Welcome to

WELCOME TO RAINBOW PRE-SCHOOL

We would like to welcome you and your child to Rainbow Pre-School. We value our partnership with parents and actively encourage parents and their families to join in with all aspects of Rainbow’s activities.

Our team of staff are:

Debbie Reed Manager (SENDCo, Child Protection Officer, CAF)Deborah Biscoe Deputy Manager (Child Protection Officer & Equal Opportunities Officer) Deborah Mould Practitioner (Health and Safety Officer)Tracey Vigar PractitionerEmma Brodie PractitionerLeona Poulton Practitioner

(All staff hold a paediatric first aid and food safety certificate)

We hold an Annual General Meeting in November every year when you are invited to join our Committee. The Committee is made up of parents/carers whose children attend the Pre-School. This voluntary Committee works closely with the manager and staff to ensure the smooth running of the Pre-School. It is also a great opportunity for you to become involved with the Pre-School, as well as making new friends! Committee meetings are relaxed and informal and usually held every six weeks.

For Cubs’ and Tigers’ parents we encourage you to sign up on the parent rota calendar once your child has settled, sharing any skills you have with the group. This can be found on the wall of the Quiet Room. Throughout the year there will be various fundraising activities and outings that will also require your support.

There is the opportunity for daily feedback of information, both verbal and written, between staff, parents/carers and children. Staff are available to talk at each session and we hold formal parents’ evenings twice a year. Weekly newsletters are emailed to parents/carers to let you know the weekly topic and the activities the children have been enjoying. There is a form at the end of this pack to complete with your email address so you can be added to the distribution list. A half-termly newsletter is sent home in book bags regarding curriculum planning, outings and events.

Just a few reminders:

Please ensure that all your child’s clothes and belongings are labelled clearly with their full name.

Children should come to sessions wearing suitable clothing for Rainbow activities; we do get very messy and children often need to go to the toilet in a hurry (no belts, dungarees etc). No jewellery or food/drink to be brought onto the premises.

As we have a tight change over between groups, it is important that children are dropped off and picked up promptly in order to avoid disruption to sessions.

Children who feel unwell do not benefit from being in session. If your child has had sickness or diarrhoea they must not attend the setting until 48 hours has elapsed since the last episode.

If you have any concerns or comments please speak to your child’s key person or Debbie.

Home visits will be take place before your child starts pre-school. This will give you and your child the opportunity to meet your child’s key person and pass on any relevant information.

PLEASE ENSURE THE FOLLOWING FORMS ARE COMPLETED BEFORE YOUR CHILD ATTENDS THEIR FIRST SESSION:

1. REGISTRATION FORM2. PARENT/CARER/PRE-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT (PLEASE RETURN 1

OF THE 2 COPIES)3. EMAIL DISTRIBUTION LIST FORM4. TAPESTRY PERMISSION SLIP & AGREED GUIDELINES FORM5. Tigers Group Only – Lunch Club Food Allergy Slip6. UNIFORM ORDER FORM

POLICIES

Summaries of some of the setting’s policies and procedures are included below and are available for you to read in full at the setting or on our website.

(www.rainbowpreschool.co.uk) We constantly review our policies and procedures. If you do not have access to the internet we would be happy to provide you with a hard copy.

Safeguarding children

Our setting will work with children and parents to ensure the rights and safety of children and to give them the very best start in life. Our safeguarding policy is based on the three commitments of the Pre-School Learning Alliance Safeguarding Children Policy:

We are committed to a ‘culture of safety’ in which children are protected from abuse and harm;

The setting must respond promptly and appropriately to all incidents or concerns of abuse that may occur;

All staff are committed to regular training regarding child abuse issues and promoting children’s rights to be strong, resilient and listened to.

Our child protection officers are Debbie Reed and Deborah Biscoe

Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)

We provide an environment in which all children, including those with special needs, are supported to reach their full potential.

We work to the requirements of the DfES Special Educational Needs and disability Code of Practice (2014);

Our provision is inclusive to all children with special needs; We support parents and children with special needs; We identify the specific needs of children and plan to meet those needs through

strategies; We work in partnership with parents and other agencies.

Our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators is Debbie Reed

Equality of Opportunity

We ensure that the setting is fully inclusive in meeting the needs of all children. We are committed to anti-discriminatory practice to promote equality of opportunity and valuing diversity for all children and families. We aim to:

Provide a secure and accessible environment in which all our children can flourish;

Include and value the contribution of all families; Provide positive non-stereotyping information about gender, ethnicity and

culture; Improve our knowledge and understanding of issues of anti-discriminatory

practice; Ensure that inclusive practice runs through all of the setting’s activities.

