Welcome to Windygoul Primary School NurseryInformation Booklet

Head Teacher: Bruce Murray

Address: Brotherstones Way SouthTranent EH33 2QF

Telephone: 01875 619739Fax: 01875 616894Email:

admin@windygoul.elcschool.org.uk

This booklet provides some information about our Nursery: we hope you will find it useful and that your child will enjoy his/her time at Windygoul Nursery.

Nursery Staffing 2019-2019

Mrs Kathryn-Jane James and Mrs Val Peebles Senior Early Years Practitioners with shared responsibility across the whole nursery

Owl Room: Nursery Nurses – Mrs Christine Allan, Mrs Amy Scott/Miss Louise Irvine (job-share)Sun Room: Nursery Nurses – Mrs Carrie Hutchison, Mrs Kathryn-Jane James, Mrs Angie CooperMoon Room: Nursery Nurses –Miss Sheree Blaik, Miss Nicola Robertson, Mrs Val Peebles, Miss Jemma Dodds

Windygoul Primary School Nursery has 3 playrooms for a total of 70 children in the morning and 70 in the afternoon. The smaller room accommodates 20 children each session and the larger room is split into 20 in the Sun Room and 30 in the Moon Room. New children will be settled in through stages throughout their first week. You are asked to stay with your child during his/her first short day.

Wrap Around Care is available and based at Sanderson’s Wynd Primary School; this service is available all year round, except Christmas and Public Holidays, from 8am – 5.45pm. For information about this service please contact 01875 616513.

We do support teacher and Nursery Nurse training and may have students in our Nursery rooms throughout the year.

We aim to: Provide opportunities that enable the children to become responsible citizens who care

for the environment. Promote a culture of respect, co-operation, tolerance and honesty within school and the

wider community. Use an enterprising approach to motivate the children to become successful learners in

order that they reach their full potential. Promote a healthy, safe, caring environment where staff, pupils and parents work in

harmony. Provide support and continuity in order to ensure a smooth transition between stages. Foster good relationships with parents and embrace the contribution of the wider

community.

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Planning and Self EvaluationThe School Improvement Plan, Standards and Quality reports and copies of School Policies are available to parents/carers on the school website http://www.edubuzz.org/windygoul/ or from the school office.

Inspection We are registered with the Care Inspectorate Scotland. We are inspected on a regular basis by the Care Inspectorate. Copies of the relevant

reports will be available from the office.

Some useful information about Windygoul Nursery

Times for session 2018-2019: Morning Children OnlyMon –Thurs 8.32am – Door Opens 12.15pm Afternoon Children OnlyMon - Thurs 1.15pm - Door Opens 3.00pm & 4.00pmFridays 8.32am – Door Opens 12.05pm

Your child must always be brought to Nursery and collected from Nursery by an adult. Please ensure that only adults tick their child in/out on the register as this is a document used when the fire alarm is raised. Our doors will be opened and manned Monday-Friday morning for dropping off at 8.32am until 8.47am and again at 9.00am. We would ask all morning group parents/carers to ensure they are arriving at one of these points. Pick Up time sees our doors open at 12.15pm with all children needing to be away for 12.30pm at the latest to allow for set up for the afternoon group and staff lunches. Doors will re-open for our afternoon group at 1.15pm for their sessions Monday-Thursday with pick up either 3.00pm or 4.00pm. Friday Pick Up time sees our doors open at 12.05pm with all children needing to be away for 12.20pm. Please ensure the Nursery staff are aware of the times you will normally be dropping off and collecting your child. It is very important to keep to children being dropped off and collected within these timeslots to prevent the learning experiences from being disrupted.

Prams and Pushchairs: To comply with fire regulations parents/carers are asked to leave all prams and pushchairs outside the building. They can be safely left at the main nursery door while children are taken into nursery, but should not be left in the playground during Nursery Sessions. Bikes or scooters can be left at the Toadstools near the nursery entrance but the school has no responsibility for their security if they are not padlocked. Please ensure no bikes or scooters are left overnight.

