All you need to know

Parental Involvement

At St James Pre-School, we recognise the vital role parents play as educators of their children. We will collaborate with you to provide the best possible start in life for your child. While our experienced and qualified team is here to support your child, we highly value the information you share with us.

Your child will have a dedicated key person who will:

  • nurture their development

  • engage with their interests

  • and celebrate their achievements.

Your key person will also be your daily point of contact and available for discussions about your child's progress through scheduled meetings or calls.

We welcome parents to get involved as a group and a network through:

  • regular support with activities like reading days

  • sign-up to our parent rota

  • participation in fundraising events and

  • attending our Annual General Meeting (AGM) which is facilitated by the Pre-School Committee.

By working in partnership, we believe in "Learning together and growing together."

Collection of Children

To ensure the safety of your child, parents and caregivers must collect them from the secure main gate.

If someone else will be collecting your child, please inform the Pre-School in advance. We use a password system to ensure only authorised individuals can pick up your child.

Being punctual for drop-off and pick-up helps create a smooth and calm transition for your child. We recommend arriving at least 5 minutes before collection time so you’re the first to see that joyful, happy smile!

Settling In

We understand that leaving your child with anyone new for the first time can be challenging. Our priority is to make you and your family feel welcome and relaxed. We have a settling-in procedure in place and all staff are trained to follow it.

Sharing information about your child's temperament, likes, and dislikes helps us create a supportive environment during their settling in period.

We encourage parents to stay with their children until they’re comfortable and to return to the Pre-School if their child becomes distressed. Short and frequent visits, along with participating in planned activities, can greatly assist the transition process.

Clothing

We recommend dressing children in comfortable and easily washable clothing that allows them to fully engage in activities and have lots of fun!

Please avoid clothing that hinders their independence, such as items that are difficult to remove when using the toilet or sleeves that are hard to roll up.

It's also helpful to have:

  • spare clothes

  • sun cream for summer

  • winter hats and gloves for colder months

  • wellies and waterproofs for rainy days

Food and Consumables

Children staying for the afternoon session or on a full day should bring a healthy packed lunch (no sweets, cakes, or nuts please!).

During break times, we enjoy sharing a snack together, so we kindly request that parents contribute a bag of fruit or vegetables each week for communal snack time.

Additionally, we appreciate a termly donation of essential consumables like tissues, flour, oil, and anti-bacterial wipes.

Your Child’s Online Journal

You can stay updated on your child's learning journey with our private access online journal, Tapestry.

Each week, you'll receive regular engaging updates through notes, photographs and videos that showcase your child's fun activities and exciting experiences. This valuable tool complements our scheduled meetings or calls with teachers, providing you with a comprehensive view of your child's progress, learning and engagement at St James Pre-School.

Login details will be provided once your child starts their journey at our Pre-School.

Safety in the Pre-school

We prioritise creating a safe environment for your child. While we take great care to prevent accidents, bumps and grazes are inevitable as children play and explore. Any accidents are documented and we promptly inform parents and caregivers.

If an accident occurs at home, please inform our staff during drop-off so we can be aware and attentive.

In case of an accident whilst at Pre-school that requires medical treatment, we will take appropriate action and contact you.

  • All our staff members hold current Paediatric First Aid Certificates.

  • Our staff regularly undergo Safeguarding Training.

  • All staff members are fully DBS checked.

For more information about our safety and safeguarding policies, please visit our Policies section.

Ofsted Report

We’re registered with Ofsted and the London borough of Haringey to take 26 children daily.

We were successfully inspected 11th September 2018.