WELCOME TO EARLY YEARS
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Welcome to Danesfield Manor School - Early Years. The Danesfield Manor School began as Danesfield Preparatory School in 1940 in response to a demand by local parents for a school with high standards and a caring atmosphere. Danesfield Manor School and Early Years is owned by Education Development Trust, a not for profit organisation of international standing in the world of education. The school is based in a Victorian house, which has been modernised and refurbished to make it appropriate for the school’s needs. We have three Early Years rooms; Nursery for children aged 2-3 years old, Pre-School for children aged 3-4 years old and Reception for children aged 4 to 5 years old. A combination of good staff, high standards and a great deal of hard work has resulted in the Danesfield Manor School and Early Years gaining an excellent reputation locally and providing a model for many others to follow. Our school and Early Years are built on trust and open communication between each other. We will at all times, be honest with you and give you an insight into the school’s routines and educational philosophies. We wish to encourage parents to be part of this open relationship. This team spirit enhances the work that we can do with the children. To help you and your child settle into our Early Years, the following information has been compiled. A separate booklet is available when your child starts Reception. You may request copies of any of our policies and procedures at any time should you wish to see them.
Mrs N Straker Early Years Manager
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Aims and Objectives The philosophy of the Danesfield Manor School is based on fundamental British values and all teaching will promote an understanding, respectful and caring attitude for one another. Purpose The purpose of our school development plan is to: · Provide a shared vision for our school community, to enable the school to move forward in providing the highest possible education standards for our children. · Ensure available resources are used in a systematic and structured way to further progress and attainment. · Identify training requirements for all personnel, linked to individual and whole school development and cost implications. · Enable self-evaluation and review, leading to the setting of future targets. · Link to the business and marketing plan. Our development plan has been drawn up through a process of consultation and evaluation involving the principal, governors, staff (teaching and nonteaching), pupils and parents. Mission Our mission is to provide a learning environment for all, where every individual is challenged and supported in their journey towards success. · To develop the children’s self-esteem by promoting the highest possible standard of academic achievement and social and personal development. · To provide an education based on core British values which recognise the worth of each individual. · To build on and extend the links between home, school, the local and international community. Aims To provide a broad, relevant education based on National Curriculum guidelines preparing pupils for the next step in their learning experience, i.e., Foundation Stage to Key Stage 1, Key Stage 1 to 2, Key Stage 2 to 3— independent or maintained sector. We encourage our children to be independent, confident and self-disciplined, as we believe that this is the foundation for all future academic success.
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The Early Years Foundation Stage At Danesfield we follow The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory guidance. The EYFS sets standards to enable early year’s providers to reflect the rich and personalised experience that many parents give their children at home. Like parents, the staff should deliver individualised learning and care that enhances the development of the children in their care and gives those children the best possible start in life. Every child should be supported individually to make progress at their own pace and children who need extra support to fulfil their potential should receive special consideration. The EYFS is under-pinned by four distinct but complementary themes: A Unique Child Positive Relationships Enabling Environments Learning and Development The EYFS Curriculum is divided into 4 Specific and 3 Prime Areas of Development: Prime Areas Personal, social and emotional Communication and language Physical development Specific Areas Maths Knowledge of the world Expressive Arts and Design (EAD) Literacy At Danesfield we have three different forms of planning: • Individual plans • Continuous provision plans • Adult-directed planning At the heart of good EYFS practice is on-going observation and assessment. At Danesfield Manor this is incorporated in several aspects of our practice: • A key person system - each child has a designated practitioner who will work very closely with both the parent and child to make sure that both feel comfortable and supported throughout their time at Danesfield. • Snap-shot observation notes • Photographic observations • Focused assessment notes • Individual reviews and Profiles We believe in open and active two-way communication with parents. Here are just some of the ways that we endeavour to achieve this: • Communication books • Parents’ information board
