Kindergarten - Intro to Kindergarten

Getting ready for School

1. Before coming to school:

· Talk about the visit as an enjoyable event.

· Leave your child with friends or relatives.

· Tell your child that Parents leave their children at school to play with others.

· Reassure your child that you will return.

· Provide opportunities for your child to play with groups of children as well as with individuals.

· Let your child share both toys and play space with others.


2. Your child will need:

· School uniform (listed at the end of this handbook.)

· A smock with a coloured loop at the top for hanging on your child's peg.

· Mittens on tapes for cold days.

· Boots for snowy days as well as shoes.


PLEASE LABEL, WITH WOVEN NAME TAPES, ALL POSSESSIONS, INCLUDING SHOES, WITH YOUR CHILD'S NAME


3. It is helpful, but not essential, if your child can:

· Manage clothing and footwear - buttons, snaps or zippers. Velcro fasteners are very much easier for a child to manage and are recommended.

· Give his/her name and telephone number.

· Understand and use basic safety rules.

· Wash and dry his/her hands.

· Follow simple directions.

· Drink from a standard cup or glass.

4. Appearance and presentation:

Boys' hair must be cut to fall above the collar. We suggest Parents also avoid very short hair - it can lead to difficulties in the playground.

Girls' hair may be long but it must be tied back to prevent it falling forward over the face as they bend forward to write. Ribbons, hair-bands, slides and bobbles must be royal blue. Girls may not wear nail varnish in school. Earrings are not allowed in Pre-School: they are dangerous and may cause injury to your child.

Please encourage your child to walk into school - DO NOT CARRY THEM IN (or out). This is particularly important if your child is reluctant to come into school.

School Health Services:

The Area Health Authority School Services do not attend children in Independent Schools. Parents must visit their own doctor or the Area Health Authority to have the pre-school medical examinations.

About your child's health:

Care of the teeth is important to the proper development of the permanent teeth. You should have your child's teeth examined regularly and any defects corrected.

Nutrition plays an important part in the life of a growing child. Help your child to get a good start to the day by providing a well-balanced breakfast. During the mid-morning break the children are given milk or orange drink and have the tuck that they have brought with them.

Parents of children requiring special diets should discuss their requirements with the Registrar.

Adequate sleep allows your child to grow and to gain the most from the day. It is better to have your child in bed and reading, preparing for sleep, than running around the house.

AN EMERGENCY NUMBER (NOT YOUR OWN) MUST BE GIVEN. In the event of illness or accident we must be able to contact someone who is prepared to look after and take responsibility for your child. If no one is available the school, acting in loco parentis, will take the necessary decisions and actions.

When your child is ill

Children should be kept at home if they are unable to participate fully in all of the Kindergarten activities. One sick child returned to school whilst still ill will infect all of the other children in the class and possibly everyone else. Please telephone the school, after 8.30am, if your child is unable to attend through illness.

Return to School

Children may not return to school unless they are able to fully take part in the school day. This includes outdoor play. The school will not allow children to remain unsupervised in a classroom.


What happens on the first day of school?

We recommend that Parents arrive with their child between 8.30 a.m. and 8.40am and go immediately to the middle playground. When the Bell rings and the teacher receives the children, between 08.30 and 08.40 am that is the time to say a quick goodbye at the door and leave. Do not attempt to follow them into the classroom unless invited to do so by the teacher.

Once you leave do not come back into school ‘just to see if they are alright'. It upsets the children and makes it more difficult for the staff. If you are anxious, please telephone the school during the morning and we will be happy to check on your child and give you a report. The class teacher will always be happy to discuss any concerns that you may have about this time.

Playing, Learning or Both?

More formal learning techniques are used in Kindergarten and there is a more structured programme of reading and learning. Maths will be taught with addition and subtraction in tens and units with the beginnings of table work. English will concentrate on handwriting and spelling whilst developing the ability to copy successfully from the board. At the end of the year most children should be able to write about five lines of unaided work. Cooking is a very good and enjoyable maths and science lesson involving counting, weighing, estimation and measuring.

Learning takes many different forms in Kindergarten. Free painting is available most afternoons and controlled painting, i.e. painting various objects also takes place. This teaches the children co-ordination skills, visual skills, colours, shapes and consistencies.

The class computer is available for most of the day with simple dictionary or other suitable English work available. Lessons may be instructive or investigative with the children leading the work according to their interest.

Creative work follows a theme and, as much as possible, is linked into the class topic work for the term. The work produced is used to decorate the classroom and reminds the children of the lessons delivered. Colours, textures, counting and number and letter recognition, vocabulary expansion and discussion of less familiar objects are all incorporated into the creative work.

Thus the children learn through play, and more formal teaching, without realising that it is all part of the teaching and developmental process.

