Procedures

Procedures for Little Notley’s Pre-School, The Church in Great Notley, Bridge End Lane, Great Notley, Braintree, Essex. CM77 7GN

Telephone: 07583 506054 or 01376 339590

Our Philosophy:

We believe in providing a safe, enjoyable, active learning environment for children to learn, explore, discover, problem solve and socialise. We believe in empowering children and supporting the uniqueness of each individual. We are sowing the seeds for a brighter future!

Our Mission Statement:

At Little Notley’s Pre-School we are committed to ensuring equality of education and opportunity for all. We aim to develop a culture of inclusion and diversity which people feel able to disclose and special or additional needs.

The achievement of all children will be monitored and supported and we will use this data to raise standards and ensure inclusive teaching at all times.

At Little Notley’s Pre-School we believe that diversity is a strength which should be respected and celebrated by all those who learn, teach and visit here. Everyone who uses our setting will feel equally welcomed, valued and accepted.

About Us

Little Notley’s Pre-School aims to:

Provide high quality care and education for children aged 2 to 5 years;
Work in partnership with parents/carers to help children learn and develop;
Enhance and work in partnership with the local and wider community;
Give children and their parents an enjoyable experience which promotes equality and values diversity.

At Little Notley’s your child:

Is in a safe and stimulating environment;
Is given plenty of care and attention, due to our ratio of adults to children;
Has the opportunity to join with other children to play, work and learn together;
Is supported to progress on their learning and development journey by building on what they already know and can do;
Has a personal key person who helps support your child on their journey;
Is in a pre-school which sees you as a partner in helping your child to learn and develop.

The curriculum provided by Little Notley’s:

At Little Notley’s we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) which sets out a framework for learning, development and care. Our aim is to give all our children the best possible start in life and the chance to achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes:

Be Healthy
Stay Safe
Enjoy and Achieve
Make a Positive Contribution
Achieve Economic Well-being

Themes & Principles

The EYFS consists of four Themes and Principles, each of which is underpinned by a set of commitments which detail how the principles are put into our everyday practice. At Little Notley’s we feel that we provide an environment where all the children and adults feel included, safe and valued.

Your child’s individual learning will be nurtured, developed and extended through a wide range of positive experiences and play.

The four themes and principles are as follows:

1
Theme: A Unique Child
Principle: Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.

2
Theme: Positive Relationships
Principle: Children can learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person.

3
Theme: Enabling Environments
Principle: The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s learning and development.

4
Theme: Learning and Development
Principle: Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates and all areas of learning and development are equally important and inter-connected.

About Us

The EYFS helps us to provide your child with appropriate play and learning experiences for their individual stage of development. It enables us to recognise your child’s strengths, plan for their needs and interests and identify areas where they might require more support and develop new skills.

At Little Notley’s the children are able to take part in well planned play, working with an adult, with a group of friends or on their own. Your child’s progress and learning needs will be continually measured through the Early Learning Goals. Your child will be regularly observed and their significant achievements will be celebrated and recorded in their learning journey. Our practitioners will plan appropriate experiences to support, challenge and fulfil their learning.

Stages of Development

The following list sets out the stages of development from the EYFS, and the varying skills required to be nurtured within young children. Each stage of learning and development is important and each is linked to the other:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Communication and Language
Physical Development
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts

Personal, Social and Emotional Development:

This area of learning and development ensures that children are provided with experiences that support their emotional well-being, helping them to know themselves and what they can do. We aim to provide activities that engage and interest your child, encouraging them to learn and try new things. As they build relationships with the adults and children around them, their social skills develop and they will become more confident and independent. This also encourages them to be aware of other people, their needs and how their behaviour affects others around them.

Communication and Language:

This area of learning and development looks at how your child communicates, how they build language through speaking and listening, and how they learn about words and writing. We will encourage all children to express their ideas and to listen to others. Your child will be offered lots of opportunities to explore language.

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Physical Development:

This area of learning and development will support your child in learning how to use and control their own body, developing and improving skills of coordination, control, manipulation and movement. Children will be involved in activities and play which allow them to develop both gross and fine motor skills by using a range of equipment and tools. They will also be involved in thinking about the importance of being healthy, through physical activity and learning about healthy food choices.

Literacy:

Children will have the opportunity to explore and enjoy books, both fictional and non-fiction, and gain an understanding of the structure of stories. They will learn about the phonic sounds and their link to everyday words and names; this will lead to letter formation.

Mathematics:

This area of learning develops mathematical understanding through children’s learning experiences such as stories, songs and imaginative play. Your child will also begin to learn about numbers and how to solve problems in practical ways such as games, talking, counting and rhymes. Your child will learn about shape, size, pattern and space, as well as developing an understanding of mathematical words and ideas.

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Understanding the World:

This area of learning and development helps your child make sense of the world around them. It lets them explore and investigate objects and materials, encounter creatures, people, plants and question how and why things work. Children will have opportunities to design, build and construct with a variety of materials and tools. They will begin to learn about information technology. Your child will also be able to find out about past and present events in their own lives and explore their local area. This area of learning also enables children to explore their own cultures and beliefs, and those of others.