Our Equal Opportunities Co-ordinator is Deborah Biscoe

Achieving Positive Behaviour

We believe that children flourish best when their personal, social and emotional needs are met and where there are clear and developmentally appropriate expectations for their behaviour. Children need to learn to consider the views and feelings of others and the impact that their behaviour has on people, places and objects. This can be achieved with our support, encouragement, teaching and by setting the correct example. By working in partnership with children’s parents, appropriate responses to children’s behaviour can be jointly managed.

Our Behaviour Management Coordinator is Debbie Reed

Mobile phone and cameras

We appreciate that parents will take photos of their children on outings and during Rainbow events and activities. Please ensure that these photos are not shared on social networking sites.

Complaints

At Rainbow Pre-School we work closely with parents/carers to ensure that they are satisfied with all aspects of the Pre-School. If, however, any parent/carer has cause for complaint they should, in the first instance, discuss it with the Pre School manager. If the issue remains unresolved, the Co-Chairs of the committee should be contacted.

If the matter is still not resolved to the parent’s/carer’s satisfaction, parents/carers should contact Ofsted at:

Ofsted Early YearsPiccadilly GateStore StreetManchesterM1 2WDTelephone: 0300 123 1231

EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE

Pre-Schools follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). This framework is designed to ensure that children using early years’ services will be kept safe and helped to thrive.

Further information is available via the DFE website. (www.gov.uk/early-years-foundation-stage )

It is based on four complementary themes, from which practitioners work:

A Unique Child recognises that every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.

Positive Relationships describe how children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents or carers.

Enabling Environments explains that the environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning.

Learning and Development recognises that children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates, and that all areas of learning and development are equally important and inter-connected.

Practitioners are required to deliver the following areas of learning and development through planned, purposeful play, with a balance of adult-led and child-led activities:

Prime areas Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication, Language and Literacy; Physical Development;

Specific areas Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the world; Expressive Arts and Design

An integral part of the learning and development process is ongoing assessment, which practitioners do by observing children on a day-to-day basis, and responding appropriately to help them make progress. Information provided by parents is very important and the communication involved in our parent-partnerships is crucial to the child’s learning and development.

We understand that all children engage with other people and their environment through the characteristics of effective learning that are described in the Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage guidance as:

Playing and Exploring-engagement; Active Learning-motivation;

Creating and Thinking Critically-thinking

We aim to provide for Characteristics of Effective Learning by observing how a child is learning and being clear about what we can do and provide in order to support each child to remain and effective and motivated learner.

The EYFS requires practitioners to conduct a progress check when the child is aged between 24-36 months. This is a short written summary of the child’s development in the three prime learning and development areas. These checks will be completed by the child’s key person taking in to account views and contributions of the parents.

Tapestry

The setting uses an online interactive learning journal called Tapestry to monitor children's progress. Tapestry helps our practitioners to capture children's experiences at Rainbow as well as monitor development and learning. We are able to share this online journal with parents which allow you to see your child's activities and progress at Rainbow instantly. We also use it in the first few days to show you how your child is settling. Text, images and videos can be easily uploaded via PC, tablet or mobile app and we encourage parents to upload pictures of activities the children have done at home. A useful Parents’ Guide to Tapestry is included in this Welcome Pack.

Parents’ Guide to TapestryIntroduction

All children attending Rainbow pre-school will have a personal online Learning Journey which records photos, observations and comments in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage. This enables us to build up a record of each child’s learning and

achievements during their time with us, which we reference to the EYFS profile so you will know which area of learning your child is achieving in and the age-band they were working in for that activity.

We use the Tapestry system, which is hosted on secure, dedicated servers based in the UK. You will have password protected access to your child’s online Learning Journey and we encourage you to contribute to it by uploading photos, videos and comments of their learning development and experiences at home. You are also able to like and/or comment on observations made by Rainbow staff.

If you do not have access to the internet at home or work we are able to download your child’s Learning Journey as a pdf file that can be printed or put onto a USB stick.

Please complete and return the attached permissions form to let us know if you will be able to use the online system.

Where do I start?

