Our Prospectus

 

The Walter Davies Scouting Centre, Duffield Lane, Stoke Poges, Bucks SL2 4AL

Tel: 01753 647572   Email: stokepogesrainbow@hotmail.co.uk

 

Welcome to Rainbow Pre-School.

 

We understand how important your child is and it is our aim to deliver the highest quality of care and education to help them to achieve their best.

 

This prospectus aims to provide you with an introduction to Rainbow Pre-School, our routines, our approach to supporting your child’s learning and development and how we aim to work together with you to best meet your child’s individual needs. This should be read alongside our Childcare Terms and Conditions for a full description of our services.

 

Our setting aims to:

• Provide high quality care and education for children below statutory school age
• Work in partnership with parents to help children to learn and develop
• Add to the life and well-being of the local community
• Offer children and their parents a service that promotes equality and values diversity.

 

About us

The Pre-School was formed in 1968 by a small group of local parents to meet the needs of the Pre-School aged children in the village of Stoke Poges. In the years since it's humble beginnings in an individuals home the Pre-School has grown considerably in size and now serves the surrounding villages of Farnham Common, Hedgerley, Wexham, Fulmer and Gerrards Cross.

 

Rainbow Pre-School is situated in the semi-rural village of Stoke Poges. The Pre-School operates from a scout building which is surrounded by an extensive secure garden area set within eight acres of private woodland.

 

The Pre-School is a registered charity and is managed by a voluntary parent committee who support the teaching staff. The committee relies on volunteers who are prepared to give some of their time to help with the running of the pre-school or who would like to be involved with fundraising activities. Fundraising events provide a valuable source of income for the pre-school and we ensure these funds are used for purchasing new equipment and toys to improve the children’s experience at the pre-school. The events also provide a great opportunity to meet other parents away from the mêlée of drop off and collection times.

 

Contact Information

Contact No (school hours only): 01753 647572

Address

The Lair

The Walter Davies Scout Centre

Duffield Lane

Stoke Poges

Bucks

SL2 4AL

 

Website

www.stokepogesrainbow.co.uk

Email

stokepogesrainbow@hotmail.co.uk

 

Rainbow Pre-School

Reg. Charity No. 1008931

Ofsted Reg. No. EY252578                

Member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance

 

The qualified and committed members of staff provide high quality childcare and education in a safe and caring environment. We offer childcare for children aged between 2 and 4 years old. Children can be offered a combination of morning, afternoon and all day sessions to suit your childcare requirements. 

 

Morning sessions     09:00 - 12:00 

Afternoon Sessions  13:00 - 15:00 

All Day Sessions        09:00 - 15:00 

The hourly charge is currently £6:50.

We currently offer government funding for 2, 3 and 4 year olds.

 

Our staff team:   Name	Job Title	Qualifications and Experience
CARON RHODES	MANAGER	NNEB                      25 YEARS EXP
DAWN DRUMMOND	DEPUTY MANAGER	CACHE LEVEL 3       6  YEARS EXP
PETAL  RHODES	EARLY YEARS PRACTITIONER	CACHE LEVEL 2       6 YEARS EXP

 

Support Staff

The staff are supported by maintenance personnel employed / engaged by our landlords (Ealing & Hanwell Scouts) to ensure the building remains safe for both the children and the staff. Wherever possible all maintenance jobs will be undertaken outside of the Pre-School hours.

 

Parents

You are regarded as members of our setting who have full participatory rights. These include a right to be:

Valued and respected

Kept informed

Consulted

Involved; and

Included at all levels

As a voluntary managed setting, we also depend on the good will of parents and their involvement to keep going. Membership of the setting carries expectations on you for your support and commitment.

 

How parents take part in the setting

Our setting recognises parents as the first and most important educators of their children. All of the staff see themselves as partners with you in providing care and education for your child. There are many ways in which parents take part in making the setting a welcoming and stimulating place for children and parents, such as:

exchanging knowledge about their children's needs, activities, interests and progress with the staff;

helping at sessions of the setting;

sharing their own special interests with the children;

fundraising to provide equipment and materials used in the children's play activities;

being part of the management of the setting;

joining in community activities in which the setting takes part; and

building friendships with other parents in the setting.

