Please find the link to our current handbook. Any further information you may need please see a member of staff.
Welcome to Addiewell Nursery Class
It is our pleasure to welcome you and your child to Addiewell Primary School Nursery Class. We are delighted to have your child in our care and hope that during their time at nursery, they will be happy, will feel supported and challenged in all aspects of their development and will enjoy the learning experiences we provide.
We are committed to working in partnership with you to ensure your child has a positive, high quality nursery experience which ensures that they feel enthusiastic about learning, grow in confidence, have high self esteem and are well prepared for future learning.
We greatly value the support parents/carers can offer not only to their own child but also to the nursery and school community as a whole and we welcome offers of support in any capacity. There will be many opportunities for you to get involved in your child’s learning and in nursery life.
This handbook aims to give you some useful information about our nursery and it should answer some of the questions you may have. It is impossible to include all of the information you will require during your child’s time with us or answer all of your questions. However, we pride ourselves in offering a welcoming, open‐door policy and encourage you to discuss any issues with myself or another member of the team.
I hope that you will find this handbook useful and look forward to working with you throughout your child’s time at Addiewell Primary School Nursery Class.
Mrs Eileen Brown – Head Teacher
Contents
Section 1 Nursery Information page 3
Section 2 Starting Nursery page 6
Section 3 Dressing for Nursery page 8
Section 4 Snack and Hot Lunches page 9
Section 5 Curriculum page 10
Section 6 Assessment and Transition page 11
Section 7 Home Nursery Partnership pages 12
Section 8 Health and Wellbeing page 13
Link to W.L. C. Education Policies page 14
Section 9 General page 16
Please see our blog for updated information on any changes which may occur through the year.
https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/wl/nurseryaddiewell/
Section 1 – Nursery Information
Introduction
Welcome to Addiewell Primary School Nursery Class. We hope that you will find this handbook provides you with some of the information and advice you will need to ensure that you and your child have a happy and positive experience at our nursery.
Addiewell Primary School Nursery Class offers morning, afternoon or full day sessions. Each session is attended by a mix of 2 year olds, pre-school and ante pre-school children.
Please refer to this handbook before your child starts and during their time with us at nursery.
Contact Information
Addiewell Primary School Nursery Class
Church Street,
Addiewell
West Lothian
EH55 8PG
Tel: 01501 762794 or 01501 762737
email: wladdiewell-ps@westlothian.org.uk
blog https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/wl/nurseryaddiewell/
Nursery Staff
Head Teacher: Mrs Eileen Brown
Principal Teacher: Mrs Karen MacMillan
ELC Area Support Manager: Miss Taylor Anne Kelly
Equality in Excellence Lead: Ms Jackie Murphy
Early Years Officer: Mrs Flora Sharkey
Nursery Nurse: Ms Debbie James
Nursery Nurse: Miss Abbie MacMillan
Nursery Nurse: Miss Lisa McLachlan
Nursery Nurse: Mrs Tracey Haggart
Pupil Support Worker: Mrs Cherie Thomson
The start and finish times for 2022/2023 are as follows:
Full Days Monday – Thursday
2x 8:00 am – 6:00 pm and one pm session (short session) 12.45 – 16.05
or a Friday morning session from 8 – 11.20 am.
Morning Sessions Monday – Thursday
7.47am – 12:30 pm – Please ensure children are collected up by 12.30pm.
Friday Morning Session
7:47 – 11:54 am – Please ensure children are collected by 11:54 am
Afternoon Sessions Monday – Thursday
12.30pm – 6.14pm – Please ensure children are picked up by 6.14pm.
Nursery Vision and Aims
Our Vision.
To promote a safe, secure, nurturing, fun learning environment which children become confident, capable, and resilient responsible individuals.
Our aim is for the children to
* Create an appropriate curriculum to meet the needs of each individual child.
* Monitor and assess children’s development and learning, ensuring progress is made.
* Provide stimulating and well balanced play opportunities, which reflect children’s I interests, experiences and stages of development.
* Establish home links and a sense of belonging to the school and wider community.
*Evaluate our current practices and policies and continue to develop our skills as educators.
