Learning Through Play
Play is very important to children. Pre-School helps our children learn through play, practicing and learning skills for the future.

During play your child will have the opportunity to make friends with other children and learn to relate to other adults. They will learn to share, take turns, taking into consideration the feelings of others. All children are given the opportunity to experience each activity on offer, with, if necessary, adult support.

The classroom is set up specifically to encourage all areas of development, using the recommended Early Years Foundation Stage for planning, observing and recording.We include activities each session to encourage personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematic, physical, creative and knowledge and understanding of the world.

We feel it is very important to praise and encourage our children, valuing their input and work.

Refreshments
We provide milk, juice and a healthy snack e.g. cheese and crackers, and ask that parents send in one piece of fruit per child per week. Please do not send in any other food or drink with your child. (Birthdays and special dietary requirements are exceptions)

Starting Pre-School
A very important part of starting Pre-School is the settling in, for both parents and child. When your child starts you are invited to stay for as long as you feel necessary to settle him/her in.

Clothing
Children are usually happier in clothes that are comfortable and ‘worry free’. Please ensure that jackets, cardigans, hats, boots, and other outdoor clothing are named. Dungarees are not practical for encouraging independent toilet training.

Arriving and Departing
Our doors are open at 9.15am. We have have a 30 minute ‘meet and greet’ session during which time parents are welcome to stay, chat and settle their child. For collection parents are asked to wait in our warm foyer where their child will be handed safely back by the supervisor.

Register is taken as each child arrives and the group sits down for good morning and welcome
at 9.45am.

Staffing
Our ratio of staff to Children is a minimum of 1:8 for over 3 year olds and 1:4 for under 3 year olds.
80% of our staff are NVQ 3 qualified, with others undertaking ongoing training. We have on-going training liasing with the Early Years Team.

School Hours
The Pre-School runs from 9.15am – 12.30 week days. Closed at weekends.
The date of the Pre-School terms will be approximately the same as those of East Coker Primary School. Notification of the dates will be circulated to parents throughout the year.