About the early years unit
Early years units cater for children between the ages of  three to six.
Our early years unit has places for eighty one children in total.
There are three classes, each with room for twenty seven children (fifteen reception children and twelve nursery children).
Each class is staffed by a teacher and a nursery nurse.
A language support teacher and three primary helpers work across the three groups.
A music specialist comes to work with the children for a total of one and a half hours a week.
The three classes work very much as one unit. The staff plan and work together as a team to provide the best start to the children’s education that they can.
Each child has his/her own home base with its key workers, where he/she is brought at the beginning of the day and where she/he is collected from at the end of the day.  She/he also has dinner in his/her own home base.
Between 9.45 and 11.30 and then between 1.15 and 2.30 she/he is able to move freely between the three home bases and the outside play area.
Admission
The Head teacher keeps an admissions list. You can ask her to put your child’s name down as soon as s/he is two.
We always have more children on the list than we have room for.  This means that we have to think very carefully about which children to take. Tower Hamlets have given us very clear guidelines to work to.
When we have a place for your child we will send you a letter  to tell you.
To begin with your child will be given a part time place (little children often find a full day at school very tiring at first and they may find it difficult being away from their parents for so long).
Then-when we judge that s/he is ready and if -we have a place available s/he will be offered a full time place.
How to help your child settle happily into the early years unit
Come to visit us as often as you can with your child the term before s/he is going to start.
Visit between 10.00am-11.15am or 1.30pm-2.30pm.
When your child actually starts-
s/he will only stay for a short time for the first few days and you will need to stay with her/him. 
Every child is different .  Your child will stay for longer and longer times and after a while will be happy to stay without you.
Please  make time to stay with your child  for as long as s/he needs.  It will make  a lot of difference in the end.
Please never ‘slip out’  but always say good-bye.
Please always come back at the time you said you would.  Your child may get very upset if you are late and even get worried that you may never come back.  S/he needs to be able to trust you.
Once your child has a place it must be used properly.
This means that -
•	your child must come every day unless s/he is sick or there is a very good reason.
•	your child must come even if s/he says “I don’t feel like it today”, or if it is bad weather. 
•	once settled, your child must come for the whole session.

If a place is not used properly your child will lose it and it will be given to another child on the waiting list.  We cannot afford to waste places.
If you have a problem about bringing your child to school please come to see us and we will try to help.
Time keeping and attendance
The school hours are -
Full time sessions........................	9.00 am-3.00 p.m.
Part time session (morning) ........	9.00 am-11.30 a.m.
Part time session (afternoon) .....	12.45 pm-3.00 p.m.

Please bring your child on time, it is important that s/he attends the whole session.
Please come to pick your child up on time.
If your child is to be happy at school, make friends and learn a lot, s/he must come everyday. 
We know that for you and your child leaving home to start  school is a big step.  We want your child to make a good and happy start on his/her education.  We know that’s what you want too.
Parents are the right people to bring or fetch children to and from the early years unit.  In an emergency, another responsible adult that your child knows well could do so, but not older children, not even brothers and sisters.
If another adult is collecting your child, please let us know by telephone or by letter, and introduce us to that person beforehand if possible. We want at all times, to make sure that your child is safe.
Toilets
Please help your child to manage the toilet by him/her self!
Put clothes on him/her that are easy and quick to undo, like trousers with elastic tops, not buttons.
Teach him/her how to use the toilet and how to ask for help if s/he needs it, before s/he comes to school.
If s/he has an accident don’t be cross. Children who worry have more accidents!
Shoes
Children in the early years unit spend a lot of time playing outside, running, climbing, and riding bikes.
They need to wear sensible shoes.  Trainers and soft soled shoes are good, but not thin strapped sandals or shoes with heels or shoes with slippery soles please.
Clothes 
A lot of activities in the early years unit are messy!  The children paint, finger paint, work with clay and with water.  We have aprons, but sometimes their clothes still get a bit wet or dirty.
Please don’t be cross with your child about this.  Doing these things is very useful for your child’s learning.
Please dress your child in sensible clothes so that if they get a bit dirty you won’t mind too much.
Dinners
When your child has a full-time place s/he will have dinner at school.  We have family service in the early years unit.  Small groups of children sit together at a table with a member of staff.  The children are able to choose what they would like to eat and how much.  They are never made to eat anything that they don’t like, but we encourage them to try things.  We work towards trying to get them to eat a well balanced meal.  This may take a little while to achieve, but, is something we can work on together with you.
Illness
A sick child is best kept at home.  Please let us know about the illness:- phone us on 0171 987 2147, pop in to tell us, or send a note to the school with someone else.
Water play and outdoor play form an important part of children’s learning and will not make them ill.  If your doctor says your child is sick and should not go out or play with water, please keep him/her at home till s/he is better, and don’t forget to let us know about the illness.
Children’s work  
Paintings, drawings, models made of junk boxes or wood, ‘scribble/pretend’  writing: these are all ‘work’  to a little child.  Doing these things is important for his/her learning.
When your child shows you these things, or wants to bring them home, please be interested.  Your child will make much better progress at school because of your encouragement. 
Reading and writing
We like children to take books home to look at with you and for you to read to them.  They will come to love books this way and it is an important part of learning to read.
Make it fun when you look at books with your child or when you write for him/her!
Your child will enjoy it when you write his/her name or other family names or if you write what it is under a drawing.
Please use lower case letters, not capitals, because these are the ones found in books.
 Tea Mornings
We hold informal Tea mornings once a week and parents are welcome to come along for an informal chat with the staff and other parents and see your child working.
Worries and concerns
If you have any worries about your child, at home or at school and want to discuss them with us, please come and let us know and we will arrange a convenient time to talk them over with you.
Let’s work together to give your child the good school life that s/he deserves.