Dunrossness Primary School...Early Years Worker Mrs Leona Smith Early Years Assistants: Mrs...
Transcript of Dunrossness Primary School...Early Years Worker Mrs Leona Smith Early Years Assistants: Mrs...
Dunrossness
Primary School
Early Stages:
Nursery Handbook
2014/2015
“Living, Laughing, Learning”
The following information will let you know all about the
Nursery as part of our Early Stages Unit in Dunrossness
Primary School. We hope that you find this useful and look
forward to welcoming you to our nursery and school.
If, after reading this handbook, you have any further
questions then please contact us at school and we will be
pleased to be of assistance.
Dunrossness Primary School
Shetland
ZE2 9JG
(01595) 745440
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.dunrossness.shetland.sch.uk
School Staff for 2014-15
Head Teacher: Ms Lesley Simpson
Principal Teacher/ASN Teacher: Mrs Andrea Henderson
Class Teachers:
Nursery Mrs Karen Osborn (Wednesdays)
Primaries 1/2 Ms Karen Towers
Primaries 2/3 Mrs Helen Moar
Primary 4 Miss Valerie Hughson
Primaries 5/6 Mrs Sandra Hay
Primaries 6/7 Ms Gina Scanlan
Support Staff:
Early Years Worker Mrs Leona Smith
Early Years Assistants: Mrs Carrie-Ann Bannister (Mondays,
Thursdays & Fridays)
Miss Dhanika Moar (Tuesdays)
Classroom Assistant Mrs Violet Casey
ASN Auxiliaries: Mrs Emma Graydon
Mrs Lee Smith
Mrs Violet Casey
Playground Supervisor/
Admin assistant: Mrs Jacqueline Jamieson
Lunchtime Assistant: Mrs Marion Sutherland
Clerical Assistant: Mrs Miriam Birnie
Janitor: Mr John MacKenzie
Visiting Teachers and Instructors:
P.E. and Swimming Mrs Joan Smith
Music Mrs Annalie Irvine
Art and Design Ms Fiona Burr
Woodwind Mrs Jane Morton
Piano Mrs Moira Peterson
Traditional Fiddle Ms Eunice Henderson
Accordion Mr Peter Wood
Guitar Mr Stevie Hook
Canteen Staff:
Mrs Caroline Tait (Head Cook)
Mrs Jane Flaws, Miss Katherine Henderson, Mrs Marina Smith.
Cleaning Staff:
Mrs Ana Arnett (Head Cleaner)
Mrs Carrie Morrison, Ms Caroline Bennett and Vacant post
Who’s who?
Mrs Leona Smith
Early Years Worker
Ms Lesley Simpson
Head Teacher Mrs Andrea Henderson
Principal Teacher
Mrs Miriam Birnie
Secretary
Mr John Mackenzie
Janitor
Mrs Karen Osborn
Nursery Teacher
Mrs Carrie-Ann Bannister
Early Years Assistant
Ms Dhanika Moar
Early Years Assistant
Our Vision
Dunrossness Primary School: A happy school where everyone is
supported and encouraged to achieve their full potential.
Our Aims
1. To provide a safe, secure, happy and healthy learning
environment where respect is given to all and shown by all;
2. To shape values, promote independence and responsibility and
develop skills for life;
3. To encourage, motivate and support everyone in our school to be
the best they can be;
4. To inspire, reward and celebrate success and achievement in all
areas of learning;
5. To be an integral and responsible element of the whole
community that we are all proud to belong to.
The Curriculum for Excellence
The curriculum in Scotland aims to develop four capacities for
successful learning and living. These are:
Successful Learners
With:
Enthusiasm and motivation for learning
Determination to reach high standards of achievement
Openness to new thinking and ideas.
Confident Individuals
With:
Self-respect
A sense of physical, mental and emotional well-being
Secure values and beliefs
Ambition.
Responsible Citizens
With:
Respect for others
Commitment to participate responsibly in political, economic,
social and cultural life.
Effective Contributors
With:
An enterprising attitude
Resilience
Self-reliance.
A child’s journey through Nursery and Primary school is organised
under the following stages:
Early - In pre-school and in Primary 1
First - By end of P4, but earlier for some
Second - By end of P7, but earlier for some
These stages provide scope for challenge and depth. There is no
pressure to speed through the levels but nor is there any ceilings on
learning. Our focus is very much on individual progress and
achievement.