May my son wear long trousers?

Short trousers are worn all year. Long trousers are only permitted in the Spring Term (January to Easter). This rule is usually relaxed if the weather becomes sufficiently cold. Parents are informed by notices at the school entrance and by the Kindergarten staff.

What do the children have for lunch?

All children may stay to lunch. The menus are designed to be wholesome and attractive to the children. Menus are varied and carefully balanced to conform to Government regulations and contain several choices. The basis of the school lunches is sandwiches although the fillings contain all of the recommended foods for healthy nutrition. We provide lunches containing as much fresh produce as possible and fruit and yoghurts are always available at the end of the lunch. The Registrar or Headteacher is always happy to discuss the menus with Parents.

Parents with children who may have special dietary requirements should discuss these with the Registrar. Our aim is to make the dining experience as enjoyable as possible for all children.

We are here to help you!

Your first and most frequent contacts with the school will be through the school office. The Registrar and Bursar are always available to answer questions that may occur during your child's time at this school. Educational matters will be referred to the teacher concerned or to the Head Teacher and the Principals.

The Head Teacher is always available to see Parents, by appointment, during school hours.

Teaching staff are always available to see Parents when necessary and at short notice if the problem is immediate. Appointments to see teaching staff should be made through the Registrar or directly with the Kindergarten teacher.

Please do not attempt to discuss lengthy problems with the staff first thing in the morning. They must register the class and settle the children. As a guide, any discussion which is likely to take more than five minutes will require an appointment to be made.


IT IS A POLICY OF THE SCHOOL THAT STAFF ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO PARENTS AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY.


Questions often asked.

Is there communication between the pre-school staff and the Kindergarten teacher?

The class teacher will have monitored all children's progress during their time in the Pre-School Department. In the final term before moving on to Kindergarten there is discussion and observation of the children to ensure a smooth transition to Kindergarten. The children will usually have spent some afternoons in the Kindergarten class to accustom them to their new surroundings and to their new teacher.

What happens during the first days in Kindergarten?

The first priority is to make the children feel secure, relaxed and happy and to integrate them quickly into the class routine. The children find this atmosphere very conducive to learning in both structured and free choice play.

Social graces are considered an important part of Kindergarten education, as are good manners and discipline. The teachers and their staff use this time to become better acquainted with the children and to assess and plan for their individual needs.

What if my child needs a special diet?

The school must be informed of any child who needs a special diet. We cannot prepare special food for such children although the wide choice available usually means that all children can take school lunches. If this is not the case then lunches for them will be supplied by their Parents. Parents must make every effort to prepare food which is similar to ours. Children on special diets may also ‘mix and match' if they are able to eat some of the food that the school provides

What are the school holidays?  What about in term holidays?

The dates of the school holidays are published annually in a calendar, they are also on the website.  Where possible we try to match the dates of our half terms to those of the local maintained schools.

 There is always some loss of learning when holidays are taken during term time, therefore we ask that this is only done in exceptional circumstances. A written request must be made to the school for any absence and parents will be given a permission letter. This should be carried with your travel documents as you may be asked to produce it to show that your child's school has given permission for the absence. Legally children are only allowed to be taken out of school for holidays for a maximum of ten school days in total each academic year. Any time out beyond this is classed as unauthorised and therefore is 'permissive truanting'. All absences are recorded and form part of the annual returns sent to the department of education.

What are the school hours?

The school doors are opened at 8.15 am each morning. The school does not accept responsibility for the children until the bell rings at 8.40 am, although a member of the school Senior Management Team is usually on duty in the top playground from 8.30a.m. At 8.40 a.m. the staff will collect the children and take them into the classroom for registration. Parents are responsible for the behaviour of their children until the first bell rings and the staff accept the children.

Please ensure that your child arrives on time or a little earlier, they miss so much when school is starting in the morning and can become quite agitated about it. It doesn't provide a calm start to a hard day's work!

THERE ARE NO LATE CHILDREN - ONLY LATE PARENTS!

Please be on time to collect your child. Kindergarten finishes at 3.30 pm although they are allowed out at 3.25 pm for the first half of their first term. The children become most anxious if there is no one waiting to collect them in the playground at home time.

If you need to send someone else to collect your child please be sure to inform the school by letter or telephone. We will not allow the children to leave school with a stranger, including taxi drivers.

When may I telephone the school?

Please do not telephone the school before 8.30 am or after 4.30 pm each day. Messages may be left on the school answer phone and these are collected regularly every morning. The office is manned at all other times.

May the children bring toys to school?

The children may bring a small toy to school initially if this comforts the child but this need is usually quickly forgotten. Do not send precious cuddly toys - if they become lost or damaged the repercussions can be too terrible to contemplate. We do encourage a suitable storybook that could be read to the class just before home time but it must be clearly named and handed to the teacher.