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• • • • •
Weekly planning by email Half-termly newsletters Daily opportunities for informal chats with staff Weekly articles in the Danesfield Gazette Parents’ evenings
Further details about how we implement the EYFS at Danesfield Manor are given on our website. Also, please do not hesitate to speak to your child’s key person or Early Years’ Manager about this. Parents’ Evening • Parents’ Evenings are held twice a year, in the Autumn and Spring terms. Times for Parents’ Evenings are allocated in advance. You are welcome to discuss at any time, any problems you or your child may have. Reports • Progress reports are sent out at the end of the Autumn and Spring terms and a full EYFS summary is issued at the end of the Summer term. Your Keyperson The Keyperson Approach is a reciprocal relationship between a member of staff, individual child and their family. It provides the child with a sense of security so that they feel confident to explore their world and form further relationships. The role of the Keyperson is to know their individual child and to support their sense of identity and individuality. They need to be aware of their individual child’s and family’s needs preferences and development. The Keyperson will usually be the person who welcomes the child and carer to the nursery and helps to settle the child into the session. They would also be the main person providing the child’s intimate care such as nappy changing, putting to sleep and physical closeness. Any information shared with the parents is also done mainly through the Keyperson. Your child’s key person will be your main point of contact with Danesfield Manor, but obviously all our staff are happy to talk with you at any time and share responsibility for caring for and educating all our children. All our staff plan and direct activities and write observation notes on all of our children. However, it is the key person’s responsibility to write individual plans and reviews for your child and to ensure his/her individual profile is accurate and kept up to date.
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Early Years Routine
8.00 – 9.00
Breakfast is served until 8.45am
Carpet activities are chosen by the children
9.00 – 11.45
Morning Registration
Review time- children share and reflect upon their experiences
Adult led activity relating to key learning intentions Continuous Provision (on going opportunities for child initiated play) Group time (keyperson groups or whole class Free Flow activities available on the decking
Children are encouraged to tidy away, respect and look after their belongings Children encouraged and reminded to go the toilet. Scheduled curriculum activities and outside play either in key groups or as a whole class
Story time 11.45 - 12.45 12.45 – 4.00
Lunch and Outside Play Afternoon Registration
Review time- children share and reflect upon their experiences
Adult led activity relating to key learning intentions Continuous Provision (on going opportunities for child initiated play) Group time (keyperson groups or whole class Free Flow activities available on the decking
Children are encouraged to tidy away, respect and look after their belongings Children encouraged and reminded to go the toilet. Scheduled curriculum activities and outside play either in key groups or as a whole class Snack bar open 1.45-2.15pm
4.00 – 4.30 4.30 – 6.00
Teatime
Quiet activities
Children are encouraged to tidy away, respect and look after their belongings
Outside play
Children encouraged and reminded to go the toilet Early Years closes
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Activities and Timetable We offer a full range of activities and opportunities for the children to take part in. Included in the daily routine are the extra-curricular activities listed below. They are included in the fees and take place within EYFS sessions. The days of the week that extra-curricular activities take place will vary each academic year.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Nursery Soft play am Music am Jumping Gyms am Holistic play pm Music & Movement am
Pre-school Swimming am Music am Jumping Gyms pm French am Swimming am
Swimming As part of the Pre-School curriculum, children who attend during timetabled swimming sessions, and are in their final year before starting school, will take part in this activity. Only children who start in the Autumn term will swim for the academic year. Reception children have an hour’s swimming once a week as part of the curriculum. Children in Reception, and those in their final year in Pre-School, are eligible to join the weekly Early Years swimming club, subject to availability and on payment of the appropriate fee. Individual lessons and parent and child sessions are available to all children and can be booked with our Swimming teacher via the office. The Early Years Team Our staff are committed to providing the highest standards of professional childcare and education. All staff are thoroughly vetted in accordance with Ofsted and ISA requirements. Our staff are dedicated to giving your child the individual attention to develop their social, emotional and intellectual development. Early Years is staffed according to the numbers of children present. The ratio of staff is as follows: 1:4 for children aged 2 -3 years 1:8 for children aged 3 – 5 years These ratios are maintained through staff lunch breaks, sickness periods and annual leave.