Once you have given us a valid email address, we will set up an account for you. Go to https://eylj.org/login/ on your computer or if you have an iPhone or iPad, visit the iTunes store and download the Tapestry Mobile app from the Education section (free of charge). If you have an Android, visit Google play and search Tapestry Mobile. You will be able to use both the browser and the app. Specific user guides are available if needed and can be emailed to you in PDF format.

You will be provided with a password to gain entry to your child’s Learning Journey upon return of your permissions slip. Your registered email address is the primary email address you give to us on the permissions slip – your initial password will be emailed to this address. Login using your email address and the password we give you. We strongly recommend that you change your password on your first visit and create a new PIN.As a parent/carer you can choose who also has access to your child’s learning journey at any time. If you would like to add additional email addresses for both parents, grandparents etc, please complete the additional email section on the attached permissions slip.

Changing my settings:

On the computer

At the top right of your screen you will see your name, selecting this will give you the option to ‘Edit Preferences’. Choose this option and you will be presented with a screen giving you the option to change your email address, password and PIN.

You also have the option to request an email to be sent to you whenever a new observation is added to your child’s Learning Journey – just tick the relevant box if you would like to add this function. Please note that you will only receive notifications when new observations are added, not when replies to comments from parent or staff members are posted.

On iPhone/iPad

To change your settings on the iPhone/iPad app, click the ‘cog’ button on the bottom right hand side of the application. This enables you to change your email address, password and PIN.

Viewing my child’s Learning Journey

You will see your child’s observations on your ‘Obs’ tab (home screen) – selecting any one of these will open up the observation for you to look at. You may add comments in the box at the bottom of the observation if you would like to. You can display all entries or entries for particular timeframes or media types by using the drop-down tabs on your Observations screen.

Adding an entry to my child’s Learning Journey

Choose the ‘Add Observation’ option (or the ‘plus’ icon on your iPhone/iPad) and add the relevant information into the boxes on the screen. Photos and videos may be uploaded by choosing the ‘add media’ option. When you have saved your observation you may go back to the home screen at any time by choosing the ‘Obs’ tab or clicking on the Rainbow logo (on the cloud, top left corner).

Completing your child’s ‘About Me’ section

Type eylj.org into google and click on eylj.org to access the Tapestry Log In screen. Then log in with your email and password, click on Children, click on About Me, click on Edit All About Me (top right), fill in as much detail as possible and when finished click on Save at the bottom of the screen.

If you have any problems please speak to Deb Biscoe or email deb.rainbow@icloud.com

Please note:

The online learning journey is used to record your child’s learning and achievements. It is not to be used as a general communication tool between Rainbow and home and is not monitored on a daily basis. If you require an immediate response please speak directly

to your key person at drop off or pick up time or write in your child’s home to school communication book

Tapestry Permission Slip

I give permission for Rainbow Pre-School to create an online Tapestry Learning Journey

for:

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… (Name of

child)

The e-mail address I would like to link with the account is:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(Please clearly print your e-mail address)

OR

If you do not have access to e-mail please tick this box and you will be able to

view your child’s Learning Journey as a paper copy.

Additional e-mails (Please print clearly)

Name: Relationship to child :

E-mail address :

Name: Relationship to child :

E-mail address :

Agreed guidelines for accessing and usingTapestry ‘Online Learning Journeys’

As a parent I will… Not publish any of my child’s observations or photographs on any social media

site.

Keep the login details within my trusted family. I accept that my child’s photograph may appear on their friends learning journal

account and I may see pictures of my child’s friends on my child’s personal account.

I will speak to a member of staff if I experience any difficulties accessing my child’s learning journey.

I agree to the above guidelines and have read accompanying information sheets.

Signature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Date. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Print name. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Name of child. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SESSION TIMETABLE

We are open term-time only. We have two sessions per day, split into three different groups:

Pups Tuesdays & Thursdays

9.15am until 11.15am

Cubs Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays

9.15am until 11.45am

Tigers Mondays, Wednesdays & FridaysTuesdays & Thursdays (includes Lunch Club)

12.15pm until 14.45pm

11.45am until 14.45pm

A Typical Rainbow Session will include:

RegistrationWake and shake: daily exerciseKey time: key-working activities,Free Play/ Outside Play: adult-led and child-initiated activitiesRolling Snack -we offer a healthy snack. for example; fruit, cheese, toast & topic related tasters.Story Time“Rainbow’s Over” – the song we sing at the end of each session

Please ensure prompt collection of your children. If you think you will be late to collect your child please call us on 01353 667283. As per our Fees & Funding policy, depending on circumstances, we reserve the right to charge parents for the additional hours worked by our staff when a child is collected later than the official session end time. A fine of £10 on each occasion for persistent offenders is also payable.

