School Prospectus

Welcome to our School

The Nursery Team

The Aim of Borough Road Nursery School

Admissions Policy

The School Curriculum

School Governors

Parental Involvement

Organisation

Safety and Security

Clothing

Welcome to our School

Borough Road Nursery School is one of two maintained nursery schools in Darlington Unitary Authority and is situated in the centre of the town. The nursery school is an old infant school building that has been transformed inside to be as attractive and stimulating to the nursery child as possible. It has its own attractive and, surprisingly, large grounds which are specially designed for this age group. The school can accommodate 45 morning and afternoon pupils from the age of 3 years to when they go to Infant School. It also accommodates a small group of children with special educational needs as directed by the Authority. Children from all over the town attend the school, as do children from the outlying villages.

We hope you find the information in this school prospectus useful. We aim to make your child's time with us, and your association a happy one.

This prospectus cannot, nor is it intended to, cover every aspect of school life. It cannot replace the personal contact we would like to foster between home and school.




Mrs. Lynn Millar
Headteacher Back to top

The Nursery Team

The Nursery Team

Head Teacher Mrs Lynn Millar, Cert. Ed., B.Ed.(Hons.).
Second in Charge Mrs Val Foster, Cert. Ed., PCG(Early Years).

Nursery Nurses N.N.E.B.

Miss Lisa McLean
Mrs Yvonne Tinkler
Mrs Sue Crawford
Mrs Karen Padurariu

Clerical Assistant

Mrs Sandra Cowley Back to top

The Aim of Borough Road Nursery School

Our aim is to provide a warm, caring and friendly environment in which children can develop to their full potential with confidence.

We aim for high standards of attainment, giving our children the concepts, knowledge and skills to be confident in their world.

Our planning and organization produces a balanced curriculum both inside and outside which motivates the children and promotes positive attitudes towards learning.

Our plan is to create an exciting and stimulating environment within the school by providing activities, producing displays of the children's work and by offering equipment to the children as part of the DfES Foundation Stage.

This prospectus will, hopefully, answer some of your questions about the school and give you some basic information you might like to know about Nursery School Education.

Please remember, if you have any problem or questions to ask, our doors are always open. Back to top

Admissions Policy

Children's names can be put on the school's waiting list during the academic year that the child is two years old (an academic year is from the 1st September to 31st August).

All children are admitted to school after their 3rd bithday when an appropriate place becomes availalbe. A letter of admission is sent home, that gives a starting date and invites the children to visit the school. Parents can telephone school for a date or dates that are convenient to all for the visit.

Session Times

Morning 9.00 a.m. - 11.30 a.m.

Afternoon 12.45 a.m. - 3.15 p.m.

Kids & Co Full day care provider 7.30am - 6.00pm

By law children do not have to attend school until the term after their fifth birthday. However from september 2006 all Darlington children will be admitted to school at the beginning of the school year in which they will be 5 years old. Parent's do have a choice in this matter and can use their discretion with regard to when they want their child to start school. Back to top

The School Curriculum

The school operates within the framework of the DfES? Foundation Stage. These goals underpin all future learning by supporting, fostering, promoting and developing children's:

personal, social and emotional well being: in particular by supporting the transition to and between settings, promoting an inclusive ethos and providing opportunities for each child to become a valued member of that group and community so that a strong self image and self esteem is promoted.


positive attitudes and disposition towards their learning: in particular enthusiasm for knowledge and learning, and confidence in their ability to be successful learners;

social skills: in particular by providing opportunities that enable them to learn how to co-operate and work harmoniously alongside, and with, each other and to listen to each other;

attention skills and persistence: in particular the capacity to concentrate on their own play or on group tasks;

language and communication: with opportunities for all children to talk and communicate in a widening range of situations, to respond to adults and to each other, to practice and extend the range of vocabulary and communication skills they use, and to listen carefully;

reading and writing: opportunities for all children to explore, enjoy, learn about and use words and text in a broad range of contexts and to experience a rich variety of books;

mathematics: with opportunities for all children to develop their understanding of number, measurement, pattern, shape and space by providing a broad range of contexts in which they can explore, enjoy, learn, practice and talk about them;

knowledge and understanding of the world: with opportunities for all children to solve problems, make decisions, experiment, predict, plan and question in a varied range of contexts; and to explore and find out about their environment, and people and places that have significance to their lives;

physical development: with opportunities for all children to develop and practice their fine and gross motor skills, increase their understanding of how their bodies work and what they need to be healthy and safe;

creative development: with opportunities for all children to explore and share their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of art, design and technology, music, movement, dance, imaginative and role play activities.

