Infant School Headteacher Mrs Melanie Clayton

Assistant Headteacher Miss Laura Roel 

Nursery Committee – Members of the Infant School Governing Body

Ofsted rating: OUTSTANDING (September 2019)

Welcome To St Anne Line Catholic Nursery

We are all looking forward to you joining us and we hope that your child's stay with us will be a happy one. We want to ensure that your child enjoys his or her time at nursery and feels secure and cared for.

We hope that you will find this booklet useful. It is designed to answer some of the questions you may have about the nursery and it explains a little about what happens here. We have included some necessary reminders that will help with the smooth running of the nursery and, most importantly, ensure the safety of your child.

Our nursery aims are:

• To provide a Catholic pre-school education for children of our community.
• To create a happy, stimulating environment where children will be encouraged and motivated to explore, discover and learn. 
• To give children a wide range of experiences using practical learning opportunities appropriate to their ages and stages of development. 
• To build positive relationships with parents so that we may support them in fostering the emotional, physical and social development of their children. 

We follow the Infant School Mission Statement:

‘St. Anne Line is our Patron Saint. She loved Jesus so much that she gave up her life for him. Help us to follow Jesus’ example in all that we do.’

We Love, We Learn and We Pray

Always try my best

Notice my special talents and skills,

Never give up

Encourage others.

Love and care for my world

Imitate Jesus in the way I live

Never hurt anyone

Everyone is equal in God’s eyes

Our school is committed to promoting equality of opportunity in all aspects of school life, based on the understanding that all people have different needs but equal entitlement to rich experiences and opportunities. We seek to address issues of race, gender, culture and religion, wherever appropriate.

In the first five years, a child learns more than they are ever going to learn in the rest of their life. It is a period when learning is most rapid. It is therefore very important that children are given a solid foundation in these vital early years on which to build their future learning. This can only happen if staff and parents work in partnership. If you have any questions or worries about your child, please do come and discuss them with the nursery staff at any time.

Here at St Anne Line Catholic Nursery our aim is to work together with you to meet your child’s development and learning needs in a welcoming, safe, caring, stimulating and fun environment. We hope that this will be an experience that you and your child enjoy together and that you feel that this is as much your Nursery as it is your child’s. 

Attendance and Punctuality

Please ensure that your child arrives on time and does not miss out on any new experiences for the day. This is an important time for children to greet each other and to feel happy, settled and part of the social group of the class. Equally, picking up your child promptly will ensure that children are not anxious waiting to be collected. 

Morning Nursery starts at 8.30am and finishes at 11.30am 

Afternoon Nursery starts at 12.00am and finishes at 3.00pm 

30 hours session starts at 8.30am and finishes at 3.00pm (There is a daily cost of £3.00 a day and Parents need to provide a packed lunch)

When spaces are available, we can offer full day provision at our Breakfast and After School Club which run from 7.45am until 6pm. Booking forms are available from the school office. 

We understand that there are occasions when an unforeseen circumstance may make you late collecting your child. In this instance, please telephone the school so that we can explain the situation to your child. If you are unable to collect your child and have made alternative arrangements, please remember to inform us as to who will be collecting and provide us with the necessary details. 

Please note that poor attendance, persistent late arrivals or late collections may result in your child being removed from the Nursery register. 

Whilst we fully understand that young children are susceptible to colds and other childhood illnesses, and on occasions are unable to attend nursery for a number of reasons, we also know that good attendance is linked with positive feelings and attitudes towards school, high attainment and good friendships. 

Please work with us and aim to support your child’s learning and wellbeing by ensuring that your child enjoys coming to nursery every day. This is achieved well when families leave promptly, and Nursery staff can reassure the child of any worries. 

If your child is unwell and unable to attend nursery, please notify us by telephone so that we can authorise the absence appropriately.
The school telephone number: 01268 524263 

Nursery Environment, Procedures and Routines

The Nursery has a variety of sessions: 

3 – 4 Year Olds (term after 3^rd birthday): 

FEEE 15 hours - For all children the term after the child’s third birthday. (5 x 3 hour session AM or PM)

FEEE 30 hours – For families who meet the government criteria (5 x 6 hour sessions)

Paying sessions - Please see booking form for further details. 

2 – 3 Year Olds:

FEEE 2 – For families who meet the government criteria (5 x 3-hour session AM or PM)

FEEE 2 W – For families who meet the government criteria (5 x 3 hour sessions)

Paying sessions - Please see booking form for further details. 

The 3–4-year old nursery (Wagtails and Ducklings) is a secure building consisting of two large classrooms. The outdoor area has a safety surface and access to a range of learning activities and resources. 