ClothingWe have a blue nursery sweatshirt which can be bought from EES Limited – they can be contacted on (0131) 621 7222www.eeslschools.com or info@eeslimited.com

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We encourage independence so please make sure your child is wearing practical clothing that is easy for them to change – elasticated waists are ideal as are shoes with Velcro fastenings. It is useful for children to wear soft shoes when indoors at Nursery. It is also extremely helpful if you label all your child’s clothes. Clogs, flip-flops, shoes with slippery soles or high heels are not suitable for Nursery as they can be dangerous when climbing. Children will need an outdoor jacket every day. Please bring a change of clothes with you every day to leave in nursery in case of accidents. Wellingtons are an ideal addition in wet weather as we will still be outside learning and playing everday.

Settling In:Details of exact timings for new children along with details of their key worker will be issued during our information meeting or sent to parents/carers before we break up for Summer. We also have the opportunity for children to come and explore the Nursery for themselves before we break up and details of these times are shared when the offer of a place is given out. We would hope that the majority of our children will settle smoothly but will work alongside parents/carers to ensure we get it right for every child with alternative arrangements being made if necessary.

Health and Safety If your child is unwell and is unable to come to Nursery, please contact the School

office, telephone 01875 619739. When your child suffers from sickness and diarrhoea they will need to stay at home for

48 hours after the symptoms have stopped. If you are unable to collect your child, please inform a member of staff. It is also very

important to keep your emergency contact numbers up to date. We will inform parents of any cases of mumps, chicken pox and German measles as we

hear of them. Please also note that no person under 16 years of age is allowed to collect a child.

Health VisitorsWe liaise closely with our local Health Visitors, Education Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists and other agencies to ensure that we are all working together to meet the needs of all of our pupils. If there is significant input across agencies you will be invited to attend Multi Agency Meetings which normally take place at Sanderson’s Wynd Primary to allow professionals one site when they are supporting children across the area.

Accidents/IncidentsIn the event of an accident or incident, staff will log the information and a copy will be signed and given to the parent/carer. We will apply cold compresses and a sterile dressing when necessary. Please let us know if your child has any allergies. We deal with these issues promptly and calmly and are sensitive to children’s needs. It is school nursery policy to inform the parent/carer by phone if a child sustains a bump to the head/face.

Information Please take time to read our notice boards and newsletters. This way you can be fully involved in your child’s nursery experience. Parents/carers meetings will be arranged to discuss your child’s progress and the information regarding our ELLP before he/she goes to school. Remember you can discuss your child’s progress at any time in an information way if required – just let staff know and a suitable time will be arranged.

Snack

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We have a healthy snack every day in Nursery, which the children help to prepare. We will try to bake with the children as often as possible and either eat this at snack or take it home. Parents/carers contribute £10 per term, due during the first week of each new term, which will be used to provide the children with a healthy snack. We have four terms. Please either send money in a named envelope or where possible pay online at www.eastlothian.gov.uk/payforit.

Parent/Carer HelpersWe are always delighted to welcome parent/carer helpers into the Nursery. If you are interested in coming in to help for a full or part session please add your name to the list. You can:

Help on outings Play games Help with gardening Help with artwork Help with computer skills Help with sewing/threading Help make resources Remember you can also help by donating junk materials for gluing.

Parent Forum and Parent Council The main aims of the Parent Involvement Act are to:

Help parents to become more involved with their child’s education and learning Welcome parents as active participants in the life of the school Provide easier ways for parents to express their views and wishes

To help achieve these aims all parents will automatically be members of the Parent Forum at their child’s school. As a member of the Parent Forum all parents/carers will have a part to play in selecting the Parent Council, which is the representative body to work on behalf of the parents/carers.The aim is to have Nursery representation on the full Parent Council too and it’s role is to:

Support the school in its work with pupils Represent the views of all parents Encourage links between the school, parents, pupils, pre-school groups and the wider

community Report to the Parent Forum

Road SafetyParents and staff:

Encourage children to walk or cycle to school, thereby improving the safety for the pupil on the journey to school.

Provide pupils and parents with appropriate training to allow them and their children to journey to and from school safely.

Improve pedestrian safety in and around school. Raise awareness amongst pupils, parents and staff of the wider health and

environmental problems associated with increased car use. Improve the local environment for everyone by reducing pollution, congestion and

addressing safety issues around the school. The school asks you to review your current or intended mode of travel to and from our school and consider whether or not it should be changed or modified to help the school, pupils, staff and other parents to achieve our aims and reduce the number of child casualties.

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Road SafetyWe actively promote Road Safety

On walks outwith nursery, the children wear identification reflective tabards.

