Welcome to Rainbows Preschool and thank you for showing an interest in our preschool. We offer places for children from 2 years and 6 months at our Woodlands setting at the Woodlands Community Centre, Savernake Way, Fair Oak. At our Village setting at the Village Hall, Shorts Road, Fair Oak we offer places from 2 years.
We know how important your child is and we pride ourselves on delivering high quality care to help them achieve their best.
Our Prospectus helps to provide you with an introduction of Rainbows Preschool, our routines, our approach to supporting your child’s learning and development and how we endeavour to work together with you to meet your child’s individual needs.
Our aims are:
- To enhance the development of all children as they begin their journey through the Early Years Foundation Stage.
- Provide opportunities to learn through play in a safe, fun, happy and stimulating environment. We provide equal opportunities for all families.
- Work in partnership with parents and add to the life of the local community.
Parents
We regard parents as members of our setting and they have the right to be:
- Valued and respected
- Kept informed and Consulted
- Involved and Included
Children’s development and learning
We aim to ensure that each child:
- Is in a safe and stimulating environment
- Has lots of generous care and attention because of our staff ratio and volunteers
- Has lots of opportunities to join in with other children to play, work and learn together.
- Builds on what they already can do and know.
- Has a good relationship with their keyperson
- Sees that parents are an important part of their learning and development.
Please find us on Facebook or visit www.rainbowspreschool.co.uk to see what we get up to!
EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE
Provision for the development and learning of children from birth to 5 is guided by the EYFS. Our setting reflects the 4 overarching principles of the Statutory Framework for the EYFS (DfE 2021)
A unique child – every child is unique and is constantly learning. Can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
Positive relationships – children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.
Enabling Environments – children learn and develop well in enabling environments with support from adults. We respond to their individual needs and interests and our planning incorporates this.
Learning and Development – children learn at different rates. The framework covers education and care of all children, including children with disabilities or special educational needs.
The care we offer helps children to continue developing by providing children with interesting activities that are suitable for their ages and stages of development.
The Areas of Learning and Development have 3 Prime Areas and 4 Specific areas. When your child first starts, we concentrate on ensuring the children have a good knowledge and understanding of the 3 Prime Areas.
This includes:
Personal, Social and Emotional – self-regulation, managing self, building relationships and sharing and turn taking.
Physical – gross and fine motor skills
Communication and language – listening, attention and understanding, speaking.
The 4 Specific Areas include:
Literacy – comprehension, word reading, mark making.
Mathematics – number and numerical patterns
Understanding of the world – past and present, people, culture and communities and the natural world
Expressive arts and design – creating with materials, being imaginative and expressive.
The Characteristics of effective learning will enable children to engage with their peers and adults, providing support so they remain interested and stimulated.
Playing and exploring – engagement
Active learning – motivation
Creating and thinking critically – thinking
We are required by the EYFS to carry out progress checks by time your child is 3yrs old.
We would have gathered information leading up to their 3rd birthday and parents will receive a summary of their development within the 3 Prime Areas only. (see page 4)
We use an online learning journal, Tapestry, to monitor your child’s development. Our staff will get to know your child very well through their role as a keyperson and ensure they have the skills to develop accordingly.
They will work closely with the parents, celebrating their achievements and together will provide what your child needs to make progress.
The teams at both settings are:
Management and owners: Lynn Hooper, Sarah Guy and Sarah Carline
Early Years Practitioners at Woodlands setting: – Debbie Schools, Anna Robinson, Lisa Long, Vicki Ryves, Laura Ralph, Jodie Treadaway
Early Years Practitioners at Village setting: – Vicky Giles, Sandra Watson, Louise Mould, Katie Brown, Sadie Layton
Early Years Assistants – Emma Joy and Louise White
The management and practitioners all have many years’ experience and hold a Level 3 in Childcare or above.
Sarah Guy is our named Senior SENCO Officer. Lisa Long: Deputy Senco at Woodlands setting and Sandra Watson: Deputy senco at Village setting
Lynn Hooper is Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Sarah Carline is Health and Safety Officer.
All practitioners/assistants are Paediatric First Aid trained and hold at least a Level 2 in Safeguarding. Management hold a Level 4.
Opening times:
Woodlands Preschool, Savernake Way
Monday – Friday – Starting at 0830, 0915, 1215 or 1.15pm
Finishing at 12.15, 1.15, 3.15 or 4pm.
