School Policies & Guidelines for Parents
We would like to take this opportunity to clarify and remind parents of some of our key policies. These policies constitute part of and/or complement Staunton Montessori’s standard Terms and Conditions. Thank you for your anticipated understanding of the need for such polices and conditions. They help protect the children and the nursery school.
School Policies
Please note that a full list of our policies is available on the school notice board and to download below.
Click to download Staunton Montessori Nursery School Full Policy Documents as a PDF.
Guidelines for Parents
- Notice Period
In line with other independent settings, a full half term’s notice is required to notify us of the following:
- Your child’s departure from the School.
- If you defer your child’s start date.
For example, if your child is leaving at the end of the Summer Term, please give us written notice before the Summer term half term holiday. Many thanks.
Please remember that if a full half term’s notice is not given in these instances, you will be charged the fees for that term in accordance with our Terms and Conditions.
- Varying Sessions
As our staffing levels are set half a term in advance according to projected attendance, should you wish to change the sessions your child attends we require half a term’s notice.
- Payment of Fees:
- Fees are payable termly in advance, unless you have applied for instalment payments or are using the gross pay scheme agents such as Computershare or you are using a ‘Tax Free Childcare’ account. Instalment payments should be monthly and are subject to an administration charge to cover costs of running the scheme.
- Fees are charged on a termly basis only and those parents who withdraw their child prior to the end of term to go on holiday or any other reason, will have to pay for the term in full. Parents with children starting after the beginning of term are charged pro rata.
- Wrap Around Fees and Free Entitlement Funding:
For 3-5 year olds in receipt of the Free Entitlement Funding parents can request additional wrap around hours above and beyond the funded 15 hours univeral or 25 hours extended. Wrap around (top-up) fees apply. Parents may access a funded entitlement session entirely free of charge with no extras charges on induction or thereafter. The minimum entitlement funded session length is 5 hours. Parents pay top-up fees for hours outside the funded periods. Opting for the full day session at Staunton Montessori, for instance, means that parents will need to pay top-up fees at the rate published by us. This top-up rate is always shown clearly on all our invoices in compliance with the Local Authority Code of Practice.
Parents may not claim more than 15 hours of funding for their child but may share funding over two settings, unless they have an eligibility code for the extension to the entitlement which enables 30 hours funding (however 25 hours is the maximum at Staunton). Settings will be automatically notified if a parent attempts to apply for more than 15 hours funding owing to national monitoring procedures. If your child is not eligible for the funding or you have claimed too much funding, parents may have to pay balancing charges. For further information about entitlement funding please contact: Early Years Data Officer, Childhood and Early Help Locality Service; Children, Families & Cultural Services, Nottinghamshire County Council, County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7QP
Terms and conditions apply to Free Entitlement Funding.
- Wrap Around Fees:
There are no wrap around fees for two year olds in receipt of LA funding. Entitlement hours are always offered free and additional hours are purchased without obligation.
- Contact Details
Please ensure that we have up to date contact details, especially phone numbers for use in case of an emergency. If you are moving house or change your mobile phone number please call the office and let us know as soon as possible, so that we can update our records.
- Collection of Children
If someone is going to collect your child from nursery for you, please let us know in advance. The person who is collecting will need to provide a password, which you will have given to us. Unfortunately we can’t let a child go without one, but we are sure you understand that the safety of the children is paramount.
- Punctuality
Please make every effort to be prompt in dropping off and picking up your child. Doors open at 9.10am (or 8.10am for breakfast club). Children arriving late may miss out on educational circle times or other activities. If there is a problem or emergency, please telephone the office to let us know.
In line with other early years providers we apply charges for late pick ups: (charges will be applied to the following term’s account). The late charges are as follows:
- £4 for more than 10 minutes; £8 for more than 20 minutes; £12 for more than 30 minutes; and £12 for every half an hour thereafter.
- Medical Details
Please inform the school if there is any change in, or the development of, medical concerns e.g. asthma, eczema, allergy, febrile convulsion etc. You must provide us with the correct medication and information so that we can keep your child safe and well. Please never leave medication in your child’s bag for safety reasons. To administer medication we need to record the batch number, expiry date and check that the medicine is prescribed by a qualified health care practitioner. Please ask staff about the medicine consent forms in the entrance area, which need to be carefully completed.
- Existing Injuries
Please let us know if your child has hurt themselves at home (e.g. fallen and badly bruised a knee). Due to statutory practices within our sector, we must record any significant injuries on arrival at nursery so that we know they haven’t occurred during the nursery school day.
- Head Injuries
If your child has had a bump to the head, please let us know even if they seem fine. Problems with head injuries can be delayed for up to 48 hours, so we need to be able to recognise the symptoms should they occur.
- Illness
To help prevent the spread of infection within the school community please keep your child at home if they are ill.
As a guideline:
- For a full 48 hours since they last vomited / had diarrhoea
- 24 hours after any temperature has returned to normal without medication
- In the case of chicken pox, until the spots have completely scabbed over
- Head lice: children cannot attend nursery until they have been treated by medicated shampoo.