At Dunrossness we have an integral unit that caters for children
from the time they enter the Nursery at three years until the end
of Primary One. Learning through play is based on the Early Stages
outcomes and experiences from the Curriculum for Excellence.
Further information can be found at
www.ltscotland.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence
At the very heart of our curriculum planning lies the holistic
development of children and their skills across the curriculum,
building on their previous learning experiences, knowledge and skills.
Children will learn through first hand experiential activities within
play-based situations. In their play, children practise and consolidate
their learning, play with ideas, experiment, take risks, solve
problems and make decisions individually and in small or large groups.
The development of children’s self-image and feelings of self–worth
and self–esteem are central to this process.
The curriculum within the Early Stages is progressive and aims to
meet the needs of all children including those who are at an early
stage of development and those who are more able. The curriculum
will be appropriate to the individual child’s stage of learning rather
than focussing solely on age-related outcomes to be achieved.
Children will be helped to move on to the next stage in their learning
when they are developmentally ready and at their own pace.
In line with the Curriculum for Excellence, learning within the unit is
organised under the following headings:
Literacy and Language
Numeracy and Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Health and Well-being
Religious and Moral Education
Expressive Arts
Technologies
ICT (Information and Communication Technology) is embedded
within all the above areas and is seen as an integral part of all the
curriculum programmes.
Much of the learning is planned using a cross-curricular approach to
help ensure meaning and relevance and to give fun and enjoyment.
CURRICULUM
Mathematical Development
From the time your child joins us, they will experience a gentle
approach to number recognition, building on knowledge already
acquired. This will lead on to simple addition and subtraction. Work
on colour, pattern, shape, measurement, time and money is all part of
the curriculum and the children will be given many opportunities for
problem solving to give relevance to their learning and to help them
transfer skills between different subject areas.
Reading Development
Preparation for reading through developing visual and auditory
recognition is provided through a variety of play activities. Our
children are encouraged to build an enjoyment of stories and rhyme
through a variety of books, songs and games.
Talking and listening skills are developed through play, structured
activities and the daily routine of the nursery class.
From the very first stages of their time in the unit, children will
have the opportunity to bring home books from the class library for
you to share.
We also have “Storysacks” developed by our staff. These include
stories and resources for you to enjoy together with your child.
During terms 3 and 4, these can be borrowed and changed regularly
to help include you in your child’s reading development.
Throughout all of the subjects, children will be given the opportunity
to play and experiment with a variety of materials and media. Staff
will carefully plan for both free and structured play along with more
focussed group activities.
WHEN WILL MY CHILD COME TO THE UNIT?
From August 2014, every child is entitled to a funded place at a
school nursery class or partner provider for 600 hours each school
year. Normally this entitlement is provided by a child attending five
sessions a week, each lasting 3 hours and 10 minutes during the
normal 38 week school year.
You are under no obligation to send your child for all five sessions
and this can be discussed with the staff at the unit.
The start date for each child is dependent on their date of birth:
Birthday Term beginning
1 March 2011 – 31 Aug 2011 August 2014
1 Sept 2011 until 28 Feb 2012 An agreed date within a
month of the child’s 3rd birthday. Children who attain their third
birthday after 28th February will be eligible to come to Nursery the
following August still allowing two full years of Nursery provision.
Children of three years of age are offered an afternoon session
within the unit wherever possible.
Pre-School Year
All children in their pre-school year are offered a morning session
within the unit as far as spaces are available.
Timings
Each morning session begins with a ‘soft start’ and children can
arrive any time from 8.30am until 9.15am. morning session ends at
11.40am for all children.
The afternoon session begins for all children at 12.40pm and ends
with a ‘soft finish’ meaning children can be picked up any time from
3.05pm until 3.50pm.
Pre-school: 8.30am – 11.40am
Nursery: 12.40pm – 3.50pm
TRANSPORT
Parents are responsible for taking their child to and from Nursery
and Pre-school. No additional transport is provided. If a family is
having financial or physical problems in doing this then help may be
available from the Shetland Childcare Partnership.
The safety of children on the way to and from Nursery is the
responsibility of the parent or guardian. Children must be
accompanied into and collected from Nursery by an adult. Staff
should be informed if someone else is picking up your child. Staff
will not release any child to someone who is unknown to us so please
ensure we know of any alternative arrangements you make prior to
the end of the session in question.
CLOTHES FOR NURSERY
It is a good idea to put on clothes that your child can manage
independently for going to the toilet. Accidents can happen and if
you feel this is a possibility with your child, please send in some
spare clothes in a bag with your child’s name on it.
