Focus Nursery

Practical Details

The Daily Timetable

Period	Session Name and Activity Description
08:30am - 10:00am	Free choice.
	Children choose which activities they would like to do. The art and craft table is laid up with two planned activities. The children are encouraged to tidy up their toys before moving on to other areas.
10:00am - 10:10am	Tidy up time.
	The children are given an initial warning at the end of free choice using a 5-minute timer to enable them to complete their activity or have a go at a new activity before tidy up time. At the end of this session the children are able to dance and move to a variety of music before registration.
10:10am - 10:15am	Registration.
	This includes counting and calculating skills, recognition of own name, weather and days of the week.
10:15am - 10:45am	Snack Time.
	Pure fruit juice or milk, raisins, biscuits and a variety of fresh fruit and vegetable are provided. The children are encouraged to help prepare the snack and assist with the cleaning up.
10:45am - 11:30am	Free Choice Outside.
	This time allows for the children to access the curriculum and the early learning experiences provided using our fabulous outdoor space. The children again choose which activity they want to do. Adult Led Activity/Group Time. We also take this opportunity to offer a planned activity for small groups of children. These are planned following the birth to three and foundation stage curriculum guidance to plan and implement activities that extend the children’s learning on from what they already know.
11:30am - 12:00am	Story time and sound of the week.
	Story time is focused around our planned theme for the term. Sound of the week is enhanced by the children bringing in an object that begins with the sound and explaining their choice to the group. We also provide the opportunity for the children practice their letter formation and the resources to enhance the children’s early writing skills. Circle time & Reflection. This includes songs, rhymes, music and news time. Prepare the leavers to go home.
12:00pm - 12:30pm	Lunch Time.
	The children are encouraged to set the table, layout their lunch placing their savory foods on their plates first. The certificate on the left is our food safety award from the purbeck district council environmental health department.
12:30pm - 12:50pm	Rest Period.
	Children are encouraged to relax in the book corner with a book or video. The blinds are lowered and relaxation activities are provided. During this period children are also able to sit at the writing table and choose a quiet activity i.e. jigsaw puzzle or construction toy.
12:50pm - 1:00pm	Tidy up time & prepare to go home.
	Some children will stay on for the afternoon session and they are encouraged to set up their afternoon's activity.
1:00pm - 3:30pm	The Afternoon Session.
	The afternoon session contains the same elements as the morning session but they are presented in a different order and learning opportunities.
3:30pm - 5:00pm	Late Session.
	This session contains the same elements as the morning session but they are presented in a different order and learning opportunities.

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Starting and Finishing

All children are invited for two free trial sessions in the term prior to their start at Focus. Carers are encouraged to stay with the child for the first few times to help them to settle as soon as possible. If anyone other than the child's normal carer is to collect them please let us know as we have a collection nominee form and password system in place.

Focus Nursery School is open Monday - Friday 8:30am – 5:00pm. If you arrive earlier, please stay with your child until 5 minutes before these times as staff need time to prepare for the sessions. Similarly, please collect your child promptly as staff need to clear up and clean the nursery ready for the next session. You will be charged a late collection fee if late.

Focus opens during school term times only, with a maximum number of 18 children aged from two to six years old.

The Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework state that the staff to pupil ratios is kept to a maximum of 1:8 for 3 - 5 year olds and 1:4 for 2 year olds. Focus however endeavours to have a staff to pupil ratio of 1:6. Focus opens from 8:30am to 5:30pm each weekday with a short or long afternoon and all day sessions available. We try to accommodate your requests for sessions with a flexible booking system. Make up sessions are only available if appropriate space and staff are in place for the day requested at the owner's discretion.

It is important that you park your car in the Middle School car park and walk over to Focus. We have had some very near misses with small children when cars have driven up to our gate. Please don't let that accident happen! THANK YOU.

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Clothing, Food and Toys

Please dress the children in old clothes for Focus and please bring a named jacket in cold weather and a hat and sun cream in sunny weather. A spare set of clothes is always useful in case of accidents with paint, water or the toilet.

A selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, crackers, breadsticks, biscuits, milk and fresh drinking water. Children staying all day need to bring lunch and a drink in a named lunch box which will be kept in the fridge. Your child also has a sterile water bottle each day enabling them to have access to fresh drinking water when ever required. These are washed and sterilised each day.

We encourage children to bring things to Focus to support themes, topics and focus of the week. Please see our weekly plans on the wall for more information or keep an eye in your child’s communication book inside their book bag, newsletters, notes home and on the entrance door.

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Term Dates September 2009 - July 2010

If demand is there then we will open during the holiday period

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How you can help your child's progress at home

• Play with your child and allow them to learn through play and explore their surrounding.
• Encourage independence in washing, clothing and feeding.
• Whenever possible let your child help you with your jobs.
• Ask them about what they are doing and how they are feeling.
• Read to them/let them read to you and retell the story by sequencing and discussing the pictures.
• Sing to them and even watch a little TV together discussing what is      happening and predicting what might happen next.
• Whatever you are doing, talk and listen to them as much as possible.