Information Guide 2005

Welcome to Portishead Playgroups.

Welcome to Portishead Playgroups. In this guide we aim to give you as much information as possible about the Pre-Schools that we operate. There are, however, other sources of information available to you which will be highlighted later.

Here are a few things the staff and committee of the Pre-School would like to draw your attention to:

• Staff are always available to talk to you about your child and listen to any concerns or suggestions you may have. Please do this at the end of the session, unless it is about the collection of your child from a session.
   
• At the beginning of the session please inform staff of any medication, or bumps your child may have received prior to the session starting e.g. grazed knees, paracetamol or allergy medication.
   
• Please regularly check the notice boards, which are situated in the hallway. These contain general information about the sessions, minutes of committee meetings and the parent rota.
   
• Parents are invited to help in sessions; there is a parent rota in the hallway for you to write your offers of help.
   
• Portishead Playgroups is a registered charity and often holds fundraising events - details of these can be found on the notice boards. Any offers of help are always gratefully received.
   
• Portishead Playgroups T-Shirts and Sweatshirts are available for you to order, order forms are available from a member of staff.
   
• Children should wear appropriate outdoor clothing for outside play, please also bring a change of clothes in a small rucksack, along with Wellington boots for wet play, children will play outside in all weathers. It would be appreciated if clothing could be clearly labelled.
   
• Information can be found on the playgroups website www.portisheadplaygroups.co.uk. If you misplace a newsletter the information can be found on the website, along with lots of other information about the Pre-Schools.
   
• Fees should be paid by cheque where possible. Cheques should be made payable to PORTISHEAD PLAYGROUPS.
   
• Your child will often bring home work they have done during a session, but sometimes work is carried out as a group activity. This may be displayed on the walls or filed away to be given out at a further date.
   
• Please ensure you have completed all the necessary documentation given to you by the staff prior to your child attending sessions alone. This is essential for the wellbeing of your child and your cooperation is appreciated.

Collection of Children.

Collection of children by different people.

• If another family member, carer or friend is going to collect your child from playgroup it is very important staff are aware of who it is going to be. This person will be written in the collection of children book for that session only and will be allowed to take your child home.
   
• If staff are not informed a different person is going to collect your child they will not release them until you have been contacted.
   
• Staff must be informed every time there is a different person collecting your child. As you can understand, this is for your child's safety.
   
• If you are held up for any reason and are unexpectedly unable to collect your child, please contact the playgroup during the session to inform them who will take your child home.

Collection of Children at the end of the session.

• At the end of the session children are requested to stay seated either on the mat or a chair until you go to them to collect them.
   
• Children are not encouraged to come to you, we realise this may be difficult, however it ensures that the children's safety is maintained at all times.
  

Childhood Illness Policy.

Please remember if you are at all concerned about your Childs health DO NOT bring them to Pre School. We appreciate your co-operation in helping to reduce the spread of illness amongst staff and children.

Head Lice.

As you may be aware head lice are sometimes a problem within Schools and Pre-Schools.

In an effort to slow down the spread of Head Lice, we must ask that if your child ever has live lice they do not attend Pre-School until their hair has been treated and there are no live lice.

We appreciate that to keep your child away from playgroup when they are not ill is somewhat strange, however we have sought advice from Health Professionals and, in line with local Primary Schools, it seems that this is the best way of slowing down the spread.

If you have any further questions please speak to a member of staff.

We thank you for your co-operation.

Policies.

Portishead Playgroups would like to remind you that both Hilltop and Brampton Pre-Schools have many operational policies in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children, staff and visitors to the Pre- Schools. These policies are under constant review and are available for inspection at any time.

North Somerset Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership produce a booklet on the Child Protection Procedure.

This booklet is situated either in the cloakroom at Brampton or on Carole's Table at Hilltop. It is there for your information.

As you will understand by law we have a duty to follow up any concerns we have regarding child abuse.

If you, as a parent / carer have any concerns about child abuse, please do not hesitate to see the designated liaison child protection person, Hilary at Brampton and Carole at Hilltop.

Please feel free to ask any questions you have regarding any of the polices at the Pre-Schools.

Playgroup Committee.

Portishead Playgroups is run by a committee of volunteer parents. The committee is an important and essential part of the life of playgroup and is made up of parents who wish to contribute to the running of a playgroup. Committee meetings are held every term. Minutes of these meetings are published on the website for your information they are also available on the notice board in the hallway.

Committee members are voted into position by parents of the playgroup at the AGM held in October each year. The playgroup adopts the constitution of the Pre School Learning Alliance.

For details of the current committee and information on how to contact the committee with your ideas of suggestions please see the web site www.portisheadplaygroups.co.uk.

Committee news letters are published every term to keep you informed of activities within the Pre -Schools.

The role of the committee falls into two categories:

• The management of the Pre-Schools:
   
  • Staff retention
  • Staff recruitment
  • Budgeting
  • Health and Safety
  • Training budgets
  • Overseeing maintenance of the facilities
  • Setting pay scales
  • Paying Wages
     
• Assisting with fundraising for the Pre-Schools:
   
  • Informing parents of events
  • Organising events
  • Balloting Parents for ideas
  • Helping at relevant fundraising events

Fundraising

As a registered charity fundraising is an essential part of the Pre-School budget. Pre-Schools receive very little public funding. Therefore they rely heavily on Fundraising to equip the schools with toys and equipment necessary to give the children the high standard of education they receive.

If you have the time and the interest.

Volunteers are always needed to come on the committee as the time the children spend at playschool is relatively short and committee members move on.

It can be very rewarding to feel more involved with your child's Pre-School, to feel you are contributing to a successful playgroup and learning more about it. Not to mention that it is fun, and an excellent way to extend your circle of friends.

If you are interested in becoming a committee member or finding out more about what is involved please see a member of staff.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Child's Play

Please don't expect too much of me

I am learning more than you can see

Simply being here to enjoy and play

Means more to me than I can say

Please don't fret at the end of the day

If I have nothing to display

I really gain so much from play

Social skills and come what may

So when I come home empty handed

From such a busy play

Please don't say

"Haven't you done anything today?"

Term Dates.