More Information
Within this section you should find all the information you need about how Little Apples is run. If you would like further information on anything, please contact us.
The First Days
A child who is tense or unhappy will not be able to play or learn properly, so it is important for parents and pre-school staff to work together to help the child to feel confident and secure in the group. This takes longer for some children than for others and parents should not feel worried if their child takes a while to settle. The pre-school's policy on settling is available in the ‘downloads’ section or on request.
Toileting
While many children are toilet trained when they start pre-school we are aware that some are just not ready at this time. We accept children at Little Apples who are wearing nappies or pull ups and ask that they bring a couple of changes with them for their time with us.
Some children regress with potty training when they first start and this is quite normal but we usually find that once settled, the child reverts to being trained once more.
We have potties, steps and low sinks for the children to use to ensure that toileting is not a daunting process.
What to Wear
In order to feel free to explore and experiment with all kinds of materials, including messy ones, it is best to send children dressed in clothes that are easily washable or not too new. Although aprons are offered for messy activities we never force a child to wear one against their will. Many children find that aprons can inhibit their creativity and prefer not to wear one.
It is good for children to practice the skills that will make them independent. Simple clothing that they can handle themselves will enable them to go to the toilet when they want to and to put on and take off their outdoor clothes without being too dependent on other people's help. Little Apples T-shirts and fleeces are available to purchase when your child starts. These make an easy alternative to deciding what to wear each day. An order form is available in the ‘downloads’ section.
Collecting your child
We will have a record of the person or people who regularly collect your child. If for any reason this changes unexpectedly, we operate a password system to ensure that your child is only taken home by a nominated person.
We hope that your child's time in pre-school will be a very happy and productive one. If you have any queries or if we can be of any help, please contact the staff or committee at any time.
Free flow Play
At Little Apples we recognise the importance of play and giving children the opportunity to develop their skills through play. We offer play opportunities to all the children as many don’t have these opportunities at any other time.
Many children these days spend a lot of time playing computer games, watching television, undertaking organised and structured extra-curricular activities in a bid to widen their experiences and develop skills. These activities are not child initiated activities, and by doing too much of this type can leave children with little opportunity to “just play”.
Play is an active process without an end product. Play experiences and activities are beneficial in their own right and do not need to have an end product, for example a painting or model, to make it a worthwhile learning experience. Play allows children to explore and express ideas, emotions and feelings. Play can be seen as emotionally therapeutic, providing a safe outlet for tension. Children have the opportunity to experience feelings, learning to cope with these more rationally.
A well planned and organised environment enables children to:
- make decisions;
- be independent;
- manage their own learning;
- select from a wide and challenging curriculum;
- follow their own interests;
- be excited and motivated.
Continuous provision at Little Apples is giving the children the opportunity to play with the same activities on more than one occasion during the same week. This enables the children to play to a deeper level with the activities because they don’t have to rush to play with everything during the morning.
They have the freedom to play indoors and outdoors when they choose to as all the areas are available all the time. The children are able to play with self-chosen and adult initiated activities giving them a broad experience. The learning opportunities offered are selected using child observation as a starting point, this tailors the learning to each individual child ensuring they all learn at their own pace.
Lunch club
In the summer term we run a lunch club for the children who are moving up to school. They bring a packed lunch and share their time with the other children while eating their lunch. This helps to promote their independence and improve their already strong links with staff and peers. The children learn how to unwrap their lunch and see what other children enjoy eating.
Snacks
At Little Apples we run a snack bar system for snack time. The children are encouraged to choose when they have their break and use their independent skills to choose what they would like to eat and drink.
The Snack Bar is an asset to Little Apples as it gives the children choice on when to eat and when to play.
It gives the children the opportunity to play for as long as they need then break when they are ready. Research shows that some children can take up to two hours to become engaged in an activity, and if adults are breaking this concentration for snack and routine activities no learning will take place. It gives the children a sense of control over their time, choosing who to sit with or choosing to be alone.
Curriculum
Within the group, all children are supported in developing their potential at their own pace. Our key person system enables us to ensure a planned curriculum tailored to the needs of each individual child. By means of developmentally appropriate play activities and a high level of individual adult input, we offer a curriculum, which enables children to progress towards the Early Learning Goals throughout the Early Years Foundation Stage and prepares them for the National Curriculum, which begins at Year 1 in primary school.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
Schools and early years providers have to follow a structure of learning, development and care for children from birth to five years old. This is called the Early Years Foundation Stage and it enables your child to learn through a range of activities.
The EYFS ensures:
- children learn through play;
- providers work closely with parents;
- your child's learning at home is taken into account
- you are kept up to date on your child's progress;
- the welfare, learning and all-round development of children with different backgrounds and levels of ability, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.
