Prospectus & Information

 

Our sessions run from 09.15 to 12.15, Monday to Friday at Downswood Community Centre, Chiltern Close, Downswood. We meet in the Main Hall of the building but the children are given time to play outside in most weathers.

 

The Pre-School is Ofsted Registered and Inspected so we are therefore able to offer free Nursery Education Places to children once they are three years old.  To read our current Ofsted report, please click here.

 

Children at the Pre-School are allocated a Key Worker, which means that each member of staff has a group of children for whom they are particularly responsible.  Your Key Worker will work with you to help settle your child into the Pre-School, provide things for their particular interests and help them benefit from the Pre-School activities.

 

The Pre-School operates the Early Years Foundation Stage which creates a single framework covering children from birth until the September after their fifth birthday.  The Stage has four main themes and principles:

 

Theme:  A Unique Child

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

 

Theme:  Positive Relationships

Principle:  Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key worker.

 

Theme:  Enabling Environments

Principle:  The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children's development and learning

 

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.

 

Learning and Development has six main areas: personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; problem solving, reasoning and numeracy; knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development; physical development.

 

The Pre-School keeps a record of achievement for each child, however this is created by working with the parents to provide what the child needs for their well-being and to develop.

 

All staff at the Pre-School are First Aid qualified and CRB checked in order to allow them to work with the children. Staff have various NVQ qualifications depending on their experience and one is a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator.  Please see our notice boards or ask a member of staff for further details of staff qualifications as these may change with time and staff grow with the children!

 

The children are provided with a choice of drink and healthy snack every day; they are encouraged to sit and eat before returning to their activity.

 

Parents are asked to bring in items such as kitchen roll each term and Pre-School Uniforms are on sale in a choice of colours.  Please ask for information about this as prices change from time to time!  Uniform is not essential but can help to prepare the children for Infant School and promotes a sense of belonging.

 

Parents are encouraged to support the Pre-School during their child's time with us in many different ways.  We have a 'Parental Help Rota' for those who wish to come along to a session, a Committee of parents who help run the Pre-School and raise much needed funds and those who can provide practical assistance or have a special skill.  Please contact us!