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Nikki Straker – EY Manager I have been working with children for 33 years after qualifying as an NNEB in 1984. The majority of my time has been spent in the private sector and I have been at Danesfield for the last 2.5 years. I gained a BA Hons in Early Childhood Education in 2010. I am Paediatric First Aid trained and the Early Years Designated Safeguarding Lead and Early Years SENCO.
Michelle Cook – EY Practitioner I am qualified to NVQ Level 3 and Paediatric First Aid trained. I have worked with different aged children for 9 years and have worked at Danesfield Manor for nearly 4 years. I am a Keyperson and work in Pre-school. I am the Early Years Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
Carol Jarvis - EY Practitioner I have been working with children for 15 years and I have worked with all age groups although I have worked predominately with the 2 - 5 year olds. I have been at Danesfield for 9 years and have a NVQ Level 4 in childcare and am Paediatric First Aid trained. I am a Keyperson and work in Pre-school. I hold a Lifeguarding Qualification and am Student Mentor
Ivett Fonagy - EY Practitioner I am qualified to NVQ Level 2 and have worked with different aged children. I am Paediatric First Aid trained. I am the newest member of staff joining Danesfield in September 2016.
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Tracey White - EY Practitioner I am an NNEB and have worked with different aged children for 21 years. I have worked at Danesfield Manor for 11 years. I am a Keyperson; Paediatric First Aid trained and work in Nursery.
Eve Delaney - EY Practitioner I am NVQ Level 3 qualified. I completed my NVQ with Danesfield and returned 2 years ago after taking time out to have my own child. I am a Keyperson and work in Nursery. I am First Aid trained and hold a Lifesaving Qualification.
Emily Ciavardini - EY Practitioner I am one of the longest standing members of staff at Danesfield, having worked here for the last 16 years. NVQ Level 3 qualified I float between Nursery and Pre-school working with both age groups. I am responsible for planning and delivering Holiday Play schemes throughout the year.
Jasmine Masters – EY Assistant I started at Danesfield as a student and joined the Early Years team in September 2015. After gaining my NVQ L2 I have been assisting the team with swimming, observations and delivering activities. From September 2017 I start a Modern Apprentice working towards my NVQ L3.
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Fees Fees are reviewed annually and any changes are usually introduced on the 1 st September. A full terms notice will be provided before any changes to fees. Fees must be paid on the first day of term (or the first of each month if monthly payment has been agreed). An administration charge of 1.5% may be added for any fees not paid by the due date. 2.5% is added for payment by Credit Card. The basic fees include the child’s care and development as detailed on our website. Meals are provided at an additional cost. A deposit of £250.00 is required to secure your child’s sessions in Nursery or Pre-School, agreed in advance with Nikki Straker Early Years Manager, or £750.00 to book a place through to age 11 in the school. The deposit should be paid together with the £60 registration charge when you submit your registration form. If you initially register just for Nursery and Pre-School and subsequently decide you would like your child to remain with us for school, you may at a later date pay the remaining deposit to secure a place for Reception. The deposit is refundable providing you take up the place. It will be credited to your final invoice when your child leaves Danesfield. There is no reduction or refund of fees for absences due to sickness, holidays taken or unplanned school closures, e.g. due to bad weather. Extra events are charged for such as Christmas pantomimes, outings and trips. If these take place on a day your child does not attend and they are unable to attend please inform us in writing and a credit will be raised against your account. Personnel Accident Insurance is charged termly and details can be found on the website. Outstanding Fees Consistent non-payment of fees may result in your child’s place being withdrawn. Notice of Withdrawal Written notice is required if you wish to withdraw your child Danesfield Manor. If you fail to give the required notice, you will be charged fees in lieu of notice. For children on the traditional year contract, notice is required on the first day of term if your child is going to leave at the end of that term. Otherwise, the next term’s fees will be required. Eight weeks’ notice is required for children on an extended year contract. Withdrawal of a Child’s Place Regrettably there may be occasions when it becomes necessary for Danesfield Manor to request that a child be withdrawn from the Nursery or Pre-School. This will only be considered in consultation with the Early Years
