Cornton

Nursery

Handbo

Dear Parents/ Carers,

Welcome, we hope that your child will enjoy attending our
nursery. We are looking forward to working in partnership with
you to help your child explore and experience new experiences
through which they will develop and learn.
The purpose of this handbook is to provide information about our
nursery, which we hope, will be of assistance. It also states the
values of our nursery as well as outlining how your child will
learn through play, in a safe environment, supported by well
qualified and experienced staff.
Further information will be shared through various letters and bimonthly newsletters. In addition you may receive information at
times by text message. These will all keep you up to date with
the activities and events happening throughout the year.
If you require any further information at any time. Please do not
hesitate to speak with your childs keyworker or any member of
the nursery team; we look forward to working with you in order
to provide a quality service for each individual child.
Regards,
Cornton Nursery Team

Welcome to Cornton Nursery

Introduction
Cornton Nursery is open 50 weeks per year from 8.30am5.15pm,
accommodating 66 children during each session, and catering for children
from 6 weeks to 5 years old. We offer breadth and depth within a
rigorous, responsive curriculum that supports children to achieve their full
potential. Opportunities for children to thrive within the areas of health
and wellbeing, literacy and numeracy are pivotal in our curriculum
design.

Nursery Values
We believe that through a nurturing environment children & adults will
play and learn, engaging fully, fairly, safely and respectfully.
We believe that we are an important part of the wider community of
Cornton and will endeavour to develop our own identity and become
more visible within that community.
We believe that through working in partnership with families, children
will develop holistically.
We believe that all stakeholders (child/family/professionals/visitors)
should feel welcome, secure, valued and enabled to develop positive
relationships and a sense of belonging.
We believe that early childhood is an important time in a childs life
and should be celebrated with joy.
We believe that children have the right to be consulted on matters
that affect them (UN Convention The Rights of the Child).

Nursery Information
Nursery contact Details
Cornton Nursery
40-42 Lomond Crescent
Cornton
Stirling
FK9 5DN
Tel 01786 237910
Email corntnu@stirling.gov.uk

The Staff Team

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Nursery Head:
Depute Head:
Depute Head:
Senior Early Childhood Educator:
smiths22s@glow.sch.uk

Kate ONeill
Helen Arthur
Liz MacGregor
Susan Smith, email:

Acorn Room
Early Childhood Educator:
Mairi Hallows, email: hallowsm22s@
glow.sch.uk Early Childhood Educator:
Stephanie Pollock,
email:pollocks22s@ glow.sch.uk
Supply Early Childhood Educator:
Sarah Beveridge, email:
beveridges22s@ glow.sch.uk
Oak Room
Early Childhood Educator:
Heather McCluskey,email:
mccluskyh22s@glow.sch.uk
Early Childhood Educator:
Arlene
Mailer, email: mailera22s@ glow.sch.uk
Early Childhood Educator:
Lynne McKay, email:
mckayl22s@glow.sch.uk
Early Childhood Educator:
Leeann Finch, email: finchl64s@
glow.sch.uk
Early Childhood Educator:
Jennifer McFaull, email:
mcfaullj22s@ glow