Fair Oak Village Hall Preschool, Shorts Road
Monday – 8.30-12.15
Tuesday to Friday – Starting at 08.30, 09.15, 12.15 or 1.15pm
Finishing at 12.15, 13.15 or 3pm
A charge of £5 will apply for late collection of children.
We consider our parents as an invaluable source of information and the first and most important educators of their children. There are many ways our parents can help our setting a friendly and stimulating place.
- Complete All About Me on Tapestry
- Contributing to the progress check at age 2
- Helping at sessions
- Sharing their own interests or expertise
- Help in the upkeep of our equipment and playroom
- Join in activities that the preschool may arrange. i.e. picnic day
- Building friendships with other parents in the setting
Our setting welcomes parents, grandparents, carers to stay and play with us. This can be to offer your skills as a demonstration, i.e. dentist, veterinary nurse. You can read stories, help with woodland walks or just come and play!
Our preschool has a keyperson system in place. Each member of staff has a group of children that they are responsible for. They will ensure your child is making adequate progress and be a point of contact for parents. They will help settle your child and to benefit from all that is on offer.
All our staff have regular job appraisals and the next training course is decided.
We undertake regular training from the Preschool Learning Training Alliance.
Our routine:
Our setting offers a continuous provision of resources, inside and outside. Our staff plan new experiences to add to the curriculum. This enhances the learning that is already in place. We organise our sessions so that children can choose from a range of activities, with child-chosen and adult led activities. We provide
quiet areas for a more restful part of the day. We have free flow from indoors to outdoors for the majority of the day. We use in the moment planning to react and extend the children’s current interests.
Snack:
We ask all parents to provide 1 piece of fruit weekly. This contributes to the children having a choice of 3 fruit or vegetables at snack time. We provide half a slice of toast and butter, milk and water. Allergies or intolerances must be discussed with the management on enrolment and if necessary, a health plan completed.
We have enclosed a copy of our Healthy Lifestyle brochure for guidance.
Policies:
We have a full and extensive list of policies which are available for you to see. Please ask a member of staff or on our Policies & Procedures page on our website.
Information we hold:
We are compliant with the principles set out in the GDPR (2018).
They are as follows:
- Processed fairly and lawfully
- Collected and used for legitimate purposes
- Relevant and adequate information is asked for
- Kept up to date
- Appropriate security is used at all times
Safeguarding:
Under law, we have a duty to help safeguard children against suspected or actual ‘significant harm’. Our staff are suitable to fulfil this role and we have procedures for managing complaints or allegations against a member of staff.
We will offer support and understanding and make referrals where necessary to appropriate agencies. We ensure we can meet the needs of the children and parents, with a friendly honest relationship.
Special educational needs:
Our setting meets the needs of each individual child. We take into account any special educational needs a child may have and we work to the requirements of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (2015).
Fees:
Our cost is £8 per hour. Parents are invoiced at the beginning of each term. Fees are due even if your child is sick or on holiday. If your child is absent for a long period of time, please speak to one of the management team.
There is a £30 non refundable deposit to reserve your child’s place with us. If it is paid in advance, then this covers £30 administration fee. Otherwise the administration fee will be added to your first invoice.
A termly fee of £30 (£90 per year) per child, will also be charged, equating to £2.37 per week over a 38-week school year.. This will help to cover the cost of things like Tapestry, consumables and to pay for extracurricular activities i.e. music sessions, Jon the PE coach etc. You will all receive a jute bag on joining Rainbows.
Funding:
We are in receipt of funding for 2yrs, 3yrs and 4yr olds. We also accept parents who are entitled to claim 30hr funding.
We are happy to explain funding to you on your visit.
First Day:
We encourage you to visit our setting with your child before your first day.
We want your child to feel happy and safe with us and we are quite open to help you decide how your child will settle best.
We hope that you and your child enjoy being members of Rainbows Preschool and enjoy all that we have to offer.
Our staff are always happy to discuss any matters with you at drop off or pick up. Alternatively you can call, message or email at the numbers overleaf.
Contact the management team:
Lynn, Sarah or Sarah on:
Woodlands setting: 07915 968011 or email us on: hello@rainbowspreschool.co.uk
Village setting: 07861 150879 or email us on: village@rainbowspreschool.co.uk
Also find us on Facebook or visit our website: www.rainbowspreschool.co.uk