Settling In Policy

Mission
~We believe that in order for every child to realise their full potential during the Nursery year, it is vital that they are given the time necessary to settle into school life at their own pace.
~In order to achieve this we aim to:

To encourage the Child to view the Nursery as a caring, secure and stimulating place.
To encourage the development of trusting and positive relationships between the child and staff.
Nursery staff will work in partnership with parents/carers to settle the child into the Nursery environment.
That the child will feel safe and secure in the Nursery when their parent/carer leaves the classroom.
That the child is confident in the Nursery routine.

~When time, patience and sensitivity to the needs of the individual chills are carefully realised at the beginning of the school career, the possibility of future upsets are minimised.
~When good foundations are laid, the child is free to develop and grow unhindered in all aspects of development.

Procedures

Staff meets initially with parents to introduce them to the nursery.
The parent/carer is invited to bring their child to the Nursery at an arranged time. An ‘Open Day’.
The child has the opportunity to play in the nursery environment with their parent and some of the other children.
The staff will visit the child in their home during August before the child starts nursery.
The child is then invited to return in August with their parent as an official ‘first day’. Both parent and child are welcomed to the nursery and the child is shown their symbol, coat peg and slipper bag.
On entry to the classroom, parents are made aware of the toileting area and encouraged to accompany their child on their first visit.
Parents are invited to be seated in the classroom with the aim that their child will move away from them and explore the environment independently.
This is important to enable the child to develop a relationship with peers and staff as early as possible.
At this time, the parent/carer is asked to provide information about their child which is relevant to school life.

This will include:-The names of those with parental responsibility.

The child’s medical history.
The names of the child’s doctor and health visitor.
Two emergency telephone numbers.
Any other information the parent feels is important to the school life of their child.

We value open communication between parents and teacher for the benefit of the child. All information shared will be treated in the strictest confidence.

*The teacher will discuss Nursery school practice with each parent including:-

School hours
Routines of arrival and collection and the importance of punctuality.
Parents are asked that when unable to collect their child, a responsible adult known to the staff is sent in their place.
Payment of school meals and snack. Application for free school meals are available from staff.
It is important that sick children do not come to school for the benefit of all concerned. Parents are encouraged to keep the school informed in such absences.

The Procedure

Each child will stay for a short period (30-60 minutes) with their parent/carer and then leave together.
This process is repeated the next day and depending on how freely the child moves around the room, if they have shown acceptance of either/both members of staff, the parent may then, with the child’s knowledge leave the room for a short period of time. As confidence grows, these periods of time will be extended until eventually the child is staying in Nursery for a full day.

*It is only when the child is happy and secure in the Nursery routine and also in the knowledge that their parent/carer will leave and return that their stay in Nursery can be lengthened.

When time, patience and sensitivity to the needs of the individual child are carefully realised at the beginning of the school career, the possibility of future upsets are minimised.

When good foundations are laid, the child is free to develop and grow unhindered in all aspects of development.