Our nursery values
Responsible
Active
Included
Nurtured
Belonging
Opportunities
Welcome
Section 2 – Starting Nursery
Helping your child prepare for nursery
Talk about coming to nursery school together and the enjoyable time they will have.
After you and your child have had the opportunity to watch the nursery sway, you can refer to this with your child on a regular basis before they start.
Delay talking about leaving them.
If you are worried about how your child will settle, please discuss this with staff who can offer advice and tips on how to support.
Be guided by staff when to leave your child.
Starting and settling your child in nursery
You and your child will be welcomed by a member of staff who will explain the beginning of session procedure. At the start of each session parents/carers are initially asked to:
o Respect each other by maintaining some distance between other adults.
o Wait with your child until an adult greets them at the gate and brings them into the nursery.
Once your child has settled into the nursery routine we encourage the children to become independent as quickly as possible by getting themselves ready with minimum adult support. This can be supported at home too by allowing children to put on their own coat and shoes/wellies, just give some extra time.
You may leave the nursery if your child has settled and return at the time arranged between yourself and staff. Some children may settle quicker, while others may need a bit longer. Staff and parents/carers may negotiate the length of time needed.
What your child needs to bring
Your child should bring a change of clothes, wellies, hat and gloves to play outside in all weather and plimsolls or other shoes that they can change to play indoors in.
Taking your child to and from nursery
To make the nursery a secure place for children, there are security locks in place and 1 lock on the outside gates that must be closed at all times.
Every child must be collected from nursery by a named adult who must be over 16 years of age. If someone else is collecting your child, please always inform nursery staff, or telephone the school/nursery as this is in the interests of your child’s safety, we may refuse to hand over any child if we are unsure of who has come to collect them.
Emergency contacts/Emergency closure
It is important for us to have the names, addresses and telephone numbers of two emergency contacts. Parents/carers must ensure that this information is kept up to date. In particular, this applies to mobile phone numbers so staff will periodically ask you to review contact numbers to ensure information held is current.
If a child takes ill at nursery, has an accident or it becomes necessary to close the nursery, every effort will be made to contact parents/carers in the first instance. However, if parents/carers are not available then the emergency contact will be informed.
Section 3 – Dressing for nursery
What your child should wear for nursery
Your child should come to nursery suitably dressed to allow them to take part in all activities, without worrying about spoiling ‘good’ clothes. Children should wear suitable footwear and should always have a jacket as weather can change during a session.
Footwear/Clothing
Children should arrive at nursery wearing clothes suitable for all weathers.
We encourage independence in cloakroom routines. Your child may need to put their wellies and coats on and off more than once during each session as they freely move between outdoors and indoors. Please consider the style of shoes your child wears to nursery. The children should be able to put them on with minimal adult support initially until they are able to do so independently.
Please no laces unless your child can tie them.
We spend most of each day outdoors therefore it would be helpful if you could ensure that your child has suitable outdoor clothing for both sunny and wet weather for example, rain suit, wellies, sun hat, sun glasses.
Please, Please…. help us to help you. Children love to empty their bags or change clothes. However, lots of children don’t recognise their own clothes. It would be very helpful if you could write your child’s name inside these so we can then return them to the correct bag/tray. All items of clothing/footwear should be clearly labelled with your child’s name.
Personal Items:
Personal toys, Soothers and dummies are not encouraged in Nursery. To avoid breakages, comforters or special toys should left at home as these cannot be replaced by nursery.
Section 4 – Snack & Hot Lunch
Lunch: Children attending full day or morning sessions, they will receive a cooked lunch, served between 11.30am-12.15pm. Children who attend in the afternoon will be provided with soup and sandwiches, which will be served between 12.45pm – 1.30pm. During our new term the implementation of an afternoon session cooked lunch will begin. Staff will update PM parents and carers of this launch date.
Breakfast & Snacks: Breakfast can be provided from 8am until 8:30 am. If you know your child has not had breakfast, please say and we will ensure your child will be offered something of their choosing.
All children will also be offered a snack during the session we encourage the children to try a variety of foods, and all meals will be served with milk and water, following nutritional guidance from Setting the Table and Food Matters
http://www.healthscotland.com/documents/30341.aspx
https://hub.careinspectorate.com/media/3241/food-matters-nurturing-happy-healthy-children.pdf
Please inform us of any dietary requirements or allergies that your child has.
