ACG Strathallan Introduction to Preschool

Introduction to ACG Strathallan Preschool

Contents Welcome to ACG Strathallan Preschool...........................3 Staff...........................................................................................4 Settling your child...................................................................4 Preschool hours.......................................................................5 Sign-in book..............................................................................5 Custody and access arrangements....................................5 Preschool bags.........................................................................5 Preschool uniform...................................................................6 Children’s health......................................................................7 Meals..........................................................................................8 Healthy heart award..............................................................8 Curriculum.................................................................................9 Portfolios...................................................................................10 Artwork......................................................................................10 Excursions.................................................................................10 Information sharing................................................................11 Absences:............................................................................11 Civil Defence:.....................................................................11 Documentation:................................................................11 Enrolment:..........................................................................11 Fees:.....................................................................................11 Newsletters:.......................................................................11 Review:................................................................................11

Welcome to ACG Strathallan Preschool

We hope that your child’s time here will be a stimulating, exciting and happy learning experience. In our caring and accepting environment your child will be able to build upon the social, emotional and intellectual foundations which you have laid.

Your child will be able to experiment with new activities, explore the possibilities of creativity and grow to love the exhilaration of adventurous play. As well as this they will actively be developing their ideas and exploring the skills needed to communicate them freely in a range of different ways. They will have the opportunity to develop and practice the social skills that are so important for a happy and satisfying life. Your child will learn to respect the rights of others and the value of cooperation while working together on shared goals and investigations.

ACG Strathallan Preschool is licenced for 115 children from three months to five years of age, with most transitioning to the Primary school on site.

The contents of this booklet introduce your family to ACG Strathallan Preschool.

We will endeavour to prepare your child for school

by Introducing them to life with the Strathallan ACG community where they will make friends, build relationships with the school teaching team and explore a range of facilities such as the art room, gymnasium and music room.

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Staff

Settling your child

All staff employed by the Preschool hold or are working towards Early Childhood Education qualifications.

The settling process for your child will be discussed at your enrolment meeting with the Preschool manager. A minimum of three transition visits is offered before your child starts. This will give them the time they need to get to know the teachers and the environment before their first day.

Either a Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) or a Bachelor of Teaching (ECE). Our teachers are all registered with the Education Council. All staff are involved in on going professional development to ensure that they have knowledge of the most recent theory, policy and practice in early childhood education. Child/ Adult ratios exceed the Ministry of Education regulations and our staff are dedicated to providing each child with the highest standard of care and education. All fulltime staff have current First Aid Certificates.

On your child’s first day at Preschool we recommend you allow time to settle your child and to familiarise yourself with Preschool procedures. On arrival at the Preschool you will be met by a member of the teaching team, who will assist you with where to put your child’s things and how to sign in and out each day. Each child in the Preschool is allocated a ‘Key Teacher’ for the purposes of providing a safe, secure introduction to the Centre.

Your child’s first day at Preschool is exciting for them, however for many children it is a first experience of care outside the family home.

We encourage all parents to discuss with the Preschool manager the most suitable settling-in programme for your child. Your child is welcome to bring a favourite cuddly toy to support them in the settling process. In the long term, however, we do not encourage toys from home as conflict arises in the Preschool when toys from home are not able to be shared.

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Preschool hours ACG Strathallan Preschool operates full day sessions from 7:30am till 5.30 pm each day. The day runs with the children’s needs and routines. The teachers will have a plan that will be based on the current interests from the children and this will be carried out in various blocks throughout the day.

Any change to your child’s hours needs to be requested in writing with a minimum of 48 hours’ notice. We aim to accommodate all requests, although this is not always possible. A two week notice period is required for the termination of any enrolment. This includes changes to enrolments where the number of days are reduced.

The Preschool is open forty nine weeks and is closed statutory holidays and for a three week period over Christmas and New Year.

Sign-in book It is a Ministry of Education requirement that all children must be signed in and out of Preschool each day. The sign-in sheets are located on the table in the entrance of the building. Please ensure that everyone picking up your child is aware of this procedure.

Custody and access arrangements Children will only be released from the Preschool to the care of parents, guardians or friends who are named on the initial enrolment acceptance form, or any authorised amendment. However, should you wish your child to be collected by another adult on any one day, please ensure you inform the manager of this arrangement in writing. If the person picking up your child is not familiar to the Preschool team they will be asked for ID. It is best to advise anyone collecting your child to carry it. Children will not be released unless pick up arrangements have been formalised. Should you have a sudden change of plans during the day, please contact the manager ASAP to make other arrangements.