 

A number of activities will be held throughout the school year which will involve parent and child participation. We have found from previous experience that these events give a child great joy when a parent is involved. While we appreciate you may be pressed for time, please try to attend these activities when possible. Siblings, grandparents, carers and other family members are also welcome to join in

 

The session

We organise our sessions so that the children can choose from, and work at, a range of activities and, in doing so, build up their ability to select and work through a task to its completion. The children are also helped and encouraged to take part in adult-led small and large group activities, which introduce them to new experiences and help them to gain new skills, as well as helping them to learn to work with others. Outdoor activities contribute to children's health, their physical development and their knowledge of the world around them. The children have the opportunity, and are encouraged, to take part in outdoor child-chosen and adult-led activities, as well as those provided in the indoor playroom.

 

Snacks and meals

Snacks times and meals are a social time at the pre-school where children and adults eat together. To children are provided with a healthy and varied snack prepared by the staff team. The cost of the snack is 50p per session to be paid in advance and will be included on your half termly fee invoice.

Parents are asked not to put more than one sweet item in their child's lunch box and to avoid chocolate bars and sweets. Milk and water are offered to the children during snack and meal times. Drinking water is provided freely throughout the session. Please ensure freezer ice packs are included in your child's lunchbox.

 

Please tell us about your child's dietary needs and we will plan accordingly

 

Uniforms / Clothing

We provide protective clothing for the children whilst they explore the messy activities, however please remember to dress your child in clothes that are appropriate and easy to wash. Your child will be encouraged to regularly play outdoors and be involved in messy activities.

We encourage children to gain the skills that help them to be independent and look after themselves. These include taking themselves to the toilet and taking off, and putting on, outdoor clothes. Clothing that is easy for them to manage will help them to do this.

 

Rainbow has a selection of uniform available for purchase, T-shirts are priced at £8:00 and hoodie sweatshirts £14:00. Please speak to a playleader if you wish to make a purchase.

 

Please ensure that your child arrives in wellies and changes in to a pair of soft shoes on entry to the pre-school.  

It is essential to name all items of clothing including wellies.

 

Shoe Bags

All children will be provided with a Pre-School bag prior to their start date. Please ensure that your child has a supply of spare clothes and if appropriate nappies and wipes.

 

Policies

Our staff can explain our policies and procedures to you. Copies of which are available on request or on our website

Our policies help us to make sure that the service provided by our setting is a high quality one and that being a member of the setting is an enjoyable and beneficial experience for each child and her/his parents.

 

Information we hold about you and your child

We have procedures in place for the recording and sharing of information [data] about you and your child that is compliant with the principles of the General Data Protection Regulations (2018) as follows:

The data is we collect is

Processed fairly, lawfully and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject [you and your family]

Collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed for other purposes incompatible with those purposes.

Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which data is processed.

Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date.

Kept in a form that permits identification of data subjects [you and your family] for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data is processed.

Processed in a way that ensures appropriate security of the personal data including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures.

 

When you register your child with us we will provide you with a privacy notice that gives you further details of how we fulfil our obligations with regard to your data.

 

Safeguarding children

Our setting has a duty under the law to help safeguard children against suspected or actual ‘significant harm’. Our employment practices ensure children against the likelihood of abuse in our setting and we have a procedure for managing complaints or allegations against a member of staff.

Our way of working with children and their parents ensures that we are aware of any problems that may emerge and can offer support, including referral to appropriate agencies when necessary, to help families in difficulty.

 

Special needs

To make sure that our provision meets the needs of each individual child, we take account of any special needs a child may have. We work to the requirements of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years (2015).

