St Michael's
Church of England Primary School

Welcome to St Michael's Nursery, a happy and friendly nursery with a genuine family feel; the perfect environment for children to learn together and develop long lasting friendships particularly for those who go on to join our special school. The children at St Michael's nursery benefit from our close-knit, supportive and nurturing environment where no child is left out and no child is left behind. We live by our motto, we are 'small enough for everyone to count but big enough to make a difference!'

We look forward to welcoming you and your child to be part of our happy family!

Please call the school for more information or email: nursery@stmichaels.lewisham.sch.uk

We aim to provide a relaxed yet stimulating atmosphere, encouraging independence through active learning. At St Michael's we have a saying that 'every child is unique - being different is what we all share in common'. We value all our children equally and we celebrate their strengths. At our nursery we want our children to feel safe and secure and to enjoy coming here so each staff member takes responsibility for safeguarding their welfare and protecting their well-being. We encourage our children to integrate with others in our caring environment and we support the children in developing self-discipline  and socially acceptable behaviour, in forming positive relationships and optimistic attitudes. This includes encouraging the children to take responsibility for their own actions and helping them to understand any consequences. Our dedicated and committed nursery staff will guide your child to follow simple rules and routines; encouraging them to learn social skills during both work and play.

Our nursery is located within the school infant site providing controlled interaction with our Reception and Key Stage 1 children. This is an invaluable opportunity for those in their final year of nursery,as we thoughtfully prepare them for their transition to Reception class at school, whether at St Michael's or elsewhere.

To be eligible to register with our nursery your child needs to be thee years old at the time of joining. The registration process involves completing a simple application form (see below) and providing two pieces of paperwork: proof of address and your child's birth certificate.

The following should be noted when completing the application form:

Prior to your child's start date, you will also be required to complete a Nursery Pupil Information Booklet detailing  emergency contact information, collection arrangements, medical information and dietary requirements.

Click here to Download a copy of the Nursery Application Form

Payment for unfunded hours must be paid in advance for the following half-term via ParentPay. ParentPay is our chosen method of payment as it is efficient and is fully secure. Once your child is registered with the nursery you will be given access to ParentPay to make the necessary payments. Payment may also be made using Childcare Vouchers. Should you wish to use this method of payment, please contact the School Business Manager in the school office.

If fees are not paid in advance of attendance, your child's place will be withdrawn.

A hot lunch provided  by the school costs £2.75 per day and must be paid via ParentPay in advance.

The nursery follows the Foundation Stage Curriculum.  This is broad and balanced and is comprised of Three Prime Areas and Four Specific Areas.

Prime Areas

•    Communication and Language

Whilst we support the use of their home language, children are encouraged to develop as confident users of English. In all activities, opportunities are created for use of conversation, questioning, answering and the development of all speaking and listening skills.

•    Physical Development

The children take part in a wide range of activities which provide opportunity to develop their coordination, control, and movement.

•    Personal, Social and Emotional Development

We provide an environment that enables each child to learn about themselves and the emotions of others. The children are supported in the formation of good relationships, positive attitudes, social behaviour and self-discipline and are helped to develop an understanding of different cultures and customs.

Specific Areas

•    Literacy

Emphasis is given to the development of emergent writing skills, the use of marking materials (pencils, pens, felt-tips, etc.) and the value of the written word. The sharing of books and stories are an essential element of language development. Nursery children are encouraged to select and borrow two books which parents are required to take ten minutes per day to read with them. In addition to our extensive range of books, we also have a Story Sacks lending library, which encourages parental involvement and provides activities to enhance the children’s reading experience. Children are engaged in sound discrimination games (identifying different sounds), singing and chanting nursery rhymes.

•    Mathematics

Through structured play, the children are encouraged to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, learn about shapes and measures and to copy and create patterns.

•    Understanding the World

The children take part in a wide range of activities to increase their understanding of people both now and in the past, how and where they live and work. This is an early development of the skills, ideas and knowledge necessary to the understanding of history and geography. The children are involved in scientific activities, which excite and provide enjoyment while fostering a sense of curiosity, awe and wonder. The activities enable them to use all their senses, to observe the biological and physical world, to notice patterns, predict outcomes and test their ideas. Technology is used to enhance the curriculum and give the children other dimensions to their learning.

•    Expressive Arts and Design

The children take part in a wide range of activities including arts and craft, design, music, dance, role- play and drama.

If a child has developed self-confidence and self-sufficiency then he/she will settle into nursery more easily. The following is a list of useful activities for you and your child to work on at home BEFORE and DURING your child's time in the nursery:
•    Dressing and undressing
•    Fastening zips and buttons
•    Using cutlery correctly
•    Turn taps on and off
•    Using scissors
•    Sing nursery rhymes
•    Re-telling stories and rhymes
•    Drawing pictures
•    Building with construction toys
•    Matching items which are the same
•    Noticing differences between things
•    Recognising his/her name
•    Can tell you his/her whole name
•    Recognising colours
•    Simple counting of everyday objects
•    Listening to stories and rhymes
•    Holding pencils, crayons and paint brushes correctly
•    Arranging objects in order of size, colour or shape

Please try to spend a little time daily looking at picture books, reading stories and nursery rhymes. Try playing simple games like Snap and Lotto, encouraging your child to abide by the rules and to be able to accept losing. If your child wishes to write at home please avoid writing in capital letters, for example:
SOPHIA  ✘    Sophia   ✔ 
THOMAS  ✘  Thomas  ✔

Most importantly, talk to and with your child.  Listen to them.  Answer their questions and ask them questions on a daily basis. 