Communication, language and literacy
In both small and large groups, children are encouraged to extend their vocabulary and fluency by talking and listening, and by hearing and responding to stories, songs and rhymes. Children are helped to understand that written symbols carry meaning, to be aware of the purposes of writing and, when they are ready, to use drawn and written symbols for themselves. A well-stocked book corner gives every child the opportunity and encouragement to become familiar with books, enabling them to handle them and be aware of their uses, both for reference and as a source of stories and pictures and can borrow books from our library to share at home.
Personal, social and emotional development
Within a nurturing environment, children are individually supported in developing confidence, autonomy and self-respect. They are encouraged to work and concentrate independently and also to take part in the life of the group, sharing and co-operating with other children and adults. Through activities, conversation and practical example, they learn acceptable ways to express their own feelings and to have respect for the feelings of others. All children are given the opportunity, as appropriate, to take responsibility for themselves and also for the group, its members and its property. On a regular basis they will be ‘special helpers’ for the day and be encouraged to help prepare snacks for the other children.
Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy
By means of adult-supported practical experience, children become familiar with the sorting, matching, ordering, sequencing and counting activities, which form the basis for early mathematics. As they use their developing mathematical understanding to solve practical problems, children are assisted to learn and use the vocabulary of mathematics, identifying objects by shape, position, size, volume and number. Songs, games and picture books help children become aware of number sequences and, when they are ready, to use simple mathematical operations such as adding.
Knowledge and understanding of the world
A safe and stimulating environment allows children to observe and experiment with a range of natural and manufactured materials. They learn to recognise differences, patterns and similarities, and to share and record their findings. Children are assisted in exploring and understanding their environment, both within the group and also in the wider community. They learn to respect other people, and expect to be respected for themselves. A range of safe and well maintained equipment enables children to extend their technological understanding, using simple tools and techniques as appropriate to achieve their intentions and to solve problems.
Physical development
A range of equipment and opportunities, both indoors and out of doors, allows children to develop confidence and enjoyment in the use and development of their own bodily skills. A very high level of adult supervision enables children to safely create and meet physical challenges, developing increasing skill and control in moving, climbing and balancing. At the same time, children are helped to develop the fine motor skills that they will need to use tools, including pens and pencils, and to handle small objects with increasing control and precision. They are also encouraged to develop awareness of their own bodies and of what keeps them healthy.
Creative Development
Children are encouraged to use a wide range of resources in order to express their own ideas and feelings and to construct their individual response to experience in two and three dimensions. Art equipment, including paint, glue, crayons and pencils as well as natural and recycled materials provide for open-ended exploration of colour, shape and texture and the development of skills in painting, drawing and collage. Children join in with and respond to music and stories, and there are many opportunities for imaginative role-play, both individually and as part of a group.
Key Person System and Record Keeping
Key Person System
Our key person system gives each member of staff particular responsibility for just a few children. Each child in the group has one or two special adults to relate to, which can make settling into the group very much easier. In addition, the key person is in a position to tailor the group's curriculum to the unique needs of each individual child. The key person maintains links with the child's home setting, working with parents through shared record keeping to ensure that all children are supported in reaching their full potential.
Record Keeping
Because so many adults help in the group, we are able to implement an excellent record keeping system in which observations of the children in the group and at home are used as a basis for drawing up a curriculum for each child. We are then able to transfer these records onto the child’s next educational setting.
Training
Our membership of the Pre-school Learning Alliance ensures that we are constantly in touch with new thinking in the field of child education and care. We receive a monthly magazine offering practical advice and up-to-date information, and have access to a range of professionally produced publications. Parents may ask to see any of these.
In addition, on- going training is available through Early Education and Childcare (EECU) courses, which welcome both staff and parents. Informal training is available through local meetings and conferences, and parents will always be informed about these.
First Aid
All of our staff team are fully trained in paediatric first aid. They all attend a 16 hour course every three years to update this knowledge. Training is also cascaded throughout the staff team during this period when new ideas are brought forward.
Any specific medical training, e.g. EpiPen training, is obtained from the community team based at the NHH and is specific to the individual child.
Special Needs - SEN, Allergies
Special Educational Needs
We aim to provide equal opportunities for all members of our group, and this includes children with special educational needs. The number of adults present in the pre-school enables us to provide individual attention for each child. Each child is able to progress at her/his own rate in all areas of development, and this is true for children with and without disabilities, learning difficulties, or the more able. We are experienced in working in close liaison with professionals across the range of special needs, and we operate in accordance with the government’s Code of Practice on special educational needs.
If you would like to discuss the group's ability to meet your own child's special needs, please talk to the pre-school leader or your child's key person. Our full special needs policy is available in the ‘downloads’ section, or on request.
We hope that your child’s time in pre-school will be a very happy and productive one. If you have any queries, or if we can be of any help, please contact the staff or committee, at any time.
Allergies
If your child has a specific allergy, medical condition or intolerance, please let us know before they start so we can all be prepared for day one. We can accommodate all children and have experience of a wide range of allergies and medical conditions.
Links
Below are some links which you may find useful
Hampshire Early Education & Chilcdcare
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/childcare/
Pre-school Learning Alliance
Tax credits