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Manager, Business Manager or Principal and the parents, and might be for one of the following reasons: • Non-payment of fees. • Repeated non-attendance of the child without satisfactory reason. • Exceptionally disruptive behaviour of the child where additional professional support is not available. • Persistent lateness in collecting a child. Please speak to the Early Years Manager, in confidence, if you do experience any problems. Allocation of Places Children are required to take up a minimum of 3 core sessions in Nursery and 5 core sessions in Pre-School. If your child is starting in Nursery with less than 5 sessions, please remember to inform the Early Years Manager of the additional sessions you would like when your child moves up to Pre-School. Again, this needs to be done as soon as possible, since session times are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Children generally move from Nursery to Pre-School the term after their third birthday, but this can flexible according to the child’s developmental needs. Children will leave Pre-School at the end of the academic year before they turn 5. All children attending Pre-school can apply for a Reception place and applications are taken in the Autumn term preceding school start. Applications are taken on a first come first served basis and siblings are given priority Every effort will be made to accommodate your wishes regarding preferred sessions within our system of ‘first come, first served’. It is therefore beneficial to book your specific sessions with the Early Years Manager as soon as possible, preferably at the time of registration. Siblings will be given priority over other children waiting for places. Settling Your Child We appreciate that starting your child with us may be a very challenging experience for you both. We advise you to visit for at least 3 sessions before the big day. These will normally be for 1 and a half hours during either a morning or an afternoon core session. On your first visit parents normally stay the entire time, the second and third visits will most likely require you to stay for a short time before leaving your child. It is helpful if you talk to your child as much as possible about coming to Nursery or Pre-School. Your Keyperson will show you where to hang your child’s coat and where your child’s tray is located. At the end of your child’s first half term you will receive a written summary about how your child has settled-in, indicating his or her next steps for learning and development.
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If your child is upset when being left, it is much better for you and your child if you hand him/her over to a member of staff, say your goodbyes and go. Prolonging it only makes things harder for you both. Please do telephone at any time to ask how your child has settled. With your co-operation, we hope to make this settling-in time run as smoothly as possible. Uniform and Equipment Nursery children at Danesfield Manor do not wear a uniform. Pre-School children have a simple uniform and children in the Reception class wear the full school uniform. All uniform can be ordered from Alleycatz who are based at Claremont House, 34 Molesey Rd, Hersham, Walton-on-Thames KT12 4RQ and can be contacted on 01932 223075. Online appointments can be made after registering at this link https://www.alleycatz.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=login Winter – October Half Term • School polo shirt • School sweatshirt • Royal blue jogging bottoms Summer – Easter until October Half Term • School polo shirt • Royal blue cotton shorts • School dress Swimming • Own swimming costume or trunks • Royal blue or pink swimming cap* • Towel and goggles Items marked * are available at the school The Danesfield Parents Association (DPA) also run a second hand clothing stall which has a sale once a term. It is important that all items of clothing are clearly named. We plan for outdoor activities, whatever the weather, so please ensure your child always has a jumper and coat in school. We advise you to bring a spare set of clothes (more if toilet training), sun hat, cream and wellingtons when needed. We ask that children in Pre-School bring their own named water bottle and a snack for the afternoon session. Although every effort is made to ensure that personal items are not lost or damaged, Danesfield Manor cannot accept any responsibility for replacement of such items. As a service to parents, all nappies, creams, baby wipes etc. are provided by Danesfield Manor and included in the fees.
