This is a brief outline of what we aim to do during your child's kindergarten time. Please refer to it and ask questions to clarify any aspect you are unsure of.
Your child will need to be dressed sensibly for an active morning. Please avoid any items with cartoons and slogans – we have found that they influence the children's play and limit their imagination. Jewellery is hard to keep on and best left at home. They will need slippers through out the year, one's that stay on their feet so no mule type slipper please again with no logo's or cartoon characters. As each session involves time outside in every kind of weather coats, hats, (for rain and shine) gloves and waterproof boots are necessary. Waterproof overalls are a great investment and help to avoid washing piles of clothes. Please bring your child a set of spare named clothes that can remain on their peg in the cloakroom.
Bringing home toys into kindergarten can cause problems if your child likes to hide things in pockets please ‘frisk' them before they come!
The summer brings the risk of sunburn. Please make sure they come prepared, putting sun cream on before they come in the morning and providing them with a sun hat and long sleeved top.
We share a mid morning snack cooked with the children's help on most days. This is always organic and we ask that your child brings in a piece of organic fruit each day. We also ensure all food is vegan.
Our current menu is: -
Monday – Rice pudding made with rice milk and rice syrup.
Tuesday- Marmite sandwiches
Wednesday-Millet Risotto
Thursday- Rye crackers and Rye Honey Cake
Friday- Vegetable Soup with Barley. Bread .(please send your child with a vegetable today instead of fruit)
It is very important that you inform us of any allergies food or otherwise.
Birthdays are celebrated with a ‘Rainbow Walk ‘. This tells the story of the individual child's advent in the world and special occurrences from their early years. We will ask you to prepare a few days before and join us for snack time. We will have baked a vegan chocolate cake to celebrate and share.
Communication is extremely important you can phone me to discuss and concerns between 8.00 and 9.00. If you would like to speak to me in person please phone and we can arrange a time after kindergarten.
There is a telephone tree for passing on messages that is updated when new families join us.
Monthly Kindergarten evenings are held on the second Wednesday of each month and are opportunities to find out what you child experiences with a sample activity such as painting, circle time, craft or a story. They are informative evenings regarding the theory behind the practice and I put effort into preparing them, I expect you all to attend.
I hope you will want to find out more about Steiner Waldorf education. There are often talks given by experienced teachers, workshops and cultural events so please try and support them.
There is a reading list of books included and a small library of our own.
The school is managed by a small, dedicated group of parents and friends called Trustees. Meeting times are posted on the noticeboard in the corridor. All parents are invited to attend at least once a term. Without your active participation the school cannot run effectively or progress in it is long term objectives to provide a healthy, safe and joyful education for your child AND YOU!
A kindergarten class is a large lively family where many lessons are learned about being social. Small upsets are usually left behind in the flow of the morning but sometimes-unacceptable behaviour, aggression or disruption can occur. We try to meet these occasions with creativity within the kindergarten morning. A guidance document giving precise actions taken on these occasions is included in the parent's information. I will inform and discuss with parents as necessary. It may be appropriate to ask for a child to be kept at home for a morning as a consequence or parents may be phoned to collect a child early.
Please tell me of any changes in your child's life at home and ask me how things are in class.
Head lice can be a problem. Please check your child's hair and comb regularly to avoid an outbreak. ‘Delecet' is a herbal treatment available on prescription (BE INSISTANT AT THE DOCORS) it acts as prevention as well as a cure when applied regularly. We have had to decide to send children home should they be found to have head lice during the morning, this is done as sensitively as possible to avoid any embarrassment.
We have the luxury of a cleaner to cater for everyday chores. Deeper cleaning during school holidays – windows, carpets etc is the joint responsibility of the parent body. Cleaning and maintenance days are schedule and your involvement is essential.
There are groups responsible for different areas of activity necessary to run the school. You should sign up for one and make sure that you watch the notice board for date of events etc.
Finally, I ask that you consider carefully the toys and activities offered to your child outside of kindergarten. The years from 0-7 are particularly sensitive to artificially stimulation such as television and computer games. They actively work against what we strive to provide for your child. What they loose now in terms of play experience with natural materials inspiring creativity and imagination cannot be recovered.
Festivals in the Kindergarten
Festivals are a way to mark the rhythm of the year. In the early years, they are simple events giving an essence of each that will sow seeds to develop further as the child grows through the school.
Children look forward to these events and they will love to bring them into their home. A nature table that can be changed to mark the seasonal changes is a good way to start and they are bound to bring home songs they are enjoying too. For further reading, please refer to the recommended books.
In kindergarten, we invite parents to join us for some, but not all, of our festivals. Please check with the teacher before inviting granny and granddad, as space is limited. It may also not be advisable to bring small babies or loud energetic toddlers. If you are invited and can't come perhaps, you could arrange for another adult friend (not another class parent) to be there for your child. Please arrive on time – children hate their parents being late and it can be disruptive for everyone.
