanut butter, cereal bars with nuts etc just
as most schools do these days because of the increasing threat of severe
allergies in young children particularly to this food group.
Lunch boxes can contain sandwiches, fruit, cereal bars (without nuts), dried fruit,
and raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, yoghurt, cheese etc as healthy
alternatives. As the fridge in the hall is too small to accommodate all our
childrens lunchboxes, we encourage you to enclose a small ice block to keep the
food fresh, particularly during the warm weather. Also please put your childs
name on lunch boxes and drinking beakers as a lot of children these days
have allergies and we would not want the lunches to go to the wrong child.

Clothes to wear at Pre-School

We have a lot of messy play at Pre-School, and therefore ask you not to send
your child in their best clothes in case they get stained!
We will also go outside a lot and ask you to send your child in weather
appropriate clothing i.e./ warm coat and wellies in winter, waterproof coat if
raining and most importantly sun hat, sun cream and lighter clothing in summer.
Please do not send girls in high-heeled sandals or flip-flops as we often have
races on the field and the climbing frame outside and these types of footwear
prevent them from doing these sorts of activities. If they insist on wearing them,
bring their trainers in a named bag and hang on their peg. Also note that
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although a-line and full dresses and skirts look pretty they can get caught on the
slide etc.
Please do not send your child in dungarees or tricky to remove trousers etc as we
want to promote independence in managing themselves when going to the toilet
(although appropriate support will be given when needed).
We sell red Kingsland Pre-School polo shirts for 8.00 and sweatshirts for 9.00
(prices subject to change). They not only look smart but take all the messy
activities head on, saving the childs normal clothes. Please remember to label all
clothes/coats with your childs name, especially the very popular pre-school polo
and sweatshirts, also bags lunches etc. If you require name labels there is a flier
enclosed in this pack. It will raise a little money for Pre-School if you decide to use
it.
Could you please bring a bag with a change of name-labelled clothes for your
child as sometimes their sleeves will get wet, or they might sit on wet grass or
have an accident. We do have spare clothes we can use but the child may not
want to wear them.

What to bring if your child is still wearing nappies.

If your child is still wearing nappies we ask you to put in their bag:
A change of clothes
At least 3 nappies
Baby wipes
Nappy bags or carrier bags (for disposal)

Potty training
When your child is ready for potty training, we will do our utmost to work with you
and help your child establish a good efficient toilet routine. If you feel your child
would like to use their own potty, you can of course bring it.
Please bring extra changes of clothing and plastic bags to put soiled clothing in.

Keyworker information
Every child is allocated a Key Person, this person will ensure that every childs
care is adapted to meet their individual needs. The key-person will support
parents in guiding their child development at home, and to help engage with
specialist support if needed (i.e. speech and language).
A Progress Review will be provided for the parents/carers before the childs third
birthday, and this will be a good opportunity to share information with your childs
Key Person.
Learning Journey Books Once a term we will have an Open Morning for you to
see their progress and development shown in their Learning Journeys.
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Parents are welcome to look at their Childs Learning Journey any morning, please
speak to a member of staff.

If your child still requires a daytime sleep

If your child still needs a sleep during the day, but you would like your child to
stay for a full day, we would appreciate if you could leave your childs pushchair
by the pegs. If this is not convenient we do have pillows and a duvet .

Illness
If your child is taken ill whilst at Pre-School, a member of staff will contact the
parent/carer and arrange for the child to be collected.
A sick child would generally prefer to be at home with parents/carers.
To reduce the risk of any cross-infection (sickness/diarrhoea needs a 48
hours exclusion from Pre-School.)
The child may need to seek medical advice.

Weather alert!!
If Kingsland Primary School is closed, then Pre-School will be closed.
Information can be found on the Herefordshire Council Website:
www.herefordshire.gov.uk/allschoolsclosurealerts.aspx
Listen to BBC Hereford & Worcester Radio 94.7 FM or go to their Website

Daily Routine
9.00 am
9.15 am
9.30 am
10.15 am
10.25 am
10.30 am
11.15 am
11.45 am
12.00-12.30
pm
12.30-3.00
pm

Children and Parents Welcome

Registration/Circle time/Activities happening today
Free Play/Adult Focussed Activity
Story/Songs/Circle Time
Toilet and Hand Washing
Snack Time
Outside/Physical Play
Toilets and Wash Hands ready for Lunch
Lunch Time
Afternoon session is very similar to the morning with free play
and different structured activities.

Policies and Procedures

Kingsland Pre-Schools staff and committee members want to work in partnership
with parents and carers. At Pre-School we work to a comprehensive set of
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policies, many of which are OFSTED registration requirements. You will be given
them to read when you visit our setting, and some of the most relevant policies
will be included in the admission pack. If you need help reading them, or do not
have time to read them, ask the staff if you may borrow a set to take home. We
will need them returned however.
The Pre-School Policies are situated by the signing in book in the foyer for you to
read.
It is most important that parents/carers are aware of these policies, and
understand that parents/carers play an important part in ensuring their
effectiveness.
We therefore ask parents/carers to sign a written contract saying they understand
and agree to abide by our policies. This will remain in your childs folder.
I, the undersigned agree that I have had explained relevant policies at a
pre-admission meeting. I understand that these policies are in place to
ensure the quality of the provision made for all children at Kingsland
Pre-School.
I have received an welcome pack, which includes the procedure for
making a complaint.
I agree to respect and abide by all policies.
Signed.. Date//.
Name of child..
Supervisors signature