The 2–3-year old nursery (Cygnets) is a secure classroom with its own secure outside area. 

Due to the importance of routines, procedures, and attainment, it is vitally important that your child arrives on time and attends every day. 

The Nursery is a learning environment for young children. It is a lively place with lots of different things to experience and to explore. Many of these are practical activities, which are often messy. These types of activities develop the early concepts and skills that are so important to children’s early learning. We provide aprons and encourage their use but there are occasions when children, somehow, still manage to get messy! The Nursery garden is a very popular place, and it provides many opportunities for children to develop and learn, children have daily access to the nursery garden. 

Admission to Nursery 

Applications are invited at any time for admission to nursery. Application forms are available from the school office. Visits to both the nursery and the main school are welcomed by appointment. 

St. Anne Line Catholic Nursery was founded primarily to provide nursery education for children of Catholic families.  The nursery is conducted by its governing body as part of the Catholic Church in accordance with its trust deed and instrument of government and seeks at all times to be witness to Jesus Christ.

Whenever there are more applications than places available, priority will always be given to Catholic applicants in accordance with the oversubscription criteria in the order listed below.   The governors will assume that, by applying to St. Anne Line Catholic Nursery applicants are indicating their positive support for the aims and ethos of the nursery. 

The Governing Body Nursery Committee has sole responsibility for admissions to the nursery. 

Criteria for admission to St Anne Line Catholic Nursery (the term after a child’s second birthday).

FEEE 2, 3, 4 and paying children. 

1. Looked after children from Catholic families in the care of the Local Authority.

2. Baptised Catholic children of practising Catholics, whose Parish Priest can confirm regular practise, in any of the two parishes, Holy Trinity, Basildon and St.Therese, Laindon.

3.Baptised Catholic children of practising Catholic parents from other parishes for whom St. Anne Line Catholic Nursery is the closest Catholic nursery with a place available.

4.Baptised Catholic children residing within the two parishes.

5.Catechumens and members of an Eastern Christian Church.

6. Other looked after children in the care of the local authority

7.Siblings of children already on roll in the Infant School, on the day of entry, who do not qualify under any other previous criteria.

8. Siblings of children already on roll in the Junior School, on the day of entry, who do not qualify under any other previous criteria.

9. Christians of other denominations whose parents are in sympathy with the aims and ethos of the nursery and whose application is supported by a Baptism/Dedication certificate or a minister of religion.

10. Children of other faiths whose parents are in sympathy with the aims and ethos of the nursery and whose application is supported by a religious leader.

11. Other children whose parents are in sympathy with the aims and ethos of the nursery.

The Governing Body Nursery Committee will give the highest priority to an application within a category where evidence is provided at the time of application, of an exceptional social, medical, pastoral or other need of the child which can be most appropriately met at this nursery.

Tie Break

Where the offer of places to all the applicants in any of the sub-categories listed above would still lead to oversubscription, places up to the admission number will be offered to those living nearest to the nursery measured by a straight line from the main entrance to the applicants main address.
 

Application Procedures and Timetable

An application form is available from St. Anne Line Catholic Nursery and Infant School office.  It must be completed and returned to the school, and signed by Parish Priest, Minister or Religious Leader’s. The school will contact you, when a space is available.  

Notes (these notes form part of the oversubscription criteria)

Looked after child has the same meaning as in section 22 of the Children Act 1989, and means any child in the care of a local authority or provided with accommodation by them (e.g. children with foster parents).

Catholic means a member of a Church in communion with the See of Rome.  This includes the Eastern Catholic Churches.  This will normally be evidenced by a certificate of baptism in a Catholic Church or a certificate of reception into the full communion of the Catholic Church.

Practising Catholic means Catholic children from practising Catholic families who habitually worship at Mass on a regular basis and where the application is supported by A Catholic Priest.  The governing body will expect this practice to be verified by a reference from a priest in the standard format laid down by the diocese.

Catechumen means a member of the catechumen ate of a Catholic Church.  This will normally be evidenced by a certificate of reception into the order of catechumens.

Eastern Christian Church includes Orthodox Churches, and is normally evidenced by a certificate of baptism or reception from the authorities of that Church.

Sibling is defined as a child living in the same family unit, in the same family household and address as a child who attends the preferred school or partner school in any year group excluding the final year. This, therefore, includes brothers and sisters. In addition biological siblings, in any year group excluding the final year, will be treated as siblings irrespective of place of residence.

