Dear
Parents and Carers,
Nursery
News:
Dates
for your diaries
14th
March – Parents evening
15th
March – Red Nose day
This
week’s activities and event-
Yoga
– This
week in yoga we read the Gruffalo and then created different poses for each
animal in the story.
Forest
School – This
week in Forest School played a shopping game, collecting specials things around
the forest and pretending to sell it in the shop paying with leaves or sticks.
After free time to explore and have snack, they made a hedgehog with a potato
and sticks! They really enjoyed putting the holes in the potatoes and imagining
where is the hedgehogs face!
Music
and Movement – This
week in music and movement the children went on a Bear and Lion hunt, they then
found their favourite instrument to play.
Each
key person will be responsible for designing an activity based on their key
children’s needs; however, all children who are in on that day will have the
opportunity to access the activity too.
If
the key person is on holiday or off, another staff member will be able to lead
the activity in their place so that the children do not miss out.
For
more information on the Early Years Foundation stage, the guidance we use to
support our planning and practice, please visit:
This
week’s planned activities are also on the ILD’S.
Buttercups
Topic
of the month:
Animals
Monday
– Sammy’s group is choosing books of interest to develop an early interest in
reading.
Tuesday
– Leanne’s group will be building an awareness of hygiene routines while being
supported to independently feed themselves.
Wednesday
– Jamie’s group are exploring movements while jumping and stamping in puddles
they have created in the garden.
Thursday
– Hannah’s group will be developing their self-care skills while washing hands
and getting ready for meal times.
Friday
– All children are making a sheep see saw, building relationships.
Jamie
is off Monday, Leanne is off Wednesday, Sammy is off Thursday and Hannah is in
all week.
Bluebells
Topic
of the month:
Farm Animals
Monday
– Donna’s group are developing gross motor skills while playing ball games in
the garden.
Tuesday
– Megan’s group is building their language skills while exploring the role play
equipment.
Wednesday
– Chloe’s group will be reading ‘The Colour Monster’ developing an awareness of
different emotions.
Thursday
– Carla’s group is singing the shape song while drawing different shapes on the
whiteboards supporting shape awareness.
Friday
– Ruby’s group are playing group games with their friends, building
attention skills and relationships.
Donna
is off Monday and Tuesday, Chloe is off Monday and Tuesday, Megan is off
Thursday and Friday, Ruby is off Wednesday and Carla is in all week.
Sunflowers
In
the Sunflower room each Key Person plans and implements their own Key Group
activity, but the room works on the same area and aspect to ensure the activity
is individual to each Key Group and therefore meets the specific Key Group’s
individual needs.
This
will work alongside their weekly planned activity list which you can see in the
room and on the ILD’S.
Becci’s
group 1 will be building their imaginative skills while exploring the small
world resources with their friends.
Becci’s
group 2 are preparing their own fruit for snack supporting their health and
self-care skills
Ines’s
group 1 is exploring media while painting using letter stamps builder letter
awareness.
Ines’s
group 2 are singing songs playing a rhyming game with their friends.
Eva’s
group is building their literacy skills while reading a ‘Cook’ book, they will
then create their own shopping list.
Topic
of the month:
Family
The
letter of the week is: Hh
The
children will be:
Talking
about the letter h
Thinking
of things that begin with the letter h
Exploring
the letter h alphabet shaker
Writing
the letter h in the air
The
Number of the week is: 8
The
children will be:
Counting
to number 8
Exploring
number puzzles
Hooping
8 times
Writing
the number 8 in the sand tray
The
shape of the week is: Octagon
The
children will be:
Drawing
a Octagon shape
Counting
the 8 sides and corners
Comparing
Octagons and Hexagons
Becci
is off Wednesday, Ines is off Tuesday and on holiday Wednesday – Friday and Eva
is in all week.
Ottilia and Jenni are in all week.
I work all day on a Monday, early
shifts Tuesdays and Thursdays, late shifts on Wednesdays and a middle shift on
Fridays.
If you have any queries when I am not
here please speak to your child’s Room Leader or Jamie.
Interactive
Learning Diary
Don’t
forget to check out all the exciting things your child has done this week, on
their ILD profile.
