How parents take part in the setting

Our setting recognises parents as the first and most important educators of their children. The team see themselves as partners with parents in providing care and education for your child. There are many ways in which parents take part in making the setting a welcoming and stimulating place for children and parents, such as:

 

• Exchanging knowledge about their children’s needs, activities, interests and progress with the team.
• Helping at sessions of the setting.
• Sharing their own special interests with the children.
• Helping to provide, make and look after the equipment and materials used in the children’s play activities.
• Being part of the parent forum.
• Taking part in events and informal discussions about the activities and curriculum provided by the setting.
• Joining in community activities in which the setting takes part.
• Building friendships with other parents in the setting.
• Contributing to your child's individual planning.

 

 

Admissions Policy

It is our intention to make our setting accessible to children and families from all sections of the local community. We aim to ensure that all sections of our community have access to the setting through open, fair and clearly communicated procedures.
We arrange our waiting list as follows:

 

• Emergency admission – If it is deemed crucial to the child’s welfare
• Children staying.
• Siblings of children already attending the setting.
• Waiting List – First come first served.

 

There are two phases prior to joining fingertips

 

 

• Waiting list - your child will go on the waiting list in the order that your application form and administration fee of £35 (non-refundable) arrives.  for instance; first, second, third.
• Registration - once you have confirmed the acceptance of your child's place and paid the £200 deposit we will hold the place for your child until the agreed start date. The deposit will be deducted from your first invoice or refunded if your child is entitled to a funded place.  This deposit is not refundable if you decide that you no longer want the space prior to starting.  There is no reduction in fees for absence due to holidays or sickness. 

 

Joining in

We welcome parents to come into the setting to see it at work or to speak with the team with prior appointment.

 

Key person and your child

Our setting uses a key person approach. This means that each member of staff has a group of children for whom they are particularly responsible. Your child’s key person will always be available to discuss and work with you to make sure that what we provide is right for your child’s particular needs interests and development. When your child first starts at the setting, the key person will help your child settle and guide them to the setting’s activities.  The key person will create a learning journey which will track your child’s development and is available for you and your child to see at any time, we also encourage parents to add special moments to this.

 

The setting’s timetable and routines

Our setting believes that care and education are equally important in the experience which we offer children. The routines and activities that make up the day in the setting are provided in ways that:

 

• help each child to feel that they are a valued member of the setting.
• ensure the safety of each child.
• help children to gain from the social experience of being part of a group.
• provide children with opportunities to learn and help them to value learning.

 

The session

We organise our sessions so that the children can choose from, and work at, a range of activities including daily activities such as; painting, model making, cutting, sticking, mark making and cookery once a week.  We have a home corner, a role play corner, a book corner, an ICT and numeracy table, and our every changing sensory/interest table. Having a variety of learning stations allows children to build up their ability to select and work through a task to its completion. The children are also helped and encouraged to take part in adult-led small and large group activities which introduce them to new experiences and help them to gain new skills as well as helping them to learn to work with others. During these activities, we provide opportunities to play instruments, sing, dance and join in with role play during story time.  Outdoor activities contribute to children’s health, their physical development and their knowledge of the world around them. The children have the opportunity and are encouraged, to take part in outdoor child-chosen and adult-led activities, as well as those provided in the indoor environment.

 

Snacks

The setting provides healthy snacks which tend to be very social times where the children enjoy eating together whenever they choose to throughout the session time. We plan the snacks so that the children can select their own healthy and nutritious fruit and vegetables. Do tell us about your child’s dietary needs and we will make sure that these are met.

 

Policies

Copies of the setting’s policies and procedures are available for you to see at the setting.
The setting’s policies help us to make sure that the service provided by the setting is a high-quality one and that being a member of the setting is an enjoyable and beneficial experience for each child and their parents/carers.

 

Safeguarding children

Our setting has a duty under the law to help safeguard children against suspected or actual ‘significant harm’.

 

Our employment practices ensure children against the likelihood of abuse in our settings and we have a procedure for managing complaints or allegations against a member of our team.

Our way of working with children and their parents ensures we are aware of any problems that may emerge and can offer support, including referral to appropriate agencies when necessary, to help families in difficulty.

 

Starting at our setting

We want your child to feel happy, secure and safe with us. To make sure that this is the case, the team will work with you to decide on how to help your child to settle into the setting. Because each child is a unique individual, the settling in process has to be set to meet each child's individual needs. Having already met you and your child and received your Child Information and All About Me sheet, we will then arrange the settling in process with you on the start date. The setting has a more detailed policy about helping your child to settle into the setting. A copy is available on request.

 

Clothing

We provide protective clothing for the children when they play with messy activities.  We encourage children to gain the skills that help them to be independent and look after themselves. These include taking themselves to the toilet (although children do not have to be potty trained), and taking off, and putting on, outdoor clothes, Clothing that is easy for them to manage will help them to do this. We hope that you and your child enjoy being members of our setting and that you both find taking part in our activities interesting and stimulating. The team are always ready and willing to talk with you about your ideas, views or questions.