Evidence should demonstrate an exceptional social, medical or pastoral need of the child which can be most appropriately met at this nursery. The Governing Body Nursery Committee will require written evidence from an appropriate professional such as a social worker, doctor or priest.

Our Nursery Staff 

Miss Roel is our Early Years Lead; she is a qualified teacher and will be assisted by teaching assistants at each session. All staff are fully qualified to comply with the Ofsted criteria and an ongoing training programme has been established.

Starting Nursery

It is recognised by the staff that starting nursery is a great step in your child's life. We will do all we can to help them feel welcome. 

We are aware of the tremendous input that you, as parents, have already made in the education of your child and we acknowledge your role as the child's first educator. From birth, children learn many things. You have already played an important part in this process of learning, and we look forward to developing a partnership with you in these valuable early years. 

Starting nursery is a very exciting time for young children and together we can make it a very happy and rewarding time. Please attend the nursery open day and before your child starts in nursery, talk to your child about coming to nursery and about the things they will be doing and the people they will be meeting. It is helpful to use our names so that they will be familiar with them. 

It is important to remember that young children vary tremendously in the way in which they react to new experiences so do allow your child plenty of time to get used to nursery - some children may take longer to settle than others. 

When your child starts nursery, you will find that only a few children will start on the same day. By admitting the children a few at a time we find that the children are able to settle more quickly and easily into the nursery routine, making the transition from home to nursery as smooth as possible for both children and parents. 

A place in Reception the following year is unfortunately not secure.

Partnership with Families

We are eager to support your child’s development and education through partnership. We consider the partners to be the school, the Governors, the staff, the families and the children themselves. We welcome families in our Nursery in many ways. 

We endeavour to work closely with families by;

• Being available for appointments arranged with staff or via the school office.
• Holding termly family consultation meetings. 
• Encouraging you to support us in the Nursery, by assisting with a variety of activities, either regularly or on a one-off basis. 
• Inviting you to our Nursery Concerts and open classroom sessions – not to be missed!
• Weekly updates will be posted to our school Instagram account – Stanneline_infant_nursery 
• Regular updates of our pupils’ learning are available on Tapestry. All parents will get their own personal log in detail, once their child has started in the Nursery.  

Regular observations are made by the Nursery staff to assess children’s development and learning. We follow a style of teaching called ‘In the Moment Planning’, each child will have a focused week once a term, staff will invite you to participate your thoughts and views on your child’s development. These observations and teachable moments are tracked using Tapestry and are placed in the children’s individual files. All children have a ‘Yellow book’ where samples of drawings, pictures and photographs are placed. This helps us to plan the way forward for all children and enables us to provide the type of activities to support children’s development and learning. In addition, all families can add and record their special memories at home to their child’s ‘Tapestry’ account which they can then share with the Nursery staff.

Many of the things you do outside of the nursery compliment the nursery curriculum. Here are just a few examples of how you can support your child’s learning at home: 

• Talk to your child about the world around them. Discuss the weather, the shops, the park, where you live or anything that they are interested in.
• Encourage him/her to ask questions and show that you are listening and interested in what they say. 
• Enjoy sharing books and stories.
• Sing nursery rhymes and do the actions. 
• Enjoy naming and matching colours, saying the number names as you go up or down stairs or steps and counting a small number of objects. 

Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum

Nursery and Reception classes are referred to as the Foundation Stage of learning. This is an important stage, as it is during this time that attitudes to learning are formed, and social skills developed which lay the foundations for future education. 

Young children learn most effectively through structured play. Our Foundation Stage staff work together as a team and plan for children's learning in seven areas to ensure that all areas of development are covered within an interesting, stimulating and supportive framework. They also ensure that children progressively develop their skills and knowledge throughout this phase of their school life. The children are taught directly and also have a choice of planned activities so that they are able to develop independent learning habits. 

There are three Prime Areas and four Specific Areas. The Prime Areas run through all the other strands of work. 

Prime Areas 

Personal, Social and Emotional Development – This area provides opportunities to develop confidence and independence by participating in activities such as circle time, playing with other children and building relationships. 

Communication and Language – Children are encouraged to communicate with others and develop skills in talking and listening. They will be involved in a variety of adult-led and free choice activities. 

Physical Development – Children are encouraged to be independent in their self-care (toileting, hand washing, choosing healthy snacks, putting on and taking off their own hats/coats/shoes etc.) Activities are provided to give children the chance to improve control and co-ordination of their bodies while learning to move and to handle equipment. Children also have access to a variety of construction materials and equipment to develop their fine motor skills ready for school. 