We
aim to put at least one observation up per week.
Follow
the link below: www.interactivelearningdiary.co.uk
Facebook
Castle
Nursery and Preschool Facebook page promotes the company, engages with parents
and team members across our nurseries.
If
you would be interested in following this page, here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/Castle-Nursery-and-Preschool-790319011138020/.
We will be regularly adding events and photos to the page.
Menus
There
are no planned changes to this week’s menu.
See
attached document for the weekly menu.
If
you would like to see a copy of our allergens menu at any time please ask!
Useful
websites
Here
are the links for the Surrey Family Information Service, Free Early Education
(the 15 hours funding), Free Early Education for Two year olds and Early Years
Pupil Premium (EYPP).
Our Policy of the Week:
Behaviour management
policy
Aim of the policy
This policy aims to
meet the requirements of OFSTED, the current EYFS framework and the Children
and Young Persons Act 2008 with regard to behaviour management. It will
promote, encourage, reinforce and recognise positive behaviour, enabling children
to develop a sense of appropriate behaviour and a positive self-image.
Early year’s
practitioners must be aware of the need for a consistent approach to behaviour
management and develop effective strategies using positive methods appropriate
to the individual child. We must adopt a sense of working together alongside
parent/carers to ensure our ethos on behaviour management is fulfilled. Working
alongside parent/carers supports all children’s emotional, social and
behavioural development.
Inappropriate
behaviour
Inappropriate
behaviour almost invariably occurs when a child’s fundamental needs are
frustrated. The staff should always consider what the child’s needs are
and how they can best be met in the Nursery.
Childcare and
Learning Group’s expectation of the behaviour of children within its care is
based on the safety of others, the development of a sense of right and wrong
and care and consideration for other people and possessions.
Behaviour
management
The degree of
success of any behaviour management programme is dependent upon the way in
which the programme is carried out and consistency in staff attitude and
response to inappropriate behaviour. Our practitioners will act as
appropriate role models and should encourage the development of a positive
self-image in the child.
In order to
function acceptably, children need to feel valued and accepted in a group – to
feel secure with the adults caring for them and with the routine of the
setting.
Our practitioners will work with the children to agree acceptable
boundaries. Young children are still very egocentric and much of what society
deems desirable, e.g. politeness, honesty, consideration for others, will be
recognised and understood through appropriate role modelling. Behaviour is a
form of communication; inappropriate behaviour is often acted out by children
who are confused and frustrated at not being able to communicate their needs.
As a team, practitioners will agree on consistent expectations and strategies
for dealing with positive and negative behaviour in relation to the group of
children in their care at that time.
All Childcare &
Learning Group settings have a designated Behaviour Management Lead in
accordance with the current EYFS statutory guidelines.
The designated
Behaviour Management Lead for this setting is: Becci
Childcare &
Learning Group promotes positive behaviour management strategies
Positive methods
are more effective than negative strategies in shaping the behaviour of
children. Promoting positive behaviour through praise and distraction are
preferable to punishment. Children need to know that despite their
inappropriate behaviour we still ‘value’ them. It is the behaviour we
dislike, not the child. Practitioners should praise a child whenever they
can. This will help children to use more positive strategies to resolve their
own conflicts.
Practitioners
should encourage children to talk over a problem, anticipate and remove
potential problems or re-direct them. Practitioners should value the
tangible contributions that the child offers, including drawings and pictures
brought from home. Each child should be given the opportunity to ‘shine’
at a particular activity or skill.
Children should
hear practitioners speak positively and with value given to their family.
Practitioners should develop partnerships with parent/carers and ensure that
parent/carers are fully informed about support and the policies and strategies
used for managing unacceptable behaviour.
Practitioners
should be consistent in their treatment of children; there should be fairness
in access to toys, etc. The same treatment should apply for both the
individual and the group.
Taking into account
a child’s age and stage of development
Account must be
taken in each case of the age and stage of the child’s development and
practitioners should modify their expectations in light of the child’s level of
maturity and ability. Goals should be specified precisely in language
everyone, including the child, can understand. They should be broken down
into small steps, starting with what the child can be relied upon to achieve
and building up slowly. Practitioners need to be flexible in their approaches
to allow for individual differences and use other forms of communication such
as visual prompts and aids to support the child’s understanding.
