Penguins
Welcome to the Penguins
We are the Pre-school team:
Alison Richardson – Pre-school Teacher
Nicola Bowyer – Early Years Practitioner
Janet Bowers – Early Years Practitioner
Sue Coulthard – Early Years Practitioner
Michelle Hunter - Early Years Practitioner
Sherree Smart- Early Years Practitioner
Contact Email
ARichardson@sharnbrookprimary.beds.sch.uk
SENDCO Email
sendco@sharnbrookprimary.beds.sch.uk
All about the Penguins Class at Sharnbrook Primary
Penguins is the Preschool class of Sharnbrook Primary. We have our own classroom situated in the school, with an enclosed outdoor play area. We provide a safe, stimulating and caring environment that promotes learning through play. Using a wide range of resources the children have an opportunity to develop their social skills as they play and learn alongside and with other children. We accept children from 2 ½ to 4 years.
When your child starts Preschool it is an important time for both child and parents. We hope that this information will explain a little about us and perhaps answer some of the questions you might have. You are always welcome to come and chat to the staff and see what we offer.
Staff
The most important people as far as your children are concerned are the staff, who are all dedicated and caring, with a wealth of experience. We have a qualified teacher and 5 Early Years trained staff who hold either a Level 3 or Level 2 qualification, appropriate for the care and development of children, as required by Ofsted.
There is a continual program of staff development to enhance their knowledge and understanding of childcare.
Although all our staff will be involved with the care and development of your child, when they join us they will be allocated one of our staff as a Key Person. This helps your child to form a secure relationship with one person helping them to settle in quicker. Your child’s key Person is responsible for keeping your child’s learning journal up to date, monitoring their learning and communicating with you about their progress and development.
Parents
Parents are as much a part of our Preschool as their children. It is important for you and your child that you play an active part in this exciting phase of his/her life. You know your child better than anyone and we encourage you to share information with us on their likes, dislikes, special people and friends etc so that we can really get to know your children.
When your child is due to start Preschool we will invite you in for a tour of the setting and to familiarise you and your child with staff and routines. We also offer the option of a home visit. This allows us to come and meet your child in a comfortable familiar environment so we can begin to build a relationship.
Record Keeping
Activities are planned following the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. The emphasis is on PLAY and giving children the freedom and support to investigate with resources both indoors and outdoors.
We are required by Ofsted to keep certain records about each child, including observations about their experiences and achievements at Preschool. We regularly observe the children when engaged in play or when taking part in activities led by adults. This information means we can monitor progress and plan next steps/experiences in line with the child’s interests, and help them work towards the Early Learning Goals.
We use a software application called the Interactive Learning Diary. This is a web based tool, to record observations, assessments and learning journeys within a child's diary while capturing evidence and assessing progress against the Early Years curriculum.
The Interactive Learning Diary also encourages parental participation and gives you the opportunity to be more actively involved in your child’s learning journey through secure online access to the "Pupil's Diary". Once your child starts in the setting you will be given log-in information and a password so you can safely view and add to your child’s diary from home.
Sessions
We offer morning and afternoon session as well as a lunch club. Depending on availability you can select the sessions that you would like your child to attend. The timings of the session are as follows:
Morning - 9.00am - 12.00pm
Lunch - 12.00pm - 1.00pm
Afternoon – 1.00pm - 3.00pm
There is also the option of a before school and after school club if you require child care outside the Preschool hours. This is open to all children aged 3 and above, please ask a member of staff.
Please note that we do not have facilities to provide a hot meal so children need to bring their own packed lunch.
We promote and encourage healthy eating habits so we kindly ask that children’s lunches reflect this. For example providing wholemeal sandwiches, pasta or pieces of fruit. Please do not send fizzy drinks or sweets.
We provide a morning snack and offer children a variety of fruit, vegetables, crackers, cheese etc with a drink of milk or water.
Fees
If your child is not eligible for Early Years Funding, our hourly rate is £4.75.
If your child is 3 or over they will be entitled to funding towards their Preschool fees. Please ask us for more information.
Settling in
A child who is tense or unhappy will not be able to play or learn, so it is important for parents and Preschool staff to work together to help the child feel confident and secure in the group. This takes longer for some children than others and parents should not feel worried if their child takes a while to settle.
A home visit can be helpful for some children, where a member of our staff can come and meet with you in an environment in which your child is relaxed and confident. This can help us to learn more about your child and for them to become familiar with us.
Clothing
Children come to Preschool in their own clothes put please don’t send them in their best clothes as they will be getting wet, muddy or covered in paint!
They will also require a complete change of clothes in a bag to be placed on their peg plus a pair of wellington boots for outside play.
Please ensure all clothing is named so that it can be returned to the right children at the end of the day.
Transition to School
As part of the main school we work very closely with the Robins Reception class. In the summer term children who are due to start at the school will visit the Robins class to meet the teachers and become familiar with the classroom, school routines and activities. We follow the Little Wandle phonic scheme. Please click on this link if you would like to find out more.
This process works very well and it ensures the move to the main school is a smooth and stress free positive experience for all concerned.
Thank you for choosing Sharnbrook Preschool to begin the educational journey of your child/children.