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Nursery and Pre-School Paint The paint that we use at Nursery is washable and we provide art aprons when the children require them. If your child does come home with paint on their clothing we have been advised that they should be washed according to the instructions below. “Use non-biological powder or liquid and luke-warm water, otherwise the stain will become permanent. Soak if necessary. Do not apply heat (e.g. tumble dry) until the stain has gone”. Parent Participation Whatever you feel you could help us with and for however small amount of time you feel you could spare, please let us know and you’ll be welcomed with open arms! All helpers undergo a police check and wear a badge to identify them whilst in early years. The Danesfield Parent Association (DPA) is always grateful for your involvement and support in social and fund-raising events. The Danesfield Parent Council is also always looking for class reps to feedback the views of parents regarding the running of the school. Please ask at the school office if you would like further information about any of these ways of participating at Danesfield. Food and Drink If you have a child in Nursery or Pre-School who attends from 8am, you may choose to provide him/her with appropriate breakfast food such as cereal or yoghurt. We will provide milk. Children in Reception can register with our Dawn Chorus club from 8am, and can bring breakfast with them. At Danesfield Manor, we have our own full-time chef who prepares a home cooked lunch with dessert each day at 11:45am (and at the earlier time of 11:30am on a Monday). Our chef also prepares afternoon tea for children who are with us at 4pm. We cater for vegetarians; special diets are also catered for. If your child has any special dietary needs, please feel free to come and talk to us about what alternatives we can offer. Weekly menus are displayed in our weekly newsletter, which is available on our website. Danesfield Manor will provide a healthy mid-session snack for children in Nursery. For children in Pre-School or Reception, we request that you provide a healthy snack, e.g. a piece of fruit, vegetable sticks, plain rice cakes or breadsticks in a named box or bag. Oranges and tangerines should be peeled at home and brought in a named break box (plastic bags are not permitted).
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All children have access to drinking water throughout the day and it is helpful if children in Nursery/Pre-School and Reception can bring their own named water bottle. In order to protect children who have an allergy to nuts, we ask parents not to bring in any items containing nuts or nut products. Collecting Your Child Early Years children should enter via the main entrance and go to the playground. Nursery is situated on the left and Pre-school can be found by walking around the school hall, on the decking area. At the end of the session, parents can collect their children from nursery or pre-school. We ask parents to advise us as to who will be bringing and collecting their child. The Early Years Manager or key person must be informed if there is any change to the arrangement. If someone other than the usual person is coming to collect your child we would ask for a password known to both yourself and our staff to ensure the child is handed over to the correct adult. Under no circumstances will a child be allowed to leave without an adult known to staff. It is better for your child if arrangements are made on a regular, rather than an ad hoc basis. If, for any reason, you are likely to be late collecting your child, please let us know so that your child may be reassured that you are on your way. Non-Attendance and Late Arrival Please inform us if you know in advance that your child will not be able to attend his/her normal sessions. (e.g. doctor’s appointment or holiday). We request that this is done by 9.30am for morning sessions and by 1pm for afternoon sessions. Equally, please inform us if you are running late and will be arriving more than 10 minutes after your child’s session time. Thank you. Outings Occasionally, your child may take a short trip out of the Nursery or Pre-School to the post box or the local shop to buy cooking ingredients, so when your child joins us you will be asked to sign a general consent form to allow your child to take part in routine local outings. Termly events are arranged for Nursery and Pre-School children and are usually based around the current topic, although sometimes it may be just for fun! Pre-School children who are 3 years old at the beginning of the academic year attend an outing in the summer term. You will be asked to pay for the outing if a cost is incurred e.g. for the hire of a coach and sign a consent form giving permission for your child to go. All outings are carefully planned, risk-assessed and staffed with your child’s usual carers and additional help from parents or visiting students. Adult/child ratios depend on the ages of the children and the nature of the outing.
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Special Events We are happy to help your child celebrate their birthday. If you have any special family traditions you would like to share, we are always keen to learn about different religions and cultures. Please feel free to speak to our staff about any possibilities. Holidays A list of term dates is within this booklet for both traditional and extended year. Danesfield Manor is open from 8:00am to 6:00pm all year except for public Bank Holidays, three days between Christmas and New Year and the last two weeks of August. It is helpful if you could inform us of any holiday dates as soon as possible since this helps us plan staff holidays. For children in Reception, permission needs to be granted from the Principal for holidays to be taken during term time. Holiday forms for this purpose may be obtained from outside the School Office and should be handed into the office once completed. There is no reduction or refund of fees for holiday taken. During holidays Nursery and Pre-school numbers are reduced and they join up in Pre-school for the holiday period. Children can wear their own clothes during the holiday periods. Safeguarding Danesfield Manor School has a commitment to safeguarding the children within our care, and have a policy for Safeguarding which is in line with Social Services and Government guidelines. The school has 4 designated safeguarding leads that have had specific training in this area. This policy among others is on our website. All other polices are available upon request from the School Office. Visits to School Mrs Chalmers has an Open Door Policy and welcomes all parents to use this facility should you need to do so. In the interest of safety, all adults must ring the bell on the entry system next to the main gate on arrival. If you need to spend time in the school, the office staff will issue you with an official visitor’s badge. Please wear this all the time you are on the school premises. All visitors will be accompanied at all times by a member of staff. Any regular visitors to the school will undergo an enhanced police check through the Disclosure and Barring Service. Please note our school is a no smoking area and mobile phones can be left in the office during your visit.
