Sleeping

See the nursery sleeping policy on the Nursery Policies page

Personal Care

Please see the Policy for nappy changing and supporting personal care on the Nursery Policies page

Snacks and Meals

• We follow Portsdown Primary Schooland Early Years’ policy for food and drink.
• We promote healthy eating and drinking and encourage children to try a range of healthy foods for snacks and milk or water to drink.
• Children have access to water at all times. 
• Children are not permitted to have juice to drink at snack time.
• Hot lunch time meals can be ordered for children during term time.
• Some children are entitled to a free school meal. To find out if your child is eligible, and for more information, please visit this link:  https://portsmouth.cloud.servelec-synergy.com/SynergyWeb/FSM.aspx
• Hot lunch meals are cooked in Portsdown Primary School kitchen.
• All meals must be ordered and paid for by 9.15 a.m. on day of attendance. Fees are available on request. Special diets and allergies can be catered for.
• Children may bring a packed lunch.  We encourage parents/carers to ensure they provide a healthy lunch and avoid sweets, crisps, juice and fizzy drinks which can include a high number of colourings and additives known to affect moods, behaviour and healthy teeth development.
• We cannot reheat packed lunch meals.

Special Educational Needs

See the Special Educational Needs Policy on the Nursery Policies page

Equality

See the Equality Policy on the Nursery Policies page

Relationships and Behaviour Regulation Policy

See the Relationships and Behaviour Regualtion Policy on the Nursery Policies page

Behaviour Summary

The Nursery follows Portsdown Primary School Relationships and Behaviour Regulation Policy. The statements below summarise how we apply the policy in the Nursery:

• Adults working in nursery encourage a positive and friendly atmosphere, praising children’s achievements and positive behaviour.
• Children are helped to behave appropriately through adults modelling appropriate behaviour and interaction.
• At Portsdown Nursery we accentuate the positive rather than the negative.
• With our youngest children, we talk about and model the behaviour, praise appropriate behaviour and use distraction to focus children’s attention.
• When conflicts occur, adults help children to resolve them through talking and modelling appropriate behaviour, then praising the child’s co-­operation. We try to ‘catch the child being good‘ (making appropriate behaviour choice) and praise the behaviour e.g. ‘I like the way you are walking now’
• If a child displays inappropriate behaviours they are given a warning using the language of ‘choice’.
• If the behaviour continues the child has time away from group, but within close vicinity of the group. Sand timers are used as a visual aid for the concept of time.
• After, time is taken with the child, to reflect on their behaviour and explain how they should behave.
• All adults model and encourage appropriate behaviour through visual stimulus and objects.
• Visual rules, agreed with children, are displayed and used for all children to access Nursery rules and expectations.
• If there are continued incidents of challenging behaviour, we monitor the incidents to see when they are occurring and try to identify the reasons why.
• From this point, we may put an individual plan in place or make adjustments to the situations to support positive behaviour development.
• We work closely with parents/carers to support with any behaviour concerns.
• In discussion with parents/carers, we may involve the school inclusion manager or external agencies who can offer further advice and support.

Learning Journeys for Observation and Assessment 

• When a child enters Portsdown Nursery, an online Learning Journey is started which records their interests and development both while they are in nursery and from home.
• The Learning Journey enables Portsdown Nursery staff to provide observations of a child’s interests, activities and experiences from which they can assess their  development and plan for future learning.
• Parents/carers are welcome to contribute to this learning journal with photos and anecdotes about their child’s development and achievements at home. We value parental observations and aim to develop a partnership with parents/carers so there is a two – way flow of information about the child’s development.
• Developmental reports are completed on a child’s entry to nursery either in the form of a statutory ‘2 year check’ or ‘start of nursery’ report if a child is already 3 years old and at the end of the school year in either a transfer form or end of year report. These reports detail the child’s current level of development gained from observations by nursery staff and possible next steps in their learning. These are shared with parents/carers so the nursery staff can work with them on the next steps for their child’s learning.
• Parents/carers have access to their child’s learning at all times and new observations are added by nursery staff fortnightly in line with nursery planning to inform parents/carers about what their child has been doing in nursery.

Collection of Children and Emergency Contacts

• Portsdown Nursery has the highest regard for the safety of children.
• Sometimes children are poorly in Nursery and Portsdown staff may need to contact parents/carers quickly so the child can be collected and taken home.
• It is therefore very important parents/carers inform the Nursery immediately if any contact numbers change.
• At all times, particularly if parents/carers are not at home, they should ensure there is someone who could collect the child in an emergency.
• When a child starts Portsdown Nursery, it is essential that parents/carers record on the admission form who is permitted to collect the child in an emergency.
• Portsdown Nursery will not allow children to be collected by someone who is not known or named on the child’s records unless  previous consent has been issued by the parent/carer.
• Parent/carers must inform Portsdown Nursery staff when leaving a child at the start of a Nursery session if anyone different is to collect the child.

