HOME OUR SCHOOL PARENTS & CARERS PUPILS NURSERY CONTACT US St Nicolas and St Mary CE Primary School Little Fishes Nursery Home»Nursery»Joining Little Fishes Joining Little Fishes If you are a new parent or carer to our nursery– WELCOME! We hope that you and your child will enjoy being part of our community. We want to work closely with you during your child's time with Little Fishes. Induction for new Nursery Children We aim to ensure that all children settle quickly and happily into the nursery. Our induction programme provides several opportunities for you and your child to share information with our staff and get to know them: Taking part in a formal tour or informal visit Children and parents stay and play session Second settling in session for children, parents can stay on site Children will be given a transition book with simple pictures and information about Little Fishes, to help them feel at home when they arrive. During the induction, parents can share information with staff such as medical issues, special educational needs and disabilities or concerns. If you would like to arrange to meet with staff to discuss any particular needs in addtion to this then please let us know. Settling in Our staff have plenty of experience to help your child come happily to school. Some children find it difficult to settle into nursery at the beginning of the day, particularly when they are new. This is perfectly normal so try not to worry about this. Initially parents/carers of nursery children are welcome to come in and help children hang up their coats and book bags. As children grow in confidence they will be encouraged to become more independent. Children usually settle very quickly when their parent has left. We will let you know if your child does not settle and you can always ring up the office to check. Helpful tips to make it easier for you and your child: Be positive and encouraging, even over the smallest of achievements! Some children go into nursery more easily with a friend – talk to your child about who they would like to go into nursery with and arrive a couple of minutes early to try and link up with your child’s chosen friend. Tell your child what you are going to be doing when he or she is at nursery ie at work, shopping or meeting someone and tell them that you (or someone else) will be back and will pick them up. When you say “goodbye”, smile, be positive and don’t prolong it. Sometimes it can be very hard for parents to “let go” when their children start nursery. Being consistent with children is essential – don’t give in to unreasonable requests by very little people. Sometimes handing over your child to a member of staff demonstrates your trust in that person that they will care for and look after your child. Your child will pick up on these vibes and this will help them settle. The most common reason for a child not settling is when a parent is hesitant about leaving the child. The child is then not certain whether the parent is staying or going and this is unsettling. Remember to ensure that your child has sufficient sleep and plenty of time to play quietly when starting nursery – children do get tired when new routines and challenges are introduced! Do ask your child how they got on at nursery but remember that they may want to simply switch off. Sometimes asking them one thing that they did or what made them happy today may be enough. What should my child wear? Please ensure your child wears practical clothes to nursery (i.e jogging trousers and a top). We like to encourage the children to be independent in self care whenever possible. Please also send them in old clothes. We do encourage children to wear aprons for painting etc, but we would hate for children’s best clothes to get ruined and We Love Messy Play! Please see the school uniform page for more information about Little Fishes polo shirts and fleeces. What do I need to bring? * Named water bottle * Named lunch box (if staying for lunch) - please do not send in any food containing chocolate, nuts or egg due to severe allergies. * Bag with a complete change of clothes to be left on your child’s peg * Comforter if needed *Please note: A healthy snack will be provided by nursery each day. Children will be offered a choice of fruit and milk. Morning routine Your child will have a named box file where they can put their book bags/pictures. Please keep an eye out for occasional letters in here also. Your child will quickly get used to their morning jobs. Communication Once your child has settled, we will let you know who their key worker is. Please do talk to them or Miss Gallagher/ Mrs Baker about any worries or concerns you have, either before your child starts or once they have settled. We are always happy to help. How do I know what my child is doing and learning at Nursery? As we follow the children’s interests when planning we are unable to predict what our focus will be in advance. We will, however, inform you of main the area of learning we are concentrating on each week. Therefore, we will inform you of what the children have been learning over the week by placing a few photos with some notes by the entrance on the nursery window. This, along with our parent information board is where important upcoming dates will also be displayed. We also update the Nursery page on the website. Assemblies Nursery children will occasionally join the rest of the school for assemblies eg watch a class assembly, meet a visitor etc. Sometimes nursery and reception children will join together for their own simple assembly in a classroom. In line with our Christian ethos, the morning may include a prayer, bible story or song for the children to enjoy. Computing Children in Little Fishes Nursery will have access to a range of IT equipment. This includes the use of computers, an Interactive Whiteboard and other equipment such as CD players and digital cameras. Nursery children will not have unsupervised access to the internet. Meet the Team Admissions Joining Little Fishes Little Octopus and Little Starfish Clubs Information Sharing The Early Years Framework Local Offer Newsletters Our Learning this Year Gallery Access to School Facilities Journey togetherGuided by GodTo do the best we can Eastern Avenue, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 6PE 01273 454470 • office@stnm.org.uk © 2015 St Nicolas & St Mary CE Primary School Website design by e4education View Sitemap • High Visibility • Privacy Policy • Cookie Settings • Governors Area • Staff Area Awards & Specialisms Cookie Policy This site uses cookies to store information on your computer. Click here for more informationAllow CookiesCookie Settings