Here is a list of the festivals we celebrate with some brief detail. We are open to considering festivals from other cultures just have a word with the teacher. As a developing school the format may alter from year to year, nothing is written in stone. Details of celebration will be in the currant issue of the school newsletter.
Michaelmas –start of the school year. New challenges wait. Usually a school walk and picnic mark the event.
Martinmas – 11 th November – early evening lantern walk hot apple juice and biscuits at school. Possibly a short play form an older class.
Advent Spiral - Monday after first Sunday in Advent-, children and parents return to school during the early evening and celebrate this festival by illuminating a prepared spiral of greenery in a peaceful atmosphere. Not one for small babies and loud toddlers!
February 2 nd Candlemas- children will make beeswax candles parents may need to help.
Pancake Day- Children will have pancakes at snack time (sorry no parents!)
Easter Picnic – egg related activity at the school or local Nature Reserve. Parents may be invited to accompany us as we walk and bring food to share.
Ascension day – details to be arranged
May Day – May Fair Time so dancing and helping on the day will be required.
Whitsun Festival- children only,
St John's 24 th June – Picnic and walk to Nature Reserve games too.
Last Day of Term – parents of children going up to Class One will be invited in for story. Picnics for all after session.
More details will appear nearer the event.
Please note that parents are asked not to bring cameras to these events. One person may like to volunteer as a school photographer for some events where appropriate.
All children have social difficulties at some stage in their development. In the kindergarten, we work constantly with social behaviour and at all times have these aims in mind.
If we consider that any child's behaviour is likely to have a significantly negative impact on either the child or the class then the following guidelines are used as tools to overcome the situation.
Our first action is to redirect the child using positive phrases e.g.
‘Walking feet inside',' Hands are for work and play ‘, ‘ You may come and help me …' Inappropriate language is ‘not invited ‘
‘We use kind words with friends', ‘We don't say you can't play ‘
At this age children respond much better to actions rather than words hence lengthy verbal discussions are not entered into.
Sometimes a look or gesture is all that's requires to make them aware that we have concerns about what they are doing or saying.
If this doesn't alter the behaviour then they are told they ‘may sit at the table for a little while' until, they are calm and able to return to the group.
If the child continues to be disruptive and unable to settle the teacher may decide to ask the assistant to go with the child and spend some time out of the room. This will give them more time to settle down and speak to an adult who may engage them with a tack such as sanding. Also allowing the class to settle and adjust to a new mood without disruption. The teacher may also remind the child that an appropriate consequence may follow e.g. miss some outside playtime.
Kindergarten staff are well aware of their duty to provide a safe environment for the children in their care. They observe and listen carefully in order to detect any signs of bullying and to maintain close communication with parents and carers.
If parents are concerned about any aspect of behaviour then they should ensure that they speak to member of kindergarten staff.
To encourage positive behaviour children are given special tasks such as helping in the other Kindergarten or in the Toddler group to enable them to experience being more responsible and able.
Monday – Baking Bread, Clean / Mending (adult activity) Snack is rice pudding.
Tuesday – Outing to Nature Reserve at Barley Lane .
We will be taking Marmite sandwiches for snack. We use a storm kettle to prepare a hot drink.
Children should come with a small backpack in which to carry their drink of water and piece of fruit.
All children will need waterproof trousers, coats, Wellington boots as well as hats for rain or shine. In summer weather, trousers and a long sleeved top are recommended due to stinging nettles!
Wednesday – Craft. Snack is Millet Risotto
Thursday – Morning starts inside with Painting. Snack is Rye crackers and honey cake.
Friday – Drawing Books. Vegetable Soup. Bread.
8.30-9.00 Flexible arrival in the garden. Please ensure that you arrive by 9.00 at the latest. Register is checked and any absences noted.
Garden tasks undertaken- watering , weeding , sweeping.
Games are played – running, skipping , building , climbing etc.
Member of staff and a small group of children go inside to prepare snack returning to the garden once task is completed.
10.30 Circle time– dependent on time of year
After which children are sent in pairs (girl and boy) to line up at the gate ready to walk into Kindergarten cloakroom.
Clothes are put on pegs, indoor shoes put on and children go to the toilet and wash their hands. On entering the Kindergarten room they sit down at the table and pour a drink of water.
Finger rhymes are played at the table.
11.00 Snack time – dependant on the day of the week.
Water or tea is offered.
11.30 Inside Play and activities.
12.20 Tidy up and make a story house ready.
12.40 Story time
1.00 End of Session – Please make every effort to be on time notify the office if you are held up and let me know in writing (basket outside door for notes) if anyone else is collecting your child.
Afternoon care children are collected by a member of staff and go to have lunch.
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