The Preschool also requires a copy of any custody or access documents that relate to your child.

All documents will be kept confidential by the manager.

Preschool bags Please purchase your child a reasonable sized bag so they are able to put their clothes and lunchbox away with ease. The zip should close over their belongings without a struggle. Please name all schoolbags on the outside front of the bag and in large bold writing. This will enable staff to easily locate bags.

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Preschool uniform Children at ACG Strathallan Preschool will wear a uniform throughout the year including all excursions. The uniform is practical and comfortable and is available from our local supplier, NZ Uniforms.

We recommend that parents purchase iron-on labels so that uniforms can be named clearly. It is important that children are able to identify their clothing so they can take responsibility for putting their clothes away. Staff cannot support this process if clothes are not named.

All children need at least one change of clothes in their bag. Please ensure these are also named.

Summer uniform: > ACG Strathallan polo shirt > Navy shorts or tights > ACG Strathallan fleece jersey > Sunhat

Winter uniform: > ACG Strathallan polo shirt > ACG Strathallan fleece jersey > Navy track pants or tights

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Children’s health If your child is unwell, please do not send them to Preschool. Children may not be left at the Preschool if symptoms of an infectious disease have occurred during the previous forty-eight hours, e.g. diarrhoea, vomiting, skin rash or raised temperature. This is a necessary policy not only to prevent the spread of infection to other children and staff, but also for the health and wellbeing of your child.

If your child has been ill, please discuss this with your child’s key teacher. If your child has been infected with any of the childhood diseases (chicken pox etc.) please inform the manager so other parents can be informed that symptoms may occur.

The staff must be informed if your child has any allergies or health problems that may require special consideration and care. It is important that this information is kept up to date within the Preschool.

Children who become ill during the day will be made comfortable while parents are contacted and arrangement made for immediate collection of their child. Please advise your child’s key teacher if your child is taking medication of any description. If medicine is required to be taken during the day, parents are required to fill out the medication baook and place the medicine in the kitchen. Please note that Preschool can only administer medication that is prescribed for your child.

Paracetamol (Pamol) and Ibuprofen (Fenpead or Nurofen) will not be administered to children at the Preschool. Should it be deemed that your child needs this to cope with the demands of the Preschool day then they are not well enough to attend Preschool. For everyone’s safety please do not leave medication, creams or lotions in your child’s bag. These should be handed to staff.

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Meals Parents are asked to provide enough food for their child for a full day at Preschool taking into consideration your child’s appetite.

While parents provide their own child’s food it is still important that any particular dietary needs are communicated to the Manager on the first day your child attends the centre. Parents are also asked to supply a water bottle for their child.

Please ensure your child brings this to Preschool every day.

10.00- Morning tea

This is a light snack to be provided in a snack box.

12.00 – Lunch time

Please provide a range of healthy lunch options suitable for the appetite level of your child.

We recommend sandwiches, pasta, sushi, rice or left overs from the night before. Packaged foods or other items high in sugar are strongly discouraged.

3.00 – Afternoon tea

This is a snack to see your child through until the end of the day. Cheese and crackers, raisins, and vegetable sticks are ideal.

All lunchboxes should be clearly named so that the teachers can support your child in collecting the right one at meal times.

We have a number of children with allergies which require monitoring. ACG Strathallan Preschool is a peanut-free zone; this includes peanuts and peanut butter, for the protection of these children and those who may not have experienced an allergic reaction to date.

ACG Strathallan Preschool acknowledges that birthday celebrations are important to families.

Small cup-cakes or muffins may be provided by parents for these occasions. Other foods such as lollies and chocolate are very high in sugar and fat and are not recommended for Preschool consumption.

As always staff will take the opportunity to talk about healthy food at these times.

Healthy Heart Award ACG Strathallan Preschool are currently working toward gaining healthy heart award from the New Zealand Heart Foundation. We really appreciate your support in helping us maintain and achieve this by providing your children with food with is healthy, nutritious and suitable for a growing child. Please feel free to talk to a teacher if you would like any support in putting together lunch box plans or choosing healthy alternatives.

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Curriculum ACG Strathallan Preschool uses the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum Te Whāriki as the basis of its program development. With its four guiding principles woven neatly together with the five strands, Te Whāriki provides a strong basis for holistic teaching in all areas of learning.