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The ethos of our school encourages close links with parents and the community. The staff and governors believe that pupils benefit when the relationship between home and school is a positive one. The vast majority of parents, carers and others visiting the our school are keen to work with us and are supportive of the school. However on the rare occasion when a negative attitude towards the school is expressed, this can result in aggression, verbal or physical abuse towards members of school staff or the wider community. All members of staff have the right to work without fear of violence and abuse and we expect parents and other visitors to behave in a reasonable way towards members of school staff.
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Reading Together At Danesfield Manor, one of the most important aspects of the curriculum is learning to read confidently. However, although it is a mutual desire that all children progress well through the reading scheme, we must not forget that the development of literacy involves far more than a school reading scheme alone. Developing a love of books is essential as this will inevitably encourage a desire to read for oneself and thereby make real progress in reading and education as a whole. Here are some pointers: DO DO DO DO DO DO DO DO DO DO DO DO hard. DON’T DON’T DON’T DON’T
have plenty of books of all kinds in your home. encourage your child to look at the books around them even if they cannot yet read them. let your children see you enjoying books. encourage respect in the treatment of books. read a wide variety of stories and books to your child. encourage them to read and share these books with you and ask them to identify familiar words. read environmental print together such as road signs and food labels. allow your children to read comics and magazines sometimes, and newspapers as they get older. make reading together a relaxing and enjoyable time. encourage your child to talk about their reading books, asking questions about the pictures and events in the story. be supportive, providing words if a child is hesitant for too long. give lots of praise. Even if a child is struggling, they are still trying
rush your child or make reading time stressful in any way. compare your child’s reading levels unfavourably with their peers. read with your child when there are too many other distractions - make it a quiet, peaceful time. restrict your child’s reading to their school reading book alone. There is much to be gained from providing a wealth of story books for them to read alone or share.
ABOVE ALL reading should be a pleasure never a chore and attitudes developed now are likely to remain with your child in the future.
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Policies and Procedures We have an extensive number of policies in place, all of which can be viewed on the web site. We are regularly inspected by Environmental Heath and the Independent Schools Association (ISA). We endeavour to ensure that all staff remain in line with current best practice. Additional Needs Policy Detailed records are kept of each child’s progress in Early Years. In cases where children fail to achieve specified goals, staff will discuss their concerns and a second opinion may be sought. Parents will be advised of the staff concerns at this stage and a decision may be made to refer a child to the relevant specialist for a more detailed assessment. It is the responsibility of Danesfield Manor to ensure that all children are able to fully participate in all activities, including children with English as a second language. Where necessary, positive steps are, and will continue to be taken to particularly encourage the participation of all children in all activities. Children will be observed so that the ANCO (Additional Needs Co-ordinator) can gather information for initial and further assessment of individual children’s needs so that the curriculum can be adjusted appropriately. For children with additional needs, Danesfield Manor will continue to improve access to the facilities and review the play equipment with their needs in mind. The Early Years Manager is our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) for Early Years. Critical Medical Policy The Danesfield Manor School takes seriously its responsibility to look after your child. To enable us to do this successfully it is important that we work together in partnership with parents. We would ask you to communicate in writing any changes in your child’s development or physical needs that may become apparent as they grow up. When you settle your child in to our School you will be asked to complete a medical form. This must be returned before a child starts with us. If you have indicated that they have any serious allergies that require us to avoid foods or circumstances that would make the allergy worse, we will ask you to meet with us and complete a Health Care Plan before they start.