You may wish to provide your child with a packed lunch. If this is the case, please let us know. You can find information on healthy choices for packed lunch on the Parentclub website:
https://www.parentclub.scot/
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Section 5 – Curriculum
Addiewell Primary School Nursery Class promotes a child centred approach to learning. Learning opportunities are designed in a way that makes learning creative, relevant, lively, motivating and fun.
The nursery curriculum is based on a process of growth and experience where your child is the active learner, where nursery staff provide the appropriate experiences in line with Curriculum for Excellence.
Curriculum for Excellence in the nursery
The Curriculum for Excellence is implemented in all schools and nurseries within Scotland. It ranges from ages 3-18 and aims to ensure that all children and young people in Scotland develop the attributes, knowledge and skills they will need to flourish in life, learning and work.
The knowledge, skills and attributes learners will develop will allow them to demonstrate four key capacities – to be successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors.
In nursery, the children will begin at the Early Level of Curriculum for Excellence. We will provide active learning opportunities in all curricular areas. Each child will have a personal Learner’s Journal which will record and gather some of their nursery experiences.
Online Learner’s Journals are available at all times for parents/carers to view online.
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Section 6 – Assessment and Transition
Child-centred play pedagogy starts from the children. Child-centred play pedagogy requires us to take the lead from the children. This approach actively responds to the individual and constantly changing needs of a young child. A young child’s voice is interpreted by our observations of their actions, emotions and words. These observations are central to assessment and inform us what children need.
Evidence of your child’s learning and some items of their work will be kept in your child’s individual Learner’s Journal which can be accessed online. Children have access with a staff member to these and can comment and add to their observations. Parents/carers will be given a login for the Learner’s Journals and can access them at any time and share with their child too.
Transition
Transfer from nursery to Primary 1 can be a big step for children who are entering a new environment, but we try to make the transition a smooth, gradual and happy one. This will be in the form of sways, visits and use of the school amenities as well as visits from the class teacher before the child’s commencement date.
Nursery Buddies
We have a successful buddy programme that your child will be involved in during their pre-school year. Each child will be allocated a Primary 6 buddy who will visit them at designated times to interact with their buddy through the school day. When your child moves to Primary 1, their buddies will accompany them to the playground and during other activities to help them with the transition into Primary 1.
Section 7 – Home Nursery Partnership
Communication
We aim to encourage a close relationship between the Nursery staff and parents/carers on all relevant matters. We try to do this in a number of ways.
Start and End of Sessions
Informal conversations between staff and parents/carers at the start and end of each nursery session.
Noticeboard
The noticeboards at the nursery entrance area (fence near bicycle stand) are updated regularly and include information about what is happening in the nursery.
Nursery/School Newsletter/blog
There is a regular newsletter/blog which gives parent/carers upcoming dates, nursery information and any other relevant news.
Blog
Visit our blog to find out what is happening in our nursery:
https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/wl/nurseryaddiewell/
Twitter
Follow our school Twitter account to keep up to date:
@AddiewellPS
Section 8 – Health and Wellbeing
We have a “Group Call” system which sends automatic notification by text/voice message if your child is absent from nursery or staff will telephone directly.
If your child is going to be absent it is important that parents/carers contact the nursery. If your child is in the morning or all day group, parents must make contact by 9:30am. For children in the afternoon group, parents/carers must make contact by 1.30pm.
It is also important for this purpose that all contact numbers are kept up to date.
Personal Plans
Every child attending the nursery will have a personal plan which sets out how the child’s health, welfare and safety needs are to be met. This is a legal require in line with The Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011. The personal plan is included in the welcome pack to be completed by parents/carers when your child starts nursery. Staff are available to support the completion of this document. The personal plan will be reviewed with your child’s key worker, at least once every 6 months.
Photography.
In nursery we use photographs to record those magic moments. These moments maybe shared using different platforms such as Social Media (blog/twitter), Learner’s Journal, Publications, and other means. Your child may appear by themselves or as part of a group. However, we need your permission for us to do this. When you receive your Personal Plan there is a consent form asking for your agreement for us to do so. If you do not wish your child to be appear in photographs or restricted to the choice of platform, just respond according to your choice.