ACG Strathallan Preschool combines this curriculum document with current research and theory on child development to create a program which is fun, exciting and most of all educational. ACG Strathallan Preschool is committed to continued review and research into current theories and philosophies to make sure that it is always providing quality Early Childhood Education.

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Portfolios

Excursions

Teachers keep anecdotal records and learning stories for all children. These portfolios are available for you to read within the centre and online by accessing Storypark.

ACG Strathallan Preschool aims to plan one excursion a term. Letters will be sent home for these planned excursions along with permission slips for the children.

Portfolios include information on developmental stages, participation in activities and narrative around children’s learning. We actively encourage parent participation within children portfolios as this helps us tailor our program individually for each child. Parent feedback can be anything from comments on learning that has taken place within the centre to providing your own stories from home. Storypark is set up with a comments button which allows you to quickly and easily email things through to us. You are also welcome to discuss your child’s portfolio with us at any time. Should you wish to arrange a time to do this, just let your child’s key teacher know.

Artwork

Notification will be given well in advance so that parents have an opportunity to arrange schedules and participate in excursions. Along with outside trips, your child will be provided with endless opportunities for exploring the Strathallan Campus. Permission for this is provided within the enrolment form but you will always be advised when a campus excursion has taken place.

Visitors to Preschool are also an important part of our programme and are vital for connecting children with the people in our local community.

Parents will be advised prior to visitors attending and the programme will prepare children for visits so that they gain optimum benefit from the experience. Once again, parents are welcome to suggest suitable visitors.

Artwork that is not collected for Portfolios will be placed in the art folders by the sign in desk for you to take home. Collecting and displaying your child’s work endorses for them that we value their work.

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Information sharing Absences:

Fees:

Please let us know as soon as possible if your child is going to be away for any reason.

ACG Strathallan Preschool is supported by the Ministry of Education in the form of MOE grants and subsidies. These funds help to provide for our highly qualified staffing ratios and the costs associated with our beautiful centre.

Fees charged by the Preschool are on page 13.). Parents should realise that payment is not required until your child begins attendance at the Preschool. At commencement the accounts department will invoice for payment within two weeks.

This can be done by calling us on 09 295 0830.

Email the Preschool manager at angela.lunam@acgedu.com.

Staff are onsite from 7.30am.

Civil Defence: In the unlikely event of a Civil Defence emergency, your child may be taken from the Preschool to a place of safety. You will be notified of this as soon as possible and notices will be attached to the windows of the Preschool to direct you. Your children are our first concern.

Documentation: The following information is available to you to read by the sign in desk. > Centre Policies > Recent Education Review Office Reports > Education (Early Childhood) Regulations 2008 > Complaints Policy If you are unable to locate what you are looking for please ask a teacher and they will be more than happy to help you.

Enrolment: To enrol your child at ACG Strathallan Preschool please complete an online application through our website (https://strathallan.acgedu.com/ enrolment/apply-online/) and upload or bring in a copy of your child’s birth certificate/ passport and immunisation record. We will then contact you to confirm availability of space and request payment of the $200 enrolment fee and completion of an enrolment acceptance form.

Newsletters: Newsletters are circulated regularly by email.

These will also be available on the MyACG website.

Review: Parents will be offered the opportunity to contribute to the development and review of the philosophy, policies and procedures at regular intervals. Information on current reviews will be posted on Storypark and any feedback you have can be easily sent through to us by using the comments button. Parental thought and feedback are extremely important to us and help us create a centre which matches with your care and educational aspirations. Parents may also be asked, or may ask to, contribute to ERO reports by speaking with reviewers when they are on site. The Preschool manager will advise you when these reviews are scheduled to take place.

We look forward to ensuring that your child enjoys their time with ACG Strathallan Preschool.

We hope that you gain satisfaction from watching your child develop and learn in a warm, happy and secure educational environment. If you at any time need more information, please speak with the manager.

The contact number to ACG Strathallan Preschool is: 09 295 0830 Angela Lunam Preschool Centre Manager ACG Strathallan Preschool

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T: +64-9-295 0830 | E: strathallan@acgedu.com | strathallan.acgedu.com Hayfield Way, Karaka, Auckland 2580, New Zealand Every effort was made to present accurate information in this document at the time of publication (September 2020). We reserve the right to amend this information when necessary.

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