Health and Safety Policy All equipment and apparatus used in the school conforms to British or European standards. In addition, staff are aware of the capabilities of individual children and will not allow them to be put at risk. However, it is inevitable that children may suffer the odd bump or bruise. Medical attention
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will always be sought for anything more than a minor injury. Further details are available from our Health and Safety Policy, which is available on the school website. If your child is hurt in an incident involving another child, staff will deal firmly and fairly with the other child concerned. All accidents are recorded in our accident book. Equal Opportunities Policy As an independent school, we recognise that parents have the right to choose a school that best fits with their own views on education, moral or religious grounds. We also recognise that it is impossible to be all things to all people. With this in mind, we believe that the needs and views of our parents should be met as long as they do not conflict with any of the basic aims and principles upon which the school is built. The staff will value and respect different racial origins, cultures and languages in a multi-racial society so that each child is valued as an individual, without racial or gender stereotyping. Unacceptable Behaviour (Including Bullying & Abuse) There is no place for violence, bullying, harassment, vandalism, rudeness to adults or other pupils or bad language in the school community and these will always be discouraged. Persons observing or experiencing bullying, harassment or vandalism are encouraged to enlist the help of class teachers, teaching assistants and lunchtime supervisors in the school to resolve problems of this type. Repeated occurrences will need to be noted on the child’s profile record and drawn to the attention of senior members of staff and the Principal. Sanctions exist to protect individuals from these negative forms of behaviour. Solutions to problems of bullying, harassment and vandalism will offer opportunities to support and guide the “wrong doer” to take a more positive role within the school. Behaviour Management Policy The staff will not smack or otherwise physically punish your child and we ask that parents also follow this rule whilst on Danesfield premises. Danesfield Manor believes that children are not simply ‘naughty’ but rather that their behaviour can at times be unacceptable. Staff will deal firmly with situations as they arise, talking things through with the child or children concerned and explaining why their behaviour is unacceptable. Apart from minor incidents, we will advise parents of any situations that have arisen during the session and the action taken by staff. This is not meant to result in further disciplining of the child, who has already been dealt with, but
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rather so that we can work together to ensure that patterns of unacceptable behaviour are identified and remedied. We believe that children respond to positive reinforcement of good behaviour and offer this in a variety of ways such as praise, stickers etc. Staff members are trained to accommodate and cope with the behaviour of most children. However, if we believe they are unable to cope with exceptionally disruptive behaviour, where additional professional support is not available, we reserve the right to withdraw the place in the interests of the other children. Class rules will be agreed at the start of each academic year with the class. A copy of our Behaviour Policy is available on the website or on request from the school office.
Illness Policy If your child becomes unwell and we feel that they should be at home you will be contacted and requested that you collect your child immediately. This applies even if your doctor has said your child is fit and not infectious. Our policy for dealing with sick children is as follows: • • •
As a general principle, children with any infection should be excluded while they have symptoms or are feeling unwell. It is at the sole discretion of the Early Years Manager as to whether or not a child is well enough to be at Danesfield Manor. You will be required to inform the school and exclude your child from Danesfield Manor for the stated time if they have the following: • Any communicable disease i.e. chicken pox, mumps, head lice, impetigo etc. • An eye or ear discharge – we have to presume that these are infectious as they quite often are, therefore an eye or ear infection must be clear of discharge before they can return. However, if your GP writes to us stating that it is not infectious, we will be happy for them to be at Danesfield Manor as long as they are not suffering from any discomfort, pain or requiring any extra care. • Diarrhoea/vomiting – your child may return to Danesfield Manor once they have been clear for 48 hours, depending on the severity of the illness and your GP’s diagnosis (this may be required in writing). • A chart covering most of the common childhood illnesses is available via a link on Danesfield Manor website. Please do refer to this chart, especially information about how long a child should be kept away from school. We will send children home who return to school earlier than the times recommended.