Methods of dealing with unacceptable behaviour
Distraction
To avoid potential
unacceptable behaviour – divert the child’s attention. Offer the child
something more attractive and positive to do without losing the learning
opportunity. For example – a child pouring sand over another child’s head is
seen as exploratory play. Offer a sieve or bucket for them to fill
instead. This may be particularly useful with young children who do not
understand verbal reasoning.
Individual
Attention
Reprimand should be
a private affair between the member of staff and child. Staff members
need to have established the meaning of talking to the child, engaging eye
contact at the child’s level, using appropriate language
to their age ‘in an assertive voice’ – this is not shouting.
Practitioners should remember that there is a need to ‘build a warm
bridge’ again as soon as possible – conflicts should never linger.
Regularly occurring
challenging behaviour
Any child presenting challenging behaviour on
a regular basis will also be at risk of falling behind expected development in
PSED; Managing Feelings and Behaviour and other areas often follow as well. In
this situation, observations must be taken of the incidents, identifying:
·
The nature of the behaviour
·
Factors or circumstances which trigger it
·
Timing – when and for how long
·
People involved
·
How does it end
The observations need to be written and
considered to identify patterns of behaviour and then decisions made about
future handling.
An Individual development plan must be set in
partnership with the team and family.
Physical Intervention
Physical
Intervention should only be used in extreme circumstances where a child could
harm themselves, others or to prevent serious damage to property. Any occasion
where this form of behaviour management has been used must be recorded as an
incident and the parent/carer informed on handover that day.
This is within the
specific legal requirements as set out in the current Statutory Framework for
the EYFS.
If physical
restraint is needed; for the safety of the child and others, ensure there are
two members of staff dealing with the situation.
If the situation
occurs where physical intervention is needed to manage an individual child’s
behaviour on a regular basis, a fully detailed Individual Development Plan,
including a risk assessment must be agreed with and communicated to the whole
team and family, and recorded.
Biting behaviour
Refer: Biting
Policy
Incidents must be
recorded in the Incident Book. Practitioners should never disclose the name of
the biter when talking to the parent/carer of the bitten child.
General rules
Practitioners
should share their anxieties and concerns around behaviour management with
colleagues and leaders. Behaviour management can be challenging and require
support. It is not a sign of personal failure to ask for help and advice; it is
a sign of maturity, intelligence and emotional understanding. There are times
where practitioners need to take a break form a situation and ask another
member of staff to take over.
Practitioners
should always take time to stand back from situations to observe, consider the
bigger picture and factors. Listen to other’s views and understanding of a
situation to build a better understanding of the issues to enable better
management of behaviour concerns by the team.
Never physically
punish a child. A common sense guideline is that practitioners should
only physically remove a child from a situation if they are at physical risk of
endangering themselves or the safety of others.
SMACKING,
BITING, SHAKING OR ISOLATION OF CHILDREN IN THE NURSERY IS FORBIDDEN
Remember that corporal
punishment (smacking, biting, and shaking) is illegal, as is depriving a child
of food or drink or forcing a child to consume it.
In addition, staff
must not use practices that humiliate or frighten children such as poking fun,
sarcasm, using derogatory language, verbal or physical threats, taunts or
isolation (“naughty chair”).
Naming children to
example unacceptable behaviour, calling them naughty, bad, etc and/ or ‘sitting
children out’ showcases them as children who don’t behave and sends messages to
the children and into families and communities that those children are bad
children. This often results in these children being scapegoated for situations
they had nothing to do with and damages their chances of moving to wanted
behaviour. Labels stick and we don’t want the unwanted behaviour to stick.
‘Time Out’ where
children are placed alone to think about what they have done, or ‘miss out’ as
punishment, is not acceptable in our settings. Children in the early years do
not have the maturity or cognitive development to reflect on their behaviour
and independently come up with better strategies for next time. They require
sustained shared thinking with a supportive adult to discuss appropriate
behaviour and what is expected of them.
Violence
or abuse of a child by a staff member will result in instant suspension pending
a full investigation which will lead to dismissal if proved to be valid.