EQUIPMENT
In addition to the equipment provided within the unit, we ask that
you equip your child with the following:
P.E kit. This should include t-shirt, shorts, and plimsolls.
Plimsolls should be left in school.
Suitable outdoor clothing. Where possible, this should be in
school every day to allow for outdoor play in most weathers.
Please make sure that all clothing is clearly marked with your child’s
name. Thank you!
Please do not bring expensive or very special toys, which may be lost
or damaged, as the school cannot be responsible. It is school policy
that no toy guns or weapons are permitted.
SNACK/MILK
Milk and water are available every day at morning and afternoon
snack time. Children are encouraged to pour their own drink and to
wash up their cup.
Fresh fruit or vegetables are offered as part of snack every day. All
children are encouraged to take part in snack time and to try the
range of food on offer. No child is ever forced to eat something
they don’t like. A contribution of 50p per day is requested from
all parents to cover the cost of snacks, baking, trips, etc. This can be paid daily or, preferably, weekly.
ALLERGIES
It is vital that we are informed of any food allergies that your child
may have. Please do this on the official registration form.
ILLNESS IN SCHOOL
If your child is taken ill at nursery we will try to contact you if
he/she needs to be sent home. We ask that you give us the phone
number of a grandparent, relative, friend or neighbour for us to
contact if need be, in case of emergency or accident. It is important
to keep us informed if you and your emergency contact are both
going to be away and for you to have a contingency plan in place
which you have shared with us.
Please keep the school informed of any change of address, telephone
number and your work phone number. This will help speed up the time
taken to contact you in the case of an emergency or unexpected
closure of the school due to snow, etc.
SICKNESS AND DIARRHOEA
Children suffering from this should remain at home until fully
recovered. It is recommended that children should not return until
48 hours after the symptoms have ceased to help prevent distress
and the further spread of infection. Please see our Pupil Illness
Policy on the school website for more details.
MEDICINES
Medicine is best administered to your child at home. If, however, it
is essential that your child should receive medicine in school, please
contact the Head teacher so that arrangements can be made to
administer medicines. In these circumstances it would be
expected that the dosage for that day only would be sent with
the child. A medical consent form must be completed and signed
by parents. These are available on the school website or from the
school office. If you require suntan lotion to be applied to your child,
please fill in an Administration of Medicines form and send to the
school.
It should be noted that no teacher can be held responsible for the
safety of medicine in the classroom.
PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS
We believe that the more involved you are as parents, the more
successful your child’s learning experience within the unit will be.
We will provide you with a termly report on your child’s progress and
will meet with you on a formal basis twice a year. However, we are
always available to answer your questions and would be pleased to
arrange an informal chat to discuss any questions or concerns you
may have.
Sometimes children are asked to bring in items connected with
topics they are studying (photographs, toys, etc). We welcome
parental input in this area, and, if your job, hobbies or pets could
help us generate interest in a topic, please let us know and we’ll
arrange for you to come in and give the class the benefit of your
expertise.
We also invite parents into the unit for a variety of events including
our Christmas Concert, our Early Stages Unit Assembly, Sports Day
and our Open Day in June. All details of events will be communicated
throughout the year but please feel free to contact us if you wish
further information.
We often need parental help on outings, for some activities within
the unit and in the wider school and its clubs. If you feel this is
something you may like to be involved in and you are willing to go
through a compulsory PVG Check (has replaced the Disclosure
Check), please contact us and we will talk you through the process.
This would be paid for by the Schools Service.
SCHOOL FUND
Funding for Christmas parties, special events, trips out and special
items of equipment is raised through a variety of fundraising events
and enterprises. This is supplemented by donations and funding from
other miscellaneous sources. We will call on you from time to time to
help out at these events and/or donate homebakes or items for
raffles, tombolas, sales, etc.
Any ideas you have for raising funds would be very welcome as we
will need to self-fund more of our activities in the future as Council
budgets are tightened.
PARENT COUNCIL
Parents are represented on a Parent Council that meets six times a
year to assist in fostering good links between home and school and
to develop projects to help children with their learning. We are very
fortunate to have such a committed and supportive Parent Council
who work hard to help with a variety of projects in the school and in
fundraising activities. If you feel this is an area you would like to
become involved with, please contact one of the following members.