 

Our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators are

Caron Rhodes and Dawn Drummond

 

 

The management of our setting

Our setting is a charity and as such is managed by a volunteer management committee - whose members are elected by the parents of the children who attend our setting. The elections take place at our Annual General Meeting. The committee make up the registered person with Ofsted and are responsible for:

managing our finances;

employing and managing our staff;

ensuring that we have, and work to, policies that help us to provide a high quality service; and

ensuring that we work in partnership with parents.

 

The Annual General Meeting is open to the parents of all of the children who attend our setting. It is our shared forum for looking back over the previous year's activities and shaping the coming year's plan.

 

Fees

Rainbow Pre-School is a registered charity and our main source of income is from fees paid by parents and the government. The fees are primarily used to pay the day to day running costs of the pre-school.

 

It is very important that parents/carers of funded children complete the form detailing attendance hours promptly at the start of each term

 

Parents/ carers of non-funded children (generally children under 3, are asked that fees are paid promptly upon receipt of the half termly invoice. Fees must be paid if children are absent, unfortunately we are unable to offer alternative sessions when children are absent. From November 2020, the non- funded rate will be £6:50 per hour.

 

Funded children are charged a sessional fee of £3.50 to cover the costs of consumables and snacks. (A funded session is 3 hours or part there of)

 

If you experience any payment difficulties please contact Caron Rhodes as soon as possible. Please do not avoid dealing with the issue as we will usually be able to help.

 

We can also accept Childcare Vouchers. If the company you work for offers a Childcare Voucher scheme, or you would like your company to consider setting up a scheme, please contact Caron Rhodes.

 

Donations

As a registered charity Rainbow Pre-School would be delighted to receive any additional contribution you feel able to make. Donations can be made for specific items or used as a contribution towards larger pieces of equipment or setting improvements.

We would also be delighted to accept donations of both toilet tissue and kitchen rolls.

The other donation you may be able to make is the most valuable of all - your time! The pre-school could not run without volunteers and there are few things more rewarding than being involved with your child's education.

 

Starting at our setting

The first days

We want your child to feel happy and safe with us. To ensure that your child has a successful transition into the pre-school our staff will work with you to decide on how to help your child to settle into the setting. Our policy on the Role of the Key Person and Settling-in is available from any staff member.

 

We hope that you and your child enjoy being members of our setting and that you both find taking part in our activities interesting and stimulating. Our staff team are always ready and willing to talk with you about your ideas, views or questions.

 

Key person and your child

Our setting uses a key person approach. This means that each member of staff has a group of children for whom she/he is particularly responsible. Your child's key person will be the person who works with you to make sure that the childcare that we provide is right for your child's particular needs and interests. When your child first starts at the setting, she will help your child to settle and throughout your child's time at the setting, she will help your child to benefit from our activities.

 

The setting's timetable and routines

Our setting believes that care and education are equally important in the experience which we offer children. The routines and activities that make up the day in our setting are provided in ways that:

Help each child to feel that she/he is a valued member of the setting;

Ensure the safety of each child;

Help children to gain from the social experience of being part of a group; and

Provide children with opportunities to learn and help them to value learning.

 

Absence / Sickness

Please advise staff as soon as possible if your child will not be able to attend. Our contact numbers are 01753 647572 and 07552 259509.  We ask that you do not bring your child if they are unwell. We will refuse admittance if your child has a temperature, sickness, diarrhoea or a contagious infection or disease. Further information is contained in our Policy documents which are available to view on our website or at the pre-school.

 

Children's development and learning

We aim to ensure that each child:

is in a safe and stimulating environment;

Is given generous care and attention, because of our ratio of qualified staff to children, as well as volunteer helpers;

Has the chance to join in with other children and adults to live, play, work and learn together;

Is helped to take forward her/his learning and development by being helped to build on what she/he already knows and can do;

Has a personal key person who makes sure each child makes satisfying progress;

Is in a setting that sees parents as partners in helping each child to learn and develop; and

Is in a setting in which parents help to shape the service it offers.

 

The Early Years Foundation Stage

Provision for the development and learning of children from birth to 5 years is guided by the Early Years Foundation Stage. Our provision reflects the four overarching principles of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (DfE 2023):

 

A Unique Child

Every child is a unique child who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.