Staff use outings to promote road safety awareness. Parents are invited to a talk on Road Safety and use of car

restraints once a year by the Road Safety officer and Road Safety Co-ordinator during our Road Safety week.

We take part in Walk to School week twice a year.

Eco - Schools We promote an eco-friendly awareness amongst our children. You will see the children recycling in our waste compost bins and paper recycling bins.

Helping your child prepare for Nursery Learning through play. Your child will enjoy getting to know the real world; creating imaginary worlds;

pretending to be other people; playing with other children; sorting and organising ideas and objects.

Take time to play. Real Activities – gardening, cooking, shopping, tidying and cleaning. These activities

will help your child gain knowledge and self-esteem. Pretend Games – be someone else, such as a doctor, builder or a cat. Picture Book – stories of people, problems and happy endings. Read nursery rhymes

and fun alphabet and number books. Mark Making – let your child draw, paint or chalk (great fun outside). Use a range of

materials, for example: glue, chalk, pens and crayons etc. You can also look at all sorts of writing (packaging, comics, newspapers and signs). It is also important to be a good role model, show your child reasons for writing.

Independence Undress/dress themselves. Encourage your child to look after and put away their toys and books. Observe basic hygiene e.g. hand washing and toileting.

Listening and Talking Allow time to talk and listen to your child. Talk about what you are doing, e.g. what you see, where you are going etc. Answer their questions.

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Talk about number and use mathematical language e.g. how many have you got? What time of day is it? When you are out count things you see.

See notice boards and newsletters for further information on the Nursery Curriculum.Above all take time to play with your child.

OutingsWe do try to take the children out and about in the local community as much as possible. This may be for shopping, to the library, to look at print in the environment or to visit local places of interest. Children will wear reflective tabards for these outings. Parents/carers will be asked to complete a permission form at enrolment.

Anti-bullying – Pre-school:East Lothian schools have an anti-bullying policy. In Nursery anti-social behaviour is part of a child’s development process and personal, social and emotional development is central to the under 5’s curriculum. At all times parents are involved if a child is hurting or upsetting other children. Sometimes young children do not fully appreciate how their actions affect others. The children are encouraged to talk together about how they feel about others’ actions.

Multi-Cultural Policy

The children are presented with relevant materials e.g. books, posters, puzzles, dolls etc. to enable them to accept other cultures as part of Nursery life. Parents’ religious beliefs are taken into account if and when necessary. Children are encouraged to consider the feelings and needs of others. Nursery SecurityAn entry phone system is in place for both Nurseries and you will be unable to open the inside entrance door at any time. Please ensure the gates and doors are firmly closed and secure when you are leaving the building. We ask you to never open the door for an unaccompanied child and to remember that younger children are the responsibility of parents/carers. Please always use the main entrance, ring the bell and wait for a member of staff to open the door. To gain entrance at other times please press the button. A buzzer will sound and staff inside will operate the door. Please open the door when instructed. This system will help secure the building. Please ensure that the door is never held open at any time by anyone other than a member of staff just in case an unaccompanied child slips through.

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Waiting a few minutes will help ensure the safety of your child and all the other children in the Nursery.

Friends of the NurseryDuring the time your child will spend in Nursery he/she will meet the school dentist, dental nurse, speech therapist, students and others informally in the Nursery setting. The community police and health visitors also visit the Nursery from time to time. All of these people help to enrich the experiences for our children and are a welcome addition to our school community.

Positive behaviourWe would at all times be encouraging your child to:

Be kind and helpful to others. Look after nursery equipment and the environment. Use a quiet voice. Listen to people.

Please support us to help us develop positive citizenship.

Child Protection Edinburgh and the Lothian’s, including East Lothian, have reviewed and re-issued the “Inter-Agency Child Protection Procedures”. The Procedures promote a high level of inter-agency co-operation when working with children who may be in need of protection.Training is available for all staff in East Lothian to ensure that their skill and commitment is used effectively in identifying and protecting children who have been abused or may be at risk of abuse.The procedures will further encourage the partnership that exists between Social Work, Education, Health and the Police in East Lothian and will help toward building a partnership with parents in carrying out our duties and responsibilities to East Lothian children and young people.

Transferring Educational Data About PupilsWe work together to transfer data electronically through the ScotXed programme and you will be asked annually to help us keep this up to date.