By working together, with you as partners, we can ensure that your child enjoys this foundation stage of education and has a wonderful, happy and fulfilling time in school. Back to top

School Governors

The school has a governing body of which two members are parents of children in the school. They meet once every term. The names of the parent governors and how to contact them can be found on the school notice board.

The names and addresses of the Chair of Governors and Vice Chairman, the agenda and the minutes of meetings are available for inspection in the school office. Back to top

Parental Involvement

Parents are the most important people in children's lives and we build on the foundation laid at home within the family.

We welcome all parents in our school

We need your help and hope you will stay from time to time to be involved in the various activities we do.

This could involve talking with the children, sharing books, helping them on the computer, baking, woodwork, playing games or accompanying us on outings.

As the children are normally brought to and from school by their parents or a known adult, maintaining contact between school and home is usually easy. Time for formal and informal discussion is made during school time and any personal concerns are discussed in private.

Please keep school informed of any home situations which may be causing distress (e.g. illness/absence of a parent, family bereavement). We can be sure to provide the relevant support and care which the child will need during such an experience. Back to top

Organisation

The school has one large play room that accommodates all 65 children per session. The children are organised into five groups of thirteen with a key worker allocated to them.

When vacancies occur the Head Teacher tries to balance each group by ages and gender. Special needs children are included in these groups as the school follows the Authority's inclusion policy.

The children arrive and are greeted by staff. They are then allowed to play in the main room with staff supporting the children according to their individual needs.

Half way through the session the children collect together in their groups for a story, fruit and a drink.

The children then have access to the wonderful outside area as well as the inside playroom.

At the end of the session the children are brought inside, they help tidy up and collect together again in their groups for singing and small group activities.

The hall is regularly used for gross motor activities when the weather is poor outside and when the children experience large group activities such as visits from zoolab or when the local vicar visits. Back to top

Safety and Security

Supervision of the children is not provided before each session or when they have been handed over to an adult at the end of the sessions. We ask for parents to be aware of the dangers in the hall and to keep their children under control.

Please ensure that:-

a) your child is delivered to their group staff member at the beginning
of the session.
b) The staff know who is to collect them (especially if it is someone
different from usual).

Please collect the children promptly after the 2½ hour sessions when they are brought to the group area door. The staff will only hand the children over to a known person. Please telephone if you have forgotten to state any change of person or we will not release the child.

The inner doors are always security locked to people coming in and everyone needs to ring the bell for access. Please discourage the children from opening these doors.

The back garden is a haven for the children in all fine weather. The inner and outer gates are closed and the side gate bolted whenever the children are outside.

Please do not bring cars into the grounds; Health and Safety Regulations state that unauthorised vehicles are not allowed on school premises. Back to top

Clothing

Please dress your child in comfortable "play clothes". Children wear nursery aprons for messy activities, but accidents can happen and please avoid dressing them in clothes they find difficult to manage for the toilet.

All jewellery is to be left at home as it can be dangerous during activities. If ears are pierced then small studs should be worn.

Encourage your child to dress and undress themselves even though it will take a little longer.

Please mark all your child's removable clothes with their name, especially jumpers, coats and shoes.

Always leave outdoor clothes at school as we enjoy outdoor play as often as possible.

Children find the school an exciting place to be and do sometimes forget to go to the toilet. Please be understanding if your child needs to be changed for whatever reason and comes home in school clothes. We would appreciate the return of the clothes as soon as possible. Back to top