Chairperson/Treasurer: Mrs Jayne Anderson
Vice-Chairperson: Mrs Margaret Birrell
Event Organiser: Mrs Caroline Smith
Members: Mrs Janine Johnson
Mr Hansen Black
Mrs Elizabeth Robertson
Janette Budge
Staff Member: Ms Gina Scanlan
Councillors: Mr Allison Duncan, Mr George
Smith and Mr Billy Fox
Clerk: Miss Kimberley Smith
POLICIES
Our book of Nursery Policies is displayed on the Parent Information
table outside the Nursery. Please feel free to look through this at
any time. Any comments you have to make on these policies will be
very welcome.
CHILD PROTECTION
The security, care and well-being of all our children is our ultimate
priority. We have been trained in the use of and follow the agreed
Shetland Islands Council Inter-Agency Child Protection Procedures.
A copy of these procedures is available for parents online at
www.shetland.gov.uk/children_and_families/documents/ChildProtect
ionProcedures.pdf
Ms Simpson is responsible for Child Protection in our school and will
contact the relevant agency in the event of a child protection
concern.
DATA PROTECTION
All data held regarding your child will be treated in a strictly
confidential manner. As a parent, you are able to access any
information held about your child as laid out in our Open Access
Policy. If at any time you would like to look through your child’s
information folder, please ask a member of staff who will access it
for you to look through.
CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS
In the event that you have a concern or a complaint about any area
of our service, please discuss this in the first instance with the
Nursery staff. Should you feel that the complaint is unresolved
after this action, you should speak to the Head Teacher, Ms
Simpson. If this does not bring about a suitable conclusion, you can
then contact the Quality Improvement Officer for the school, Mrs
Maggie Spence. A copy of the full complaints policy is available
within the school and in the policy folder.
SHETLAND ISLANDS COUNCIL – Children’s Services
Director of Children’s Services Mrs Helen Budge
Executive Manager (Quality Improvement) Mrs Audrey Edwards
Quality Improvement Officer Mrs Maggie Spence
Schools Service
Children’s Services,
Hayfield House,
Hayfield Lane,
Lerwick,
Shetland. ZE1 0QD.
Tel: 01595 744000
Thank you for reading the above information. If there is
anything you would like clarification on or something we have not
covered, please don’t hesitate to ask. We would like to continue
to improve this booklet and would be interested in any comments
you have on its contents, layout, etc.
Please remember the care and education of your child is a home-
nursery partnership and that means communication must be two
way. If there are any problems or issues you wish to discuss,
please contact us and we will do our very best to help.
The information contained in this handbook was true at the time of printing and may be subject to change throughout the year. You will be kept informed of all changes and amendments.
Dunrossness Primary School
2014/2015 Calendar of Events
AUGUST Monday 18th STAFF ONLY In-Service
Tuesday 19th STAFF ONLY In-Service
Wednesday 20th School Commences for Pupils
SEPTEMBER Tuesday 2nd Parent Council AGM 8pm
Monday 15th Primary 1 children commence full days
OCTOBER Monday 6th Parents’ Evening
Tuesday 7th Parents’ Evening
Friday 10th School Closes 3.30pm – October Holidays
Monday 27th STAFF ONLY In-Service
Tuesday 28th STAFF ONLY In-Service
Wednesday 29th STAFF ONLY Extra In-Service
Thursday 30th School re-opens for pupils
NOVEMBER Sunday 9th School Winter Fair & Teas in the School
DECEMBER Wednesday 10th Christmas Matinee & Evening Concerts
Thursday 11th Christmas Dinner
Friday 19th School Closes 3.30pm – Xmas Holidays
JANUARY Monday 5th School Re-opens
Wednesday 28th School Closed – Up Helly Aa
FEBRUARY Friday 20th School Closed - Occasional Holiday
Monday 23rd School Closed - Occasional Holiday
MARCH Monday 23rd Parents’ Evening
Tuesday 24th Parents’ Evening
Friday 27th School Closes 3.30pm – Spring Holidays
APRIL Monday 13th STAFF ONLY In-Service
Tuesday 14th School Re-opens
MAY Friday 22nd School Closed – Occasional Holiday
Monday 25th School Closed – Occasional Holiday
JUNE Tuesday 23rd School Sports Day (provisional)
JULY Wednesday 1st Leavers’ Assembly, Nursery Graduation and Open
morning
Friday 3rd School Closes 3.30pm – Summer Holidays
Next school year begins for pupils on Wednesday 19th August 2015.