There is an expectation that, before your child starts, you will have made an effort and significant progress in toilet training your child so that they no longer need to rely on nappies or trainer pants. 

•    Drink Time

Each day, milk is available free of charge and a healthy snack of fruit is also provided. Water is available for those who do not want milk.

•    Lunch Time

You should provide your child with a packed lunch if they are full time attenders. Alternatively, your child can eat a school cooked meal which needs to be arranged and paid for in advance (school meals cost £2.40 per day). Children cannot swap between packed lunches or school dinners from day to day but should have the same option for at least the whole week.  According to NHS choices, a balanced lunchbox should contain starchy foods like bread, rice, potatoes or pasta; protein foods such as meat, fish, eggs or beans; dairy item such as cheese, yoghurt, smoothie and a portion of fruit and vegetables. We ask that parents do not include chocolate spread, chocolate bars, peanut butter, nuts, juice, flavoured water or sweets as we encourage children to eat healthy meals at lunchtime and also need to consider those with allergies.

•    Hours of Opening

Morning session:  8.45am – 11.45am
Afternoon session:  12.15pm – 3.15pm
Fulltime session: 8.45am – 3.15pm

 

•    Punctuality

Please arrive before the start of the session to be ready to enter the nursery as soon as the doors are open. You should return to the nursery before the end of the session in readiness to collect your child as the session ends. Punctuality is a learned behaviour, and this is one of the important ways in which you can support your children throughout their time at nursery and school. 

•    Arrival Routine

In normal times, we want you to help your child to:
1. Hang coat on the labelled coat hook.
2. Place book bag in the box
3. Place drink label on either a cup (for water) or a carton of
milk.
4. Place name card on the name wall (self-register)
5. Ensure your child is settled at an activity before leaving.

*However, currently, due to Covid restrictions, we ask you to drop off your child at the gate.  More information of how that will work, will be discussed with you by our Infant Leader.

•    Release of Children

Children are only released at the end of a session to someone with parental responsibility, unless we have been informed beforehand of an alternative arrangement.  You will be asked to confirm any regular arrangement in place, for example, an afterschool club which collects every day, or a grandparent who collects every Wednesday.  Such regular arrangements should be documented in your child’s Nursery Pupil Information Booklet.

If the collection arrangement is changing and the person collecting is on our system as an authorised contact, or is already known to us (e.g. another parent who is recorded on our system) then the name is all the information we require and we will inform the class teacher. However, if the person collecting is not known to us, or is not an authorised contact, we will ask for a home address and mobile number which can be used for identification purposes.  Please let us know if you would like to add someone to your list of authorised contacts.  If someone is on the system as an authorised contact but does not have a regular pattern of collection, you will need to let us know on every occasion that they collect your child. For safeguarding reasons, it is extremely important that we know exactly who is collecting each child every day and we will not be able to release your child unless the above procedures have been followed.

•    Absence

Please notify us in advance (by 8.45am for a morning session and 12 noon for an afternoon session) of any absence by emailing the nursery: nursery@stmichaels.lewisham.sch.uk .   This is especially important if your child is ill as it will enable us to alert other parents to look out for similar symptoms. In order to reduce the risk of the spread of infection to other children and staff, children who are ill in any way should stay at home until they are completely well. If your child has been vomiting or has had diarrhoea, please do not send him/her to nursery for at least 48 hours after the last episode.

Any medical requirements concerning your child should be documented in their Nursery Pupil Information Booklet, to enable us to draw up an appropriate healthcare plan.

We are only able to administer prescription medicines that need to be taken during the nursery day with your written authorisation. The medicine must be in its original container and handed to the nursery teacher if you wish for your child to receive it whilst in nursery.
We will assist nursery children with the administration of asthma inhalers.  You will be asked to provide written details of their asthma triggers and dosage.  All inhalers and spacers should be clearly labelled with the child’s name and handed to the nursery teacher.
We also have procedures in place for children with epilepsy, diabetes or at risk from anaphylactic shock.

If your child has an accident in nursery, they will be attended to by one of our trained First Aiders. We do not apply ointments or lotions in case of allergy or reaction and all accidents are investigated and recorded. We always try to notify parents if an accident has occurred either personally or by a note, particularly if there has been a bump to the head or the face.

Unfortunately, more serious accidents may sometimes occur in nursery and, in that event, it is vital that we get in contact with a parent or guardian as quickly as possible so that the child may be taken to hospital.  In this situation, if we are unable to reach you, we would refer to the emergency contacts in your child’s Nursery Pupil Information Booklet.  Our records must always be kept up to date, so please keep us informed of any changes, however temporary.

If your child is ill at nursery, we will contact you or the emergency person for them to be taken home. We will always send a child home if they have vomited, have an upset stomach or if they have an abnormal temperature. If we discover a child has headlice, we will ask that you take your child home to enable you to administer the appropriate treatment.