Space permits only a very brief outline of some of our policies and procedures here. Parents are encouraged to read the parent copy of our in-depth Playgroup Policies and Procedures, available from reception. It gives full details of our policies and procedures. We try to ensure parents are happy with these before they sign the Agreement forms. To ensure this, verbal explanations can be given if preferred during the introductory period and personal copies are supplied on request.

The following are included:

Policies: Equal Access; Parents as Partners; Equal Opportunities; Staff Development; No smoking; Confidentiality; Sick Children; Documentation.

Policies and Procedures: Health & Safety (including Fire safety & Security);Special Educational Needs; Child Protection; Professional Suspicion of Children at Risk; Admissions; Promoting Positive Behaviour; Sun Safety; Staff Discipline and Complaints; Administration of medicines; Outings.

Procedures: Comments, Compliments & Complaints; Lost or uncollected children.

Arrangements for Safeguarding Children: The registered person must keep and implement a written statement of procedures to be followed for the protection of children, intended to safeguard the children being cared for from abuse or neglect. The registered person must ensure that no individual who is unsuitable to work with children has unsupervised access to a child receiving childcare.

Policies In Brief
Equality of Access and Opportunity. From the outset of Playgroup we have known that there can be no true equality of opportunity without equality of access. For many children, even within a town as outwardly affluent as Kenilworth, parental finances still influence the amount and/or quality of their preschool education.

We therefore believe it is futile to be committed to equality of opportunity without also being committed to equality of access.

With the expansion of Nursery Education Grant in September 2000, the trustees resolved that (given a significant amount of suitably skilled/qualified voluntary staffing and more extensive fundraising) we could begin to provide free playgroup for all children at the point of use. However, free places is constantly under review and is dependant on charity funding, donations and the NEG. Although NEG covers some of our costs, well equipped and staffed free Playgroup is still only possible thanks to a significant amount of charitable contributions from organisations and individual supporters. Parents who can afford to make donations to Playgroup and who are taxpayers can use Gift Aid (which now applies to the smallest gift) to increase the value of gifts by reclaiming tax.

Parents as Partners. NB. See also Full Policy Statement available in Booklet form on request. We believe that a child’s first and most vital early years educators are their parents and that if a child is going to get the very most from their early years education, Playgroup and parents must collaborate in the process. Our whole operation is geared to enabling this and we try to make and take every opportunity to make this work.

We encourage frequent exchanges of details of progress and development between parents and staff via informal chats after sessions and hold a Parent’s Event each half term. Parents are always welcome in Playgroup, and Records of Achievement are always available to parents. Staff make themselves available to parents at the end of sessions. Parents are encouraged to look at their child’s file regularly and to share achievements noticed at home. Records of Achievement Folders are given to parents at the end of their time with us.

General Information is displayed on the Parents’ Notice Board and distributed in notes, invitations and a half termly newsletter providing details of curriculum, dates, fund-raising events, concerts, open days and picnics etc.

Confidentiality. Children’s confidential records are kept secure but readily available to Staff in case of emergency. Staff note progress and needs; record significant achievements after each session and discuss these generally at Curriculum Planning Meetings in order to ensure ongoing appropriate activities for all children. All information about children is kept confidential within Playgroup and sensitive information is shared only on a “need to know” basis.

Observation is an integral part of every early years professional's work and has always been used informally within the group to ensure that all children, with or without special needs, are given appropriate opportunities to fulfill their potential. Children are not aware of observations and are unaffected by their being undertaken. Early years authorities now recommend that these observations are formalised and recorded confidentially, in order to ensure that appropriate learning opportunities are being provided for all children.

Discipline(See also Full Policy Statement I n reception)
We employ a policy of reasoning with children experiencing behavioural difficulties. Positive behaviour is focused on and praise given at every possible opportunity. Children are never smacked and raised voices are carefully avoided. Most children respond well to gentle, firm, consistent direction given with lots of encouragement.

Special Educational Needs.(See also Full Policy Statement)
In line with our equality of access policy we do not believe any child should be excluded because they have Special Educational Needs. We have a proven, excellent record of meeting the needs of such children with or without one-to-one helpers according need. Our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator is Mrs Sarah Walters.

Security is taken very seriously. Children are not allowed to leave with anyone other than the persons nominated on their Registration form unless agreed with parents in advance. (See also Full Policy Statement)

Admissions policy. We take children from the age of 2 years.

Settling in. Parents are encouraged to visit the group with their child prior to registration. Once you have completed an application/registration form, the Playgroup Supervisor will arrange for you and your child to make introductory visits, on average one a week for 4 weeks before the planned start date. All children vary, some needing more or less time to settle than others. Parents stay with their child during this time until both adult and child are confident in the setting. Staff take the opportunity to get to know the family and record information about the child’s needs and preferences which will help them settle.

Concerns or Complaints.
Open discussion between parents and staff of all aspects of Playgroup, especially where there are any concerns, generally avoids the need for formal complaints. Your Keyworker, or Mrs Cross, will do their utmost to ensure you are confident that Playgroup is meeting your and your child’s needs. Should they fail to satisfy you, your formal complaint should be pursued with the Chairman or Administrator of the Trustees: Any issue unable to be resolved by the trustees should be referred to OfSTED Early Years, Piccadily Gate, Store Street, Manchester, M1 2WD contact number 0300 123 1231

Nursery Education Grant and Free Playgroup
Nursery Education Grant (NEG) is our main source of funding; so it is important that we are able to claim for all eligible children. From April 2004 children are eligible for grant from the term after their 3rd birthday and throughout their preschool year. While Playgroup can share grant when a child attends more than one private or voluntary preschool setting, we cannot claim grant for children also attending an LEA funded nursery. The grant is claimed by and paid directly to the Playgroup.

Links with Schools
We have links with St Nicholas School where a majority of our children move on to school. We enjoy working closely with any school into which children transfer, and will be happy to look at arrangements for visits to school, or from new teachers, which we will always try to accommodate. In our new location, we are especially looking to strengthen our links with other schools in the town.

Term Dates for the Playgroup Year
We follow St Nicholas school calendar as far as possible. This does sometimes mean that the additional Teacher Training Days chosen by the school are settled at quite short notice. Lists of term dates are available to collect from reception and dates are included in our Parent Newsletter which comes out every half term.