 

Positive Relationships

Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.

 

Enabling Environments with teaching and support from adults

Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners, parents and carers.

 

Learning and Development

Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision including children with special educational needs and disabilities.

 

How we provide for development and learning

Children start to learn about the world around them from the moment they are born. The care and education offered by our setting helps children to continue to do this by providing all of the children with interesting activities that are appropriate for their age and stage of development.

 

The Areas of Development and Learning comprise:

Prime Areas

Personal, social and emotional development.

Physical development.

Communication and language.

 

Specific Areas

Literacy.

Mathematics.

Understanding the world.

Expressive arts and design.

 

For each area, the level of progress that children are expected to have attained by the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage is defined by the Early Learning Goals. These goals state what it is expected that children will know, and be able to do, by the end of the reception year of their education.

 

The Early Years Outcomes guidance sets out the likely stages of progress a child makes along their progress towards the Early Learning Goals. Our setting has regard to these when we assess children and plan for their learning. Our programme supports children to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding they need for:

 

Personal, social and emotional development

making relationships;

self-confidence and self-awareness; and

managing feelings and behaviour.

 

Physical development

moving and handling; and

health and self-care.

 

Communication and language

listening and attention;

understanding; and

speaking.

 

Literacy

reading; and

writing.
 

Mathematics

numbers; and

shape, space and measure.

 

Understanding the world

people and communities;

the world; and

technology.

 

 

Expressive arts and design

exploring and using media and materials; and

being imaginative.

 

 

Our approach to learning and development and assessment

Learning through play

Being active and playing supports young children’s learning and development through doing and talking. This is how children learn to think about and understand the world around them. We use the EYFS statutory guidance on education programmes to plan and provide opportunities which will help children to make progress in all areas of learning. This programme is made up of a mixture of activities that children plan and organise for themselves and activities planned and led by practitioners.

 

Characteristics of effectivet teaching and learning

We understand that all children engage with other people and their environment through the characteristics of effective teaching and learning that are described in the Early Years Foundation Stage as:

playing and exploring - engagement;

active learning - motivation; and

creating and thinking critically - problem solving.

 

We aim to provide for the characteristics of effective learning by observing how a child is learning and being clear about what we can do and provide in order to support each child to remain an effective and motivated learner.

 

Assessment

We assess how young children are learning and developing by observing them frequently. We use information that we gain from observations, as well as from photographs or videos of the children, to document their progress and where this may be leading them. We believe that parents know their children best and we will ask you to contribute to assessment by sharing information about what your child likes to do at home and how you, as parents, are supporting development.

 

We make periodic assessment summaries of children’s achievement based on our on-going development records. These form part of children’s records of achievement. We undertake these assessment summaries at regular intervals, as well as times of transition, such as when a child moves into a different group or when they go on to school.

 

The progress check at age two

The Early Years Foundation Stage requires that we supply parents and carers with a short written summary of their child’s development in the three prime areas of learning and development - personal, social and emotional development; physical development; and communication and language - when a child is aged between 24 - 36 months. Your child’s key person is responsible for completing the check using information from on-going observational assessments carried out as part of our everyday practice, taking account of the views and contributions of parents and other professionals.

 

Records of achievement

We keep an electronic record of achievement for each child. Your child's record of achievement helps us to celebrate together her/his achievements and to work together to provide what your child needs for her/his well-being and to make progress.

 

Your child's key person will work in partnership with you to develop this record. To do this you and she will collect information about your child's needs, activities, interests and achievements. This information will enable the key person to identify your child's stage of progress. Together, we will then decide on how to help your child to move on to the next stage.

 

Working together for your children

We maintain the ratio of adults to children in the setting that is set by the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. We also have volunteer parent helpers, where possible, to complement these ratios. This helps us to:

give time and attention to each child;

talk with the children about their interests and activities;

help children to experience and benefit from the activities we provide; and

allow the children to explore and be adventurous in safety.