Expressive Arts:

This area of learning and development involves your child in exploring and experimenting with ideas, materials and activities using all their senses. This enables them to develop their curiosity. It will also help your child to share their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of art, movement, music, imaginative and role play activities.

Working with parents/families:

All families are important and you are very welcomed and valued at Little Notley’s. We respect and value everyone’s culture, background and beliefs and by working together this will greatly enhance our pre-school. A two-way flow of information between you as parents/carers and Little Notley’s is vital; by sharing information about how your child is progressing, including their likes and dislikes, means we can work together to help your child develop their full potential.

At Little Notley’s we operate an Open Door policy whereby parents are welcome to visit us at any time during a session and can have access to their child’s learning journey at any time. We will keep parents informed of their child’s development in the form of end-of-term reports where we celebrate their achievements in the areas of learning and plan their ‘next steps’ for the following term. We welcome any offers of help and assistance from parents.

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Key Persons:

Little Notley’s has a key person system. This means that each member of staff has a group of children for whom they are particularly responsible. Your child’s key person will be the person who works with you to make sure that what Little Notley’s provides suits your child’s particular needs and interests. When your child first starts at Little Notley’s, the key person will help your child to settle and, throughout your child’s time with us, the key person will enable your child to benefit from all our activities.

Records of Achievement:

Little Notley’s keeps a record of each child’s learning journey. Your child’s record will help us celebrate their achievements and to work together to provide what your child needs for their well-being and to help them. We provide an end-of-term report for parents outlining their child’s progress and charting their next steps, linked to the EYFS.

Learning Opportunities for Adults:

As well as gaining professional qualifications in early years care and education, Little Notley’s staff regularly participate in further training to help them keep continually up-to-date and knowledgeable in all areas of child care and education. We also keep ourselves up-to-date with best practice in early years and education through various publications, including the Pre-School Learning Alliance’s magazine ‘Under Five’. Copies of this magazine, and other publications, are available for parents/carers to read.

About Us

Little Notley’s timetable and routines:

We believe that care and education are equally important in the experience which we offer children. The routines and activities that make up our sessions are provided in ways that:

Help each child to feel that they are a valued member of Little Notley’s;
Ensure the safety of each child;
Help children to gain from the social experience of being part of a group; and
Provide children with opportunities to learn and help them to value learning.

The session:

Little Notley’s sessions are organised so that children can choose from and work at a range of activities and, in doing so, build up their ability to select and work through a task to it’s completion. Our activities are changed daily. The children are also helped and encouraged to take part in adult-led small and large group activities which introduce them to new experiences and help them gain new skills, as well as helping them to learn and work with others.

Snack Time:

We believe that snack time should be a social time for all the children. The children are able and encouraged to choose from a selection of healthy fruit and snacks during each session, with milk or water to drink; drinks are freely available for the children to access throughout the session. We also celebrate various festivals and cultures throughout the year and offer foods linked to these. Please notify us if your child has any special dietary needs and we will do our best to make sure that these are met.

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Policies:

A copy of our policies is available on request. Little Notley’s policies helps us to make sure that the service we provide is of a high quality and that being a part of our pre-school is an enjoyable and beneficial experience for every child and their parents/carers. Our policies are reviewed annually and this helps us to make sure we provide the best service for everyone.

Special Needs:

As part of Little Notley’s policy to make sure our provision meets the needs of each individual child, and to promote inclusion, we take account of any special needs a child may have. We work to the requirements of the Education Act (1993) and The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (2014). Our Special Educational Needs Coordinator is Sarah Janes, supported by Sarah Mackie.

Fees:

The fees for non-funded children at Little Notley’s are £19.00 per session. We ask for prompt payment. Fees must still be paid if children are absent. If your child has to be absent over a long period of time, please talk to Stephanie. For your child to keep their place at Little Notley’s you must pay the fees or we must receive the Government education funding for your child.

Clothing:
Although Little Notley’s provides protective clothing for the children when they are participating in messy activities, some children don’t like to wear them. We therefore encourage you to dress your child in suitable clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Little Notley’s does have a uniform of T-shirt, polo-shirt, sweatshirt and fleece which is optional but can be purchased at any time. We encourage children to gain skills which help them to be independent and look after themselves. These include taking themselves to the toilet and taking off-and putting on-outdoor clothes. Clothing which is easy for them to manage will help them to do this.

Complaints:

Little Notley’s does have a complaints policy. In the event you may have any complaints or problems arising from the pre-school please contact either Stephanie Long on 01376 339590 or Ofsted on 0300 123 1231. Alternatively please write to either:

Stephanie Long, 20, Grantham Avenue, Great Notley, Braintree, Essex, CM77 7FP

Ofsted, Piccadilly Gate, Store Street, Manchester, M1 2WD

If you have any questions, queries or concerns please do not hesitate to mention them and we will be happy to discuss them with you in confidence.

Little Notley’s hopes that you and your child enjoy being a part of our pre-school family. We feel that children learn best by DOING and we offer a hands-on, educational environment. Our pre-school allows children to make choices, to create and to explore the world around them. Our staff are always ready and willing to talk with you about your ideas, views or questions.