It’s normal to have lots of questions when starting a new school for the first time. Some of the most frequently asked question are below, but please do not hesitate to contact us directly if you need any further information. We are always on hand to support parents as their child progresses through each stage of his/her education with us.
Early Years FAQs
Early Years FAQs
Will my child have a ‘key person’?
There is regular contact with your child’s key person. Before your child joins Kindergarten or Reception, you will be invited into school to meet staff including the EYFS Coordinator and your child’s key person. In addition they will spend some time with you finding out more about your child and giving you time to share information with us.
Once your son or daughter begins school, there are daily opportunities to meet and talk to the key person and other members of the team. There are special parents’ meetings for specific discussion on how your child is progressing, and many opportunities for parents to be invited into school for informal meetings with staff and other parents.
Where do I go for help and information?
Our staff will always be happy to discuss your child’s learning programme with you. Timetables and information letters are sent home regularly to keep you informed about the topics and your child’s work. Evidence is kept in each child’s personal portfolio and they also have books and folders that you will be able to look at regularly.
Staff may also direct you to the Department for Education website for further information about Early Years education and how you can support this at home.
When should my child start reading?
Children start reading in Kindergarten with our phonics and reading schemes. Please do not worry if your child is not at the same level as their friends as at this early age all children develop at very different rates.
In Kindergarten, children start to take home picture books to describe to their parents and make up their own stories. Once the children have learned their sounds and are confident at recognising them, reading books with words are sent home with word recognition sheets.
Do you accept the Government Nursery Grant or Employment Tax Schemes?
Yes. We administer the Essex County Council Nursery Grant scheme on your behalf and apply the large discount to your termly fees. All children between the ages of 3 and 5 benefit.
Some companies provide their staff with Nursery Vouchers, which are a tax saving benefit for employees to use for nursery care. Although we cannot administer this scheme for you, we are registered with multiple schemes and apply these discounts to your termly fees.
What links are there between school and parents?
Parents have the opportunity each day to talk to the class teacher either in the morning or in the afternoon. We are very happy for parents to contact us to make a longer appointment if they need a more detailed conversation with the form teacher or a member of the senior team. The Head is readily available to see parents about a variety of matters.
We have at least one formal communication with home each term, which takes the form of a short report, full report or parent’s meeting. There are regular newsletters and the website is always updated with information and news. We have a text messaging service and we email letters and news home. We also tweet our news!
There are annual drop-in mornings for Early Years, Infant and Junior parents to visit the classrooms, annual coffee mornings for all parents to chat with the Group Managing Principal and Head about school, and we hold a display of work evening in the Summer Term. Parents of Kindergarten children see their child’s keyworker on a daily basis and are able to request an appointment at any time.
What are lunches like?
We have a wide range of food on offer at lunchtime freshly prepared by our Chef and her team. There is a daily choice of a hot main meal with a hot vegetarian alternative, together with a cold buffet that includes filled baguettes and a wide variety of salads. A daily pudding choice is available or plenty of fresh fruit and yoghurts.
There are many members of staff on duty to help children with their choice of food and to ensure that they eat a balanced meal. We always encourage children to try new food. Our team is used to catering for all dietary needs.