What pupil data will be collected and transferred?Data on each pupil is collected by local authorities and SGED (Scottish Executive Department). The data collected and transferred covers areas such as date of birth, postcode, registration for free-school meals, whether a pupil is looked after by his/her local authority, special education needs, attendance, absence and exclusions from school. Pupil names and addresses are collected by their school and education authority but they are not passed to SGED. Your postcode is the only part of your address that is transferred. Data is held securely and no information on individual pupils can or would be published by SGED. It is used for statistical and research purposes only. Providing national identity and ethnic background data is entirely voluntary. You can choose the ‘not disclosed’ option if you do not want to provide this data. However, we hope that the explanations contained in this message and on our website will help you understand the importance of providing the data.

Why do we need your data?In order to make the best decisions about how to improve our education service, SGED and education authorities need accurate, up-to-date data about our pupils. We are keen to help our pupils do well in all aspects of school life and achieve better exam results. Accurate and up-to-date data allows SGED, education authorities and schools to:

Plan and deliver better policies for the benefit of all pupils. Plan and deliver better policies for the benefit of specific groups of pupils.

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Better understand some of the factors that influence pupil attainment and achievement.

Target resources better.

Your data protection rightsThe collection, transfer, processing and sharing of ScotXed data is done in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998). We also comply with the National Statistics Code of Practice requirements and other legislation related to the safeguarding the confidentiality of data. The Data Protection Act gives you the right to know how we will use your data. Fuller details of the uses of pupil data can be found on the ScotXed website.SGED will not publish or release any information that allows an individual pupil to be identified. Data will not be used by SGED to take any actions in respect of any individual pupils. Data will only be shared with bona fide partners, such as HMIE and the SQA. Any sharing will be done under conditions of strict control and with the prior agreement of the Data Controller.

Concerns If you have any concerns about the ScotXed data collections you can email the Senior Statistician, Peter Whitehouse at Peter.Whitehouse@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or write to The ScotXed Support Office, SGED, Area 1B, Victoria Quay, Leith, EH6 6QQ. Alternative versions of this page are available, on request from the ScotXed Support Office, in other languages, audio tape, braille and large print.

Want more information?Further details about ScotXed data exchanges are available on the ScotXed website, www.scotxed.net. Which contains a section on ‘frequently asked questions’ at: https://scot.net/jahia/Jahia/lang/en/pid/220

Complaints ProcedureMost complaints can and should be resolved at school level. If you have cause for concern, the first person to approach will normally be the Head Teacher. If parents remain dissatisfied then the procedures contained within “Resolving Issues Parents and School Working in Partnership” should be followed.

If your complaint is not handled to your satisfaction you may wish to contact the:-Care Inspectorate, Stuart House, Eskmills, Musselburgh, East Lothian EH21 7PB

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EAST LOTHIAN COUNCILRESOURCES AND PEOPLE SERVICES

SCHOOL SESSION DATES 2018/19 TERM 1 Staff In-service Day 1

Staff In-service Day 2MondayTuesday

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AugustAugust

20182018

Pupils Resume Wednesday 15 August 2018

Autumn Holiday (schools closed) Friday 14 September 2018

Autumn Holiday (schools closed Monday 17 September 2018

All Return Tuesday 18 September 2018

All Break Friday 12 October 2018

Staff In-service Day 3 Monday 22 October 2018

Pupils Resume Tuesday 23 October 2018

Term Ends Thursday 20 December 2018

Term 1 = 84 pupil daysTerm 1 = 87 staff days

TERM 2 All Resume Monday 7 January 2019

All Break Friday 8 February 2019

Staff In-service Day 4 Monday 18 February 2019

Pupils Resume Tuesday 19 February 2019

All Break Friday 5 April 2019

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Good Friday – 19 April 2019Easter Monday – 22 April 2019

Term 2 = 59 pupil daysTerm s 2 = 60 staff days

TERM 3 All Resume (Staff and Pupils) Tuesday 23 April 2019

May Day (Schools closed) Monday 6 May 2019

All Resume Tuesday 7 May 2019

Staff In-service Day 5 (pupils off) Monday 20 May 2019

Pupils Resume Tuesday 21 May 2019

Term Ends

Terms 3 = 47 pupil daysTerms 3 = 48 staff days

Friday 28 June 2019

Approved by Education Committee – 21 November 2017.

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