Specific Areas 

Literacy – We love books and stories. Our children have access to a variety of adult-led and independent activities that help to foster an interest in books and develop early reading skills. Activities are planned to develop early writing skills. Children have opportunities to pretend to write and make marks during activities such as role play and outdoor games. Adults model writing and focused activities give children opportunities to learn to write their names. Initially children learn to correctly form the first letter of their name and, when ready, progress to forming other letters in their name. 

Mathematics – Your child will be encouraged to increase and use their ideas about number, quantity, measurement, shape and space through adult-directed activities and independent play. Number songs, rhymes and active games play a large part in our number activities. 

Understanding of the World- Our children have opportunities to investigate and develop their understanding of their surroundings, objects, places and people around them. We have a well-resourced outdoor area and we also have access to the school garden and Ray Lodge Park. Your child will have access to a variety of technological activities, including an interactive white board, bee bots and programmable toys. 

Expressive Arts and Design – Our children have access to a wide variety of creative activities which provide opportunities for them to communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings. They will be able to explore colour, shape, sound, texture, music, movement and stories and will have enormous fun using the messiest materials. 

The Importance of Play 

It is widely recognised that play provides a significant part in the development of young children. We base and plan our curriculum around play and give our children time to learn and discover through a balance of structured and unstructured activities with supportive adults. These activities take place indoors and outdoors and our children have lots of opportunities to make discoveries and follow their own interests. 

Absences and illness 

• Please inform us of any change of address or contact numbers so that we can get in touch with you if your child becomes unwell. 
• If you child is unwell, please contact the school office on the first day of absence. Tel. 01268 524263.  
• If your child has German measles please contact us immediately so that we can inform parents in case of anyone being in the early stages of pregnancy. 
• If your child has had sickness or diarrhoea please keep them at home for 48 hours. 
• If your child is on antibiotics, they will need to be at home for the first 24 hours. 
• A holiday list will be given to you when your child enters nursery. Please inform us if your child is going on holiday during term time. 

Clothing and other personal items 

• The nursery uniform can be purchased from the Basildon School Uniform Shop. Timberlog Lane, SS14 1PB. 
• The uniform is a red tracksuit with a school & nursery logo. A red polo shirt to be worn underneath the top. The uniform is easy for children to cope with when going to the toilet or changing for PE activities. Velcro trainers or shoes are ideal footwear for children to manage themselves. It is important that your child can begin to be independent. 
• Please name all items clearly so that children can identify their own clothes.
• Ensure that your child's coat, hat etc. are named and that they do bring a coat to nursery suitable for outside play. If possible, avoid coats that have loose cords which can be dangerous if caught in equipment. 
• We ask that your child wears a pair of pumps on our PE days. 
• We discourage jewellery as it can get caught or lost. (Jewellery is not to be worn on our PE days)
• If your child has an 'accident' in nursery, we will change them and try and provide clean clothes. Please return nursery clothes as soon as possible as supplies are limited. 
• Children should not bring any toys to nursery, as they can easily get lost or broken. 

Snack Time

During each session we have a snack time when the children are given milk, but please tell us if your child does not want milk, as water will be provided.

A snack of fresh fruit will be provided during the sessions. Please let us know if your child is not allowed to eat certain foods. 

Nursery Fund 

We ask for a voluntary contribution of:

£3.00 for children attending for 15 hours a week.

£6.00 for children attending for 30 hours a week.

This pays for snack and also goes towards extra supplies such as ingredients for baking etc. It may also be used to provide extra equipment for the nursery, which we may need from time to time.

Nursery Library 

Children are encouraged to borrow a book from our nursery library. These are changed regularly. Book bags with the nursery are available to order. 

Looking Ahead!

Gaining a place in St. Anne Line Catholic Nursery unfortunately does not guarantee a place in the Infant school. 

Admission to the school is determined by the school’s Admission Policy and is processed through the Essex County Council Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme, details of which are available on request. Our school prospectus can also be obtained from the office. 

It is anticipated that the majority of our nursery children will be successful in gaining a place at the school. Throughout your child's time in the nursery, we aim to foster a close relationship with the staff and children in the Infant school so that there will be a smooth transition from nursery to the reception class. Nursery children will take part in school activities such as the Christmas play and sports days. They will also use the facilities and become familiar with the building. They will be known to our reception staff who work closely with nursery staff as part of the Foundation stage team. 

The Foundation Stage of learning is viewed as a continuum of education for children aged 0 to 5. Our nursery staff are always willing to liaise with reception teachers in other schools and will forward relevant information for those children who do not transfer to our reception class. 

Copies of the policies and procedures are available for you to see on our school.