Should you have any doubts about your child’s well-being and whether they are contagious, please contact your GP. If in real doubt over your child’s condition, please don’t send them to school.
- Naming
Please make sure that all your child’s belongings are named. As well as footwear and clothing, this includes lunch boxes, drink bottles and Tupperware, which frequently get muddled up. We recommend the supplier ‘Easy2Name’ (please quote ref. Staunton Montessori on ordering to help fund-raising for projects). Contact details: Tel: 01635 298326; www.easy2name.com.
- Shoes
To prevent the loss of valuable staff teaching time, please could you ensure that your child’s shoes have Velcro fastening only. Velcro also helps children to be independent, which is one of our aims at Staunton Montessori. Please name all footwear.
- Forest School and Outdoor Clothing
- In winter or in wet weather please make sure that you provide suitable all-in-one waterproof and lined suits if necessary.
- If your child is in nappies or potty training waterproof trousers are better for obvious reasons.
- Please make sure you name all the outdoor gear.
- If it is cold please make sure your child has thick socks for wellington boots, as these don’t provide much insulation and children with cold toes aren’t happy children!
- Please provide named gloves, which are attached to the child’s jacket with either elastic or clips, so they are less likely to get lost.
- More Forest School Information for Parents.
- Change of Clothes
Please provide at least one change of clothes for your child, including socks and pants, just in case they get wet. We suggest that you leave a change of clothes in your child’s bag on their peg.
- Sun Cream
It is the nursery school’s policy that parents must apply a ‘once-a-day’ type sun cream liberally to their child/children before they arrive at school during the summer months. ‘Once-a-day’ sun cream is available from Boots or any good chemist. We may re-apply sun cream at lunchtime if your child is attending all day on a very hot and sunny day.
- Food
Staunton Montessori promotes healthy eating and if you provide a lunch box please ensure that the content is balanced, avoiding too much sugar, fat and salt. Thank you.
- We do not refrigerate lunch boxes so parents are asked to include an ice pack.
- Staunton Montessori is a nut free zone for health reasons. Lunches shouldn’t include either nuts or nut spreads (like peanut butter sandwiches). We wish to avoid the risk of a serious allergic reaction if another child accidentally eats something from another lunchbox.
- Please name all lunchboxes and tubs etc.
- Birthdays
Should you wish to do so, please bring in a cake and candles on or near your child’s birthday, so that we can celebrate it with them!
- Partnership and Communication for Parents and Staff
There are various ways for us to communicate with parents and for parents to communicate with us. These include the following, but are in no specific order:
- By email at info@nullstaunton-montessori.com; or by telephone on 01400 282 860. More Contact Information.
- ‘Members only’ group on Facebook: (not for personal communication – this is a general parent’s blog)
facebook.com/groups/stauntonmontessorischool - Speak to us face-to-face in the mornings or at pick up times.
- Make an appointment to speak to us at a mutually convenient time.
- Regular email updates (usually sent out Fridays) and also posted on the nursery notice boards for parents to view. Please read these Newsletters as they contain important information about the following week’s events at nursery.
- Annual Parents, Evening
- Annual Progress Reports (Summer Term) – these have feedback slips for parents.
- ‘Wow slips’ – for telling us when your child has done something special at home.
- We arrange baby and toddler groups to which parents may wish to bring younger siblings.
- We arrange social events and get-togethers for parents, which staff also attend.
- Our website has a wealth of content about the Montessori and Forest School approaches.
- Parents are also encouraged to share their interests and talents in the setting. Please ask about volunteering.
- Tapestry on-line assessments have parental partnership mechanisms
If you are unsure about any of the above means of communication and partnership, please speak to your child’s key person or the session leader when you come to nursery. Furthermore the Head, Robert, is often available to respond to any queries or questions. Please note it is not possible, due to time constraints, to fill out a diary for each child each day with detailed descriptions of all activities undertaken, however we can give you a verbal update at the end of each session and for a more detailed review please book an appointment to meet us.
- Comments, Suggestions and Concerns
We are always available to discuss any comments, suggestions or concerns that you may have about your child. We take our partnership with parents very seriously, so please be in contact with us about any concerns, large or small. You can contact us by phone, email (info@nullstaunton-montessori.com) or in person. The office is available for any confidential conversations. We are always trying to improve our service, so we value your feedback – please do share your feelings and ideas. Remember, if you feel we’ve done well please tell others, but if you feel we could do better please tell us!
- Complaints Procedure
Any parent/carer who has a complaint should arrange an appointment to talk over any worries or anxieties with the Directors of the nursery school. Should a parent wish to take a complaint to OFSTED Early Years, who inspect and regulate nursery schools, the contact details are below:
- Complaints and enforcement: 0300 123 4666
- Address: OFSTED, Piccadilly Gate, Store Street, ManchesterM1 2WD.
- For further information on contact details or complaints procedures please see www.ofsted.gov.uk
More Nursery School Information for Parents and Forest School Information for Parents
