Pre-School Poppies: Meet the Staff and Important Information

1. Halton Pre-School Poppies class September 2019/2020

2. Meet the staff from Poppies class • Pauline Jaggers- Early Years Teacher/ preschool manager • Laura Robinson- Level 3 qualified/ Deputy Manager • Elaine Amos- Teaching Assistant • Erin Clarke- Midday Supervisor

3. Pre-School Poppies Parent representatives Introduce; • Mrs Tovee- Ruby • Mrs Bowden- Charlie • Mrs Vargas- Sebastian

4. Uniform The children will be expected to wear a uniform in-line with the school. • a green logoed T- shirt • a navy cardigan or sweatshirt • navy leggings, jogging bottoms or shorts. The uniform can be purchased online direct from the suppliers; www.differentclassschoolwear.co.uk • Jogging bottoms & leggings are easily available on the high street • Comfortable footwear is to be worn such as shoes or trainers, suitable for the outdoor environment. Please ensure that all items are clearly named.

5. What your children should arrive at pre-school with • A bag (appropriate back pack size) with at least two full changes of clothes (can be non-uniform) • A waterproof jacket/coat- we will access the outdoor area in all weather conditions • A sun hat (sun cream should be applied before pre-school) • A small toy/ favorite book if your child is apprehensive or unsettled • A smile -once your child is settled we hope to see lots of these • It is important to always say goodbye and give your child a cuddle as you leave

6. Open Day –Wednesday 4th September This is an opportunity for you to visit us with your child to explore the pre-school and meet the staff. • Between 9:15am-11:00am or • Between 1:00pm-2:30pm You are welcome to drop into either session for up to an hour.

7. Home Visits Mrs Jaggers & Miss Robinson will visit you and your child for a 15-minute appointment. This will be another opportunity for the staff to meet yourselves and your children and to gather information, complete some forms and to start getting to know your children and their interests. • Thursday 5th September • Friday 6th September • Monday 9th September • Tuesday 10th September • Wednesday 12th September

8. Government Funding • All three and four year olds are entitled to 15 hours funded sessions • Some families are eligible for 30 hours funded sessions • www.childcarechoices.gov.uk – more information • Complete & return funding forms • Bring along child’s birth certificate or passport- preschool will photocopy • If applying for 30 hours- It is parents responsibility to email the code & validate it every 12 weeks

9. Invoices • Any paid sessions/ lunch clubs are payable monthly in advance • Invoices will be emailed mid-month & payable by the end of the month • Payment can be made by bank transfers or childcare vouchers • All sessions payable in cases of sickness/ holidays • Terms and conditions are in the induction packs

10. First day The pre-school will officially open on; Thursday 13th September at 8:30am During the first few sessions parents are welcome to stay and play for the first 10 minutes or so, until your child has settled. All the staff will be on hand to greet you and your child and to support the transition.

11. What to expect when you arrive at pre-school • Please bring your child to the pre-school entrance where you will be welcomed by a member of the team. • We will show you and your child where to hang their belongings before having the free choice of equipment and activities to explore. • The children will be encouraged to say goodbye when they are ready and we will show you to the exit out through the back of the building. We will all be on hand to help encourage and re-assure those children who are not yet confident at being left at pre-school. • If your child takes some time to settle, we will liaise with you on a plan to support your child which sometimes can be as simple as making sure their favorite trains or story books are out.

12. Lunch and Snack Lunch Club If your child is attending our payable lunch club, they will need a healthy packed lunch. Please find an enclosed leaflet in your admissions pack. Free school milk As your child is under 5 they are entitled to free school milk every session they attend. You can register your child online at www.coolmilk.com or fill in the form from your admissions pack and send it freepost. Snack Time A snack bar will be open each session where they children can access it in their own time. We provide a carton of milk (if you have applied for ‘free school milk’), a jug of water with cups and a selection of fresh fruit and vegetable sticks.

13. What to expect in the first few weeks(settling in period) The focus will be settling your children in to the pre-school routine and getting to know them. Each child will be assigned a key person who will be responsible for their wellbeing, care and development At the home visit we will chat about your child to give us an insight in to your child’s stage of development using your valuable knowledge. From this information we can then plan for your child’s next steps If your child has attended a setting previously, please bring in their records, so we can take a copy and use the information The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework; www.foundationyears.org.uk

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