When may I visit the Kindergarten?

We welcome Parents into Kindergarten to see the children's work when the school day has finished.

This is the time to find out how your child has spent his/her day: very few four and five year olds want to tell you about the school day when they have left. Visiting the classroom keeps you in touch with what is going on and you will be able to reinforce the work at school with discussion at home.

What should I do if my child is ill?

Your child should be kept at home if they have any of the following symptoms:-

Vomiting, diahorrea, sore throat, earache, runny nose, enlarged glands, coughing, red or discharging eyes, headache, chills or fever, pain or skin rash. You will be called if your child develops any of these while at school.

These rules are for the good of all, including the teaching staff! Children brought to the classroom who are clearly unwell or, in the opinion of the staff, may be infectious, will be refused admittance.

Children in school must take part in all of the activities of the school day including all breaks and playtimes. Children are not allowed to stay in classrooms unsupervised during breaks.

Does the school give medicine to children?

The school is willing to give medicines to children, where prescribed by a doctor, but cannot guarantee to do so. If it is vital that your child has medicine and Parents wish to assure themselves that the medication has been given during the school day then they must come to the school to give the dose at the correct time. Alternatively the child should be kept at home until the urgent need has passed. A consent form, which permits the school to give a child prescribed medicine, must be completed by the Parents for each illness. Forms are kept in the school office. Certain medicines, which are for long-term use, may have a single form that will last for a full term.

Children, for whom failure to give medication may have serious results, are treated differently and specific arrangements will be devised to ensure the safety of the child. We do not administer eye or ear drops or ointments.

It is imperative that all medicines of any kind, including tablets and any other simple remedies, are handed to the class teacher or taken to the office as soon as they are brought into the school. Certain ointments, which can be applied by the child when needed, are also permitted. They must be collected by an adult at the end of school each day. All medication must be clearly marked with the child's name and contain complete dosage instructions. A spoon must be supplied with each bottle of medicine.

Children who need inhalers for any breathing difficulties may carry them on their person. Current medical thinking is that this is the safest and fastest way for the child to have immediate access to their medication. There is no possibility of damage being caused to a child who, by mistake, uses an inhaler belonging to another child.

The school must be informed, in writing, of any inhalers carried by the children.

No child is allowed to carry any other medication, tablets or proprietary remedies on their person whilst in school. This includes allergy medicines, hay fever remedies or any other non-prescription or herbal medicines.

A simple remedy for your child could be fatal to someone else's!!!

Head Checks

The school does not perform head checks for head lice during periods of high infestation. These are now a feature of modern day school life. Where a child is found to be infested the Parents are advised so that the child may be treated by whatever current proprietary medicine is in use. The school, your doctor or pharmacist will be able to advise about suitable treatments.

Parents should make regular checks for infestation.

Should a Parent find that a child has an infestation the school must be informed.

What happens if my child does not settle?

Children may give the appearance of not settling to Kindergarten by crying, tantrums and stories of other children who are unkind to them. These are the children who will be thoroughly absorbed in the class activities before you, feeling wretched, have gone out of the school gate. Some even remember to cry again just as it is time to go home.

Do not be fooled..... it is their way of making sure that you think constantly about them during the school day. It sometimes shows that they are finding it difficult to dominate and run the class as they run things at home. HOWEVER, if we are concerned at all about the well being of your child please be assured that we will telephone you.


Reporting pupil development:

Each child has a comprehensive report at the end of each term. A complete picture of your child's progress is thus gained. You will also be invited to attend an open evening during the year where a verbal report on your child's progress will be given and any questions you may have will be answered.

The class teacher is always willing to see Parents, by appointment, to discuss specific difficulties that the child may have encountered or worries that Parents may have.

The Principals or the Headteacher are always available to see Parents, by appointment, to assist in any way that they can.

Manners:

The children are expected to practise good manners on all occasions. Parents must reinforce these vital lessons at home to ensure continuity of education.

Care of our environment:

We take great pride in the school and its gardens. The children are taught to take care when in the playgrounds.

Parents are expected to encourage the children in this attitude. Parents must also control small children in their care and prevent damage to the school environment.

Dogs may not be brought onto the school premises.

Home routine:

Please inform the Kindergarten staff of any change in the normal pattern of home life, (Business trips, house moves, serious illness or bereavement etc). This information ensures that the staff are able to make allowances for behavioural problems and take any necessary action.

And finally.....

Children are inventive and imaginative. They will tell you many stories as they grow and develop and fantasy can be as real to them as is the truth. You will hear stories that are clearly fantasy. They will also tell you stories that sound very true..........

But

REMEMBER, REMEMBER, REMEMBER

YOU promise not to believe everything that they tell you about us.