Children must be
provided with:
Comfort and care
Practitioners
should show children that they value and care for each of them. Children
need to trust and confide in practitioners and enjoy their company.
Practitioners
should provide equally for all children, overcoming any tendency to
favouritism.
Practitioners
should always listen to what children are saying and allow them to express
their opinions and needs. Non-verbal communication should reinforce what
is being said to the child.
Security
The way the
setting’s programme is structured should foster a feeling of security for the
child. The children should know when things happen, where things are and
where particular people are to be found. They should be informed of any
impending change.
It is important to
minimise any situations that may cause a child to feel overly anxious.
This can be achieved by creating secure and familiar environment where children
are respected and feel confident and able to express their feeling and
thoughts.
Adequate sleep and
rest
There should be
places in the nursery where the children can withdraw quietly if they
wish. The quiet area should have comfortable chairs, cushions, beanbags,
beds, etc.
Children should be
allowed their particular ‘comforter’.
Staff should liaise
regularly with parent/carers regarding the amount of sleep and rest children
are receiving.
The freedom to explore
Children should
have some space to ‘let off steam’.
The setting should
offer age appropriate stimulating learning environments both indoors and
outdoors so that children think it is worth their while to explore.
“Outdoor
opportunities reduce the levels of the stress hormone cortisol for all
children. Being inside for long periods of time with restricted space often
leads to children displaying unsettled, fractious behaviour and having more
squabbles.”
(The National
Strategies – Supporting children with behavioural, emotional and social
difficulties 2010)
There should be a
balance between child-led and adult-led activities on offer to all children.
A positive self-image
Children benefit
most where adults adopt a consistent and positive approach. Staff members
need to promote a good self-image amongst the children. This will give them the
confidence to continue to learn and try new things whilst displaying positive
behaviour.
Adult as role
models
Staff should examine
such factors in themselves as dress, manner of speaking, body language,
tolerance, politeness and consideration, the value of humour, hygiene and
consider if they are presenting appropriate role models for the children.
Sometimes staff
need to show a child they have feelings too and are hurt by whatever has
ensued.
The boundaries of
better behaviour
Staff and children
should fully understand what is expected of them and each other.
Expectations should be realistic; otherwise inappropriate behaviour is likely
to occur.
Opportunities for
self-expression
Children should
feel free to say what they want to say – verbally, through actions and artistic
activities. Patience will be required if a child is withdrawn,
encouraging them to express themselves in whichever way they are most
comfortable with.
Children should be
allowed to work through traumatic experience using such acceptable means as
drama, role-play, and artistic and physical expression. The way a child
treats its ‘person’ toy may be an indicator of the child’s state of mind and
experiences.
If a member of
staff suspects that behaviour could be aligned to emotional, physical or sexual
abuse as a result of direct disclosure from the child or physical evidence - Never interrogate the child
report this immediately to your Manager. They will know
of the legal steps and actions to take which may result in OFSTED, Children’s
Services or police involvement.
Parent/Carer involvement
Staff should always
handle a parent/carer communication with tact and diplomacy. They should
not become defensive as a result of a feeling of self-failure if a child
experiences difficulties. Staff should establish good and honest rapport,
involving parent/carers closely and keeping them informed.
Opportunities for
learning
Busy, involved and
happy children engaged in appropriate tasks are much less likely to be
disruptive.
Remember, bored
children get into mischief. Ensure that activities are stimulating,
accessible to all children, enjoyable and motivating.
Any
programme of behaviour management needs to be continuously evaluated. This
policy will be reviewed regularly depending on the current group of children.
There are no hard
and fast rules or answers to dealing with problem behaviour – what may be an
answer for one child’s individual needs may not be suitable for another. Staff
will attend refresher training courses on dealing with behaviour.
Kind Regards,
Jess, Jamie and the South Hill Team
Castle
Nursery & Pre-School
Childcare
and Learning Ltd
14 South Hill | Guildford | Surrey |
GU1 3SY
Tel: 01483 533344 | Fax:
01293 772971 | Email: southhill@castledaycare.co.uk | Web: www.castledaycare.co.uk | Blog: www.castlenursery-southhill.blogspot.co.uk
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