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• If they have a high temperature, we will seek permission to give Calpol and then assess the situation using the following guidelines:
102°F(39 C)
and over. Go home immediately
101°F(38 C)
We will monitor the situation for 30 minutes. If the temperature goes down below 101°F the child may be able to stay.
Up to 100°F (38 C)
We will monitor the situation and keep you informed of any significant change.
We appreciate that work commitments can be disrupted by staff requesting that a child be taken home, but we wish to assure you that we will not ask you to take your child unless we have a genuine concern for the health of both your child and that of others at Danesfield. Danesfield Manor is only able to administer medication, including inhalers but excluding Calpol, according to a doctor’s prescription. What to Do If You Have a Concern At Danesfield Manor we like to feel that we are approachable and sympathetic to parent’s needs and concerns. However if you have a concern that is connected with your child: Firstly, approach your child’s key person. If this is not appropriate, contact the Early Years Manager. Finally, make an appointment to see Mrs Chalmers If it is connected with an administrative matter: talk to the School Administrator, if this is not appropriate, please call and arrange to see the Business Manager. When a concern is expressed, either personally, by telephone, or by letter, we complete our own ‘Staff / Parental Concern Report’ form. These are filed and regularly reviewed by members of our Senior Leadership Team. We will try to address the problem straight away, but if this is not possible, we aim to get back to you within 24 hours, even if it is only to give you an update. We would hope that you will always find us approachable and open to suggestions or criticism. It is important that you talk to us immediately about any worries or queries you may have. We guarantee to keep your concern confidential. A copy of our concerns and complaints policy is available on the school website or from the school office.
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Term Dates 2017 / 2018 Traditional Year Term Dates
ACADEMIC YEAR 2017-18
AUTUMN TERM 2017
SPRING TERM 2018
Start of Term 6th September 2017
Start of Term 4th January 2018
Half Term 16th– 27th October 2017
Half Term 12th – 16th February 2018
End of Term 14th December 2017
End of Term 28th March 201
SUMMER TERM 2018
Start of Term 17th April 2017 Half Term 28th May – 1st June 2018
End of Term 11th July 2018
Extended Year Term Dates
ACADEMIC YEAR 2017-18 AUTUMN TERM 2017
Start of Term 5th September 2017
End of Term 22nd December 2017
SPRING TERM 2018
Start of Term 2nd January 2018
End of Term 16th April 2018
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SUMMER TERM 2018
Start of Term 17th April 2018
End of Term 17th August 2018 School Closed 20th Aug - 31st August
Chair of Governors: Paul Gibbs
gibbspr@me.com
Principal: Helen Chalmers
hchalmers@danesfieldmanorschool.co.uk
Senior Leadership Team: Richard Drew
rdrew@danesfieldmanorschool.co.uk
Mark Potter
mpotter@danesfieldmanorschool.co.uk
Nikki Kennedy
nkennedy@danesfieldmanorschool.co.uk
Nikki Straker
nstraker@danesfieldmanorschool.co.uk
Business Manager: Nikki Kennedy
nkennedy@danesfieldmanorschool.co.uk
School Administrator: Mark Thomas
enquiries@danesfieldmanorschool.co.uk
Designated Safeguarding Leads: (DSL) Helen Chalmers (Yr1 to Yr 6) Nikki Straker (Early Years) Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads: (DDSL) Nikki Kennedy (Yr1 to Yr6) Michelle Cook (Early Years)
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Danesfield Manor School Rydens Avenue Walton on Thames KT12 3JB 01932 220930
Education Development Trust 16 – 18 Duke Street Reading RG1 4RU
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“My child attends pre-school and everything I have witnessed so far has been excellent. There is the right balance of structure and discipline versus nurture and play and every child id very much treated as an individual. I am amazed at how rapidly my child has developed since joining both in maturity and academically and this is thanks to the wonderful staff who look after the children – couldn’t wish for better” Parent of pre-school child June 2017
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“Both of my children loved Danesfield Manor straight from the start. The quality of care and standard of teaching are excellent. We highly recommend the school.� Parent of pre-school children July 2017
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