Policies and Management

Governance

From 1st September we are governed by North Hinksey Primary as part of Oxfordshire Diocese Schools Trust, (ODST) Our nominated individual is Hannah Forder-Ball, Executive head of North Hinksey Primary School. ODST are responsible for:

• employing and managing the staff;
• making sure that the  Nurseryhas - and works to - policies which help it to provide a high quality service; and
• making sure that the Nursery works in partnership with the children's parents. 

Policies

Below are some of the policies and procedures we adhere to as an Early years Setting:

• Child Protection and safeguarding 
• Health and Safety 
• Fire Safety
• Food Safety and Nutrition
• Health Policy
• Promoting inclusion, equality and valuing diversity
• Record Keeping
• Staff, volunteers and parent helpers
• Early Years practice 
• Working in partnership with parents and other agencies
• Emergency Planning
• Making a complaint 

For all other policies or for any questions you have please feel free to contact us thesett@nhps.org.uk or 01865 794287 (Nursery) or main School office 01865 248626

Special needs

Our Manager/ Senco is a qualified level 3 Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator and will work with children, their families and key person to support children requiring extra support. They will also refer them to specialist services such as Speech and Language therapy; Communication and Interaction Teams; The Early Years Special Intervention Teams (EYSENIT). They will apply for additional funding to get the right amount of support for your child whilst they are at Nursery and work with your child's key person to "Plan, Review and Do" (through the graduated approach) appropriate activities and interventions to help your child to develop and challenge their abilities enabling them to get the most our of Nursery provision, supporting their learning journey to school and for the rest of their lives.  As part of our Nursery's policy to make sure that its provision meets the needs of each individual child, we take account of any special needs which a child may have. The preschool works to the requirements of the 1993 Education Act and The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (2015). See here for our Identification, Assessment and intervention Policy for Special Educational Needs.

Key persons

The Nursery has a key person system; this means that each member of staff has a group of children for whom they are particularly responsible. Your child's key person will be the person who works with you to make sure that what the nursery provides is right for your child's particular needs and interests. When your child first starts at the nursery, they will help your child to settle in and throughout your child's time at the nursery, they will help your child to benefit from all activities on offer.

Memory Books

The nursery keeps a 'record of achievement' for each child, through a "Memory Book". Staff and parents working together is one of the ways in which we work in partnership. Your child's 'Memory Book' helps us to celebrate together their learning and development, to plan for providing care and stimulating activities which your child needs to support their well-being and to make progress.

Your child's key person will work with you to keep this record. To do this you  will collect information, together, about your child's needs, activities, interests and achievements. This information will enable the key person to identify your child's stage of progress. You will then decide on how to help your child to move on to primary school with your key person. 

Learning opportunities for adults

As well as gaining qualifications in early years care and education, the nursery staff take part in further training to help them to keep up-to-date with thinking about early years care and education. We regularly employ an apprentice to support the Early Years work force going forward, working with Local colleges such as Abingdon and Witney and Active Learning. Annually we have work experience students as well as student placements from college.

The nursery also keeps itself up-to-date with best practice in early years care and education through the  Early Years Alliance's magazine, 'Under Five' and publications produced by the Early Years Alliance. The current copy of Under Five is available for you to read.

From time to time the nursery holds learning events for parents. These usually look at how adults can help children to learn and develop in their early years, for instance through sharing practice at open days.