Kindergarten - the next step

Your child will move on to Kindergarten in the September of the year s/he will be five. This is full time education. Heathcote School does not admit children part-time in the Kindergarten class. Before this, in the Summer term, s/he will have been making regular visits to Kindergarten to find out about their next class, the teacher and all manner of things important to them.

Information Evenings

When your child enters Kindergarten from Pre-School you will be invited to the school to listen to a talk, given by the Kindergarten Teacher, about the year to come. Parents who have chosen not to use our Pre-School will also be invited to the talk. After the meeting there will be an opportunity to meet and talk with the staff teaching your child next year.

Foundation Stage Profiles

Foundation years assessment is an evaluation made of your child once they have settled into Kindergarten.

There is no test involved

The class teacher simply observes and records the skills that your child has developed at this point in their life. The evaluation is then compared with their Keystage 1 results when they are in Year 2 (Age 6+) to ensure that satisfactory progress has been made compared to the standard that they were at when they entered full time education.

Attendance

Now that the children are in full time school it is vital that they attend regularly and are at school in good time for morning registration. Just like when they were babies the steady routine is vital.

Constant lateness is regarded by the Government and the school inspectors as permissive truanting. The school is now required to provide details of unauthorised absences to the County Council who may decide to investigate excessive lateness. The children are also upset when they are regularly brought into assembly late and the whole school looks at them

Parents should not take holidays during the school term if at all possible. The disruption to the children's learning routine whilst absent on holiday is great and concepts taught to the rest of the class are not easily absorbed later. If holidays in term time are unavoidable then Parents must write and ask permission from the head teacher to take the children out of school. The school will then give a permission letter that Parents must take with them when they go. Any authorised port officer or the police can demand to see the letter and if it is not produced may refuse to let the child leave the country.

The school will not authorise more than a total of ten school days holiday in any academic year.

The Kindergarten Day

The Kindergarten day is a little more structured than Pre-School times. The children will work more formally at their reading, mathematics and writing lessons. These are usually undertaken in the morning when the children are fresh. Letter formation and handwriting are important virtues that are greatly encouraged.

During the morning the children will also go to the Hall for games or music and movement although if the weather is nice they may go to the field to play on the large activity equipment there which will further help to develop their climbing and co-ordination skills. Afternoons are largely creative although scripture stories and directed handicrafts will be included in the syllabus. Music also forms an important part of the syllabus with counting rhymes, instrumental work and playground singing games being used.

A drink of milk or orange juice is available and this is taken before the mid-morning break. The children then go out to play and take their tuck with them. The children have easy access to the water fountains at any time. Parents must name any tuck sent into school.


Parental Visits

Parents are always encouraged to visit the classroom after school to see their children's work. It is not possible to have more than a few quick words in the morning when the class has to be registered and taken over to assembly. Any longer discussion may require an appointment and the Registrar is always happy to arrange appointments for Parents to see the Kindergarten teacher and/or the headteacher.

Uniform

There is little change between Pre-school and Kindergarten uniform. The boys now wear proper school ties rather than the bow ties of Pre-School and white sports wear will be required for Sports Day.

And remember... We are here to help you - please use the facility.

School Fees

The methods by which Parents pay fees are:

1. Termly.

Fees are due on the first day of the month in which the term begins and not later than the first day of term.

Late fees attract interest at 2% per month, added to your account on the first day of each month.

2. Annually.

For fees paid annually, in advance, on the first day of term, a discount is offered. The rate does vary and Parents should check with the Bursar for the current rate.

Annual fees paid on or before the last day of the previous term gain a further discount and the rate will be given by the Bursar on application

3. By Monthly Standing Order.

Fees may be paid by standing order and Parents should ask for details. The school uses Holmwoods Termtime Credit for Parents wishing to use this form of payment.


4.  Sickness Insurance

It is the responsibility of each Parent to insure their own child/ren for absence through illness. The school will not refund fees when a child is absent due to illness.

5. Notice

Parents are reminded that a full term's notice must be given prior to the withdrawal of any child. Alternatively, a term's fees in lieu of proper notice must be paid.

Notice must be given no later than the first day of the term in which the child will leave the school.

PLEASE NOTE

Heathcote School Pre-School is solely for children who will be entering Kindergarten, at the appropriate time, and will progress through the school.

Any Pre-School child who, for whatever reason, will not progress to Kindergarten must leave the Pre-School at the end of the current term. Where a child who has begun the final term in Pre-School prior to transfer to Kindergarten and, for whatever reason, is unable to continue on to Kindergarten, s/he must leave Pre-School immediately. This is at the discretion of the Principal. Fees in lieu of proper notice will be charged but a refund of unused Pre-School fees will be made.