Medication in the Nursery
The “Procedures for the Management of Pupils with Healthcare Needs” is a West Lothian Council guide that provides a structure to assist all learning establishments in meeting the healthcare needs of children the measures detailed in the procedures enable practitioners to efficiently support children with healthcare requirements.
Practitioners will work continually with families to ensure that children’s health conditions and care requirements are clearly and accurately recorded and that there is full knowledge and understanding of the medication and care interventions required whilst your child is in nursery.
All medication must be handed to the Nursery Staff and will be kept in a locked cupboard. It is important that if required, you complete all the correct forms with a staff member before medication is administered.
https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/68000/Procedures-for-the-Management-of-Pupils-with-Healthcare-Needs
Infection Control
Help and support is offered to children to promote independence in good hand hygiene practices. We actively promote good hand hygiene through frequent handwashing on arrival at nursery, before and after mealtimes and on using the toilet. We encourage children to avoid touching their faces including mouth, eyes and nose, using a tissue or elbow to cough or sneeze, and use bins that are emptied regularly for tissue waste. To minimise the spread of infection we follow Public Health Scotland Infection Prevention and Control guidelines
https://hpspubsrepo.blob.core.windows.net/hps-website/nss/2448/documents/1_infection-prevention-control-childcare-2018-05.pdf
Sleep and Rest Time
In addition to active play and learning experiences our playroom offers your child warm and cosy spaces for quiet times, rest or sleep. Your child can choose when to access these areas. If you feel your child will need a period of rest during the nursery day please discuss with you child’s keyworker. This will be reflected in your child’s personal plan
Sun Cream
We know the weather can be a bit problematic as we have four seasons in one day including during summer. We do ask if you could provide a bottle of sun cream for us to keep in nursery. We will add your child’s name and apply it throughout the time they attend nursery. Permission for us to apply sun cream can be found in your child’s personal plan.
School Health Service
The following professionals can provide support and visit our nursery: Speech and Language Therapist, Educational Psychologist, Health Visitor, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist and School Dental Service.
Other professionals can be called upon to support children and families if necessary.
Child Protection
“It’s Everyone’s Job to Make Sure I’m Alright” – This document produced by the Scottish Government in 2002 reinforces that all children and young people in Scotland have the right to be cared for and protected from harm and we (staff, parents, carers, community) have an important role in preventing the abuse and neglect of children.
All members of staff in the Early Years Centre have been trained in West Lothian Council’s Child Protection procedures. It is our job to follow them when there is concern, ensuring that the protection and the wellbeing of our children is at the heart of all considerations and decisions taken. Posters outlining Child Protection procedures for staff are displayed in prominent places within the Centre.
The Designated Member of Staff for Child Protection in our Centre are
Mrs Sharkey – EYO
Mrs Murphy – EEL
Mrs Brown – HT
Miss Kelly – ELCASM
Our children have regular opportunities to discuss personal safety issues as part of their curricular experiences and are encouraged to speak to the Nursery staff if they have any worries or concerns.
Remember “It’s Everyone’s Job to Make Sure I’m Alright” and if you have concerns about any child please contact:
Social Work Livingston 01506 282252
Police Public Protection Unit Livingston 01506 28225
West Lothian Education Guidance.
Within all ELC settings in West Lothian, we are guided by policies and procedures to support us in providing the best care, support and learning environment for your child. If you wish to see what these are please follow the link below:
https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/32402/Education-Policies-and-Procedures
Section 9 – General
Customer Care
All staff in the Nursery are committed to providing high quality experiences for all our children and their families and want the very best for all users of the setting.
If you do have a complaint regarding any service we provide in the Nursery please speak to any member of the staff in the first instance. If you require to take your concerns further please contact
Head Teacher – Eileen Brown
ELC Area Support Manager – Taylor Anne Kelly
You can also contact;
Customer Care
West Lothian Civic Centre
Howden South Road,
Livingston,
EH54 6FF
Telephone: 01506 281255
and/or
Care Inspectorate
Compass House
11 Riverside Drive
Dundee
DD1 4NlY
Telephone: 0845 9527