Emergency Password 

• In the event of an emergency, where persons named on the admission form are unable to collect a child, Portsdown Nursery requests that a password is recorded and only known to those persons and named contacts.
• Nursery staff are informed of the password, which is kept securely.
• This password is  then given by the parent/carer to the person  delegated to collect the child. The delegated person presents this word when requested on collection of the child.
• The delegated person must show identification so Portsdown Nursery staff can check it with the additional information parent/carer has given to Nursery about the person collecting.
• Only then will the child be released.
• If there are any concerns raised, Portsdown Nursery staff would contact the parent/carer by telephone.

Please be aware –

• No child will be handed to an unidentified individual without password and identification.
• If Staff are in any doubt, they will not release the child.
• We do not permit children to be collected by anyone who is under the age of 16.

Parental Involvement 

• We welcome Parents/Carers in the nursery to share in your child’s learning and play and discuss how we are developing the curriculum to support their learning and development.
• We provide opportunities for you to come and work alongside your child’s key person to support specific skills development through play.
• Portsdown Nursery is committed to providing opportunities for parents to visit nursery on a regular basis to join in with curriculum activities with their child/children. This allows parents to discover and support their children in their learning and development through the Early Years curriculum.
• Sometimes we have volunteers working in the nursery on a regular basis.  All volunteers are police checked by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check prior to helping. Under no circumstances are volunteers or trainee staff left unsupervised with children.
• If you are interested in supporting within the nursery or want to find out more about the nursery curriculum, please talk in the first instance to your child’s key person.

 Absence and attendance

• Children learn every day. We aim for children to make maximum progress so their skills and development are age appropriate or better on entry to school.
• Continuous attendance at nursery supports children’s learning and development in all areas of the curriculum as well as develops good habits of attendance in preparation for school.
• Please try to support your child’s learning and development by only keeping your child away from nursery if they are unwell.
• If your child is absent, we request you telephone Portsdown School Office on the first session of absence.
• You should inform the school office prior to the event, if you intend to request permission to take the child out of nursery for any reason.
• We request you do not collect your child early without giving prior notice or unless it is a serious emergency.
• Please do not keep your children home from nursery for birthdays, relatives visiting or shopping for example.
• If you have booked childcare sessions, we cannot refund money for absence. You will be expected to pay for attendance if your child does not attend when ill or for other reasons. (Please see the Nursery Charges and Remission Policy  on the Nursery Policies page).
• If your child does not attend booked sessions on a regular basis, we will talk with you about this as it is inconsistent for the child and stops other children taking up a place at the Nursery.
• Persistent poor attendance may result in your child’s nursery place being stopped.

 Lateness

• If your child is booked for a session, please try to ensure that your child attends at the start of the session.
• It is unsettling for the children if they walk in and activities have already started and Nursery staff may not be free to talk with you about your child.
• Sometimes circumstances may happen, making lateness unavoidable. In these circumstances, please do not keep your child at home. We would rather see them late than not at all.
• Late collection of children from Nursery will incur a fee for every 15 minutes after their booked time. (Please see the Nursery Charges and Remission Policy  on the Nursery Policies page).

 Medicines

• If your child needs to take medicine during the Nursery sessions we ask you to complete a form detailing medicine dose, time and reason.
• You will need to sign a statement giving your permission for Staff to administer the medication.
• Prescription medicines must be in their original container with original label from the pharmacy. This must state child’s name, date of expiry of medication, dosage given.
• Should your child require medication twice or three times a day, please, if possible, arrange times so medication can be administered at home.

 Medical Conditions

• When your child begins at Nursery, it is important you inform us of any medical conditions, allergies, physical or learning needs your child has. This will help us to provide care and curriculum with consideration to the child’s needs.
• If we know a child has an allergy, for example to eggs, we will ensure that precautions are taken to accommodate this. We will need to discuss with you the procedures to be taken if an allergic reaction was to occur.
• If you have a worry about your child, however small, for example with speech or hearing, it is important you tell us so that we can observe and assess the situation or refer to other professionals who can help and advise.
• For more information, see the Policy for Supporting Children with Medical Conditions, including Administering Medicines and Illness in Children on the Nursery Policies page.

 Accidents and Illness

• Young children playing outside do have accidents. These might be minor bumps and bruises, but occasionally more serious.   For more information, including about how you will be informaed of an injury, please see the Policy for Supporting Children with Medical Conditions, including Administering Medicines and Illness in Children on the Nursery Policies page

Existing Injuries

• If your child has had a bump or accident however small at home, it is important you tell us, so we are aware of any care or attention they may need.
• Staff complete an existing injuries form with you so everyone is informed about the situation and can care for your child.