There are times when we would like to take the children out of the pre-school to visit the allotment, the local parks or to explore the environment on a nature trail. A high staff ratio of 1 member of staff or helper to 2 children will be strictly enforced.

2017/2018 LONG TERM PLANAutumn Term(1)September/October 2017All about me

Autumn Term (2)November/December 2017Celebrations

Spring Term (1)January/February 2018Lifecycles

Spring Term (2)February/March 2018People who help us

Summer Term (1)April/May 2018Animals

Summer Term (2)June/July 2018Vehicles

You will receive a weekly newsletter (by email) that will let you know what the children have been doing at Rainbow that week and the topic for the following week. At the end of each half term you will receive a newsletter with more details about the following half term’s topic and some of the activities involved. We would welcome any help or suggestions you may have about the above topics, or future topics your child/children might like to cover.

TERM DATES Autumn term (Wednesday 6th September-Tuesday 19th December 2017)

Training Day (school closed) Tuesday 5th SeptemberAutumn Term opens Wednesday 6th SeptemberPups open session Thursday 7th September Half term Monday 23rd October-Friday 27th October Autumn term ends Tuesday 19th December

Spring term (Monday 8th January-Thursday 29th March 2018)

Training Day (school closed) Friday 5th JanuarySpring Term opens Monday 8th JanuaryHalf term Monday 12th February-Friday 16th February Spring term ends Thursday 29 March

Summer term (Tuesday 17th April-Monday 23rd July 2018)

Training Day (school closed) Monday 16th AprilSummer Term opens Tuesday 17th April Half term Monday 28th May-Friday 1st June Summer term ends Monday 23rd JulyTraining Day (School closed) Tuesday 24th July

PARENTS/CARERS, HELPERS AND VOLUNTEERS

We welcome Cubs’ and Tigers’ parents/carers to attend their child’s session once the child has settled. Most families really enjoy this time and feel that it gives them a greater knowledge of their child’s time at Rainbow and a closer connection to the staff working with them.

Please put your name on the parent rota calendar (in the quiet room). Please do not bring younger siblings to the session as the resources may not be suitable or safe for them.

Below is a guide to the session routine for parents/carers, or you can just stay and play with your child:

Please come in with your child at the beginning of the session and sign in; The children play in the main room until everyone has arrived and settled; We all sit down together for registration and discuss the day’s activities; We all go outside for physical activities, ‘wake and shake’; The children are split into small key working groups for planned activities; During free play the children have access to all rooms and the outside area these

are set up with different activities, with a member of staff in each area; Rolling snack is available throughout free play; Help is normally most needed in the messy room to start with and in the main

room later; All the children are encouraged to help tidy up, with adult support where

necessary; The children meet up for story time in the main room; As we close, we sing ‘Rainbow’s Over’.

Help may be needed with aprons, hand washing, coats, and bags, tidying and washing up.

For child protection and insurance reasons, you are never left alone with the children and cannot take them to the toilet. If they do ask you, please direct them to a member of staff.

On the day you will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement. Please ask Debbie if you would like to see a copy of this in advance.

We hope that you enjoy your sessions with us. If you have any queries, please ask the staff.

INFORMATION BOOKSEach child will receive a home-to-school link book (to be kept in book bags) for key-working information to be communicated between parents and key person, and a separate book for liaisons with child minders and/or other Pre-Schools.

In the event that a child is to be collected by anyone other than a parent or other main carer known to the staff, the details must be entered in our ‘collection book’ situated on the table by the back door. We will not release a child to anyone other than a parent or main carer unless the ‘collection book’ indicates that you have authorised us to do so and they use the password system.

If your child arrives with an injury such as a bruise or scratch, please write the details in the ‘bruise book’, also at the back door.

HELPING HANDS (Cubs and Tigers only)Each week we choose two children to be our Helping Hands. Their duties will include helping to prepare the daily snack, tidying the messy room, putting the book bags out, choosing the story and lots more! Helping Hands get to wear a special tabard for the week.

This links in to many Early Years learning areas including “responds to simple instructions” and “enjoys responsibility of carrying out a small task.” At the end of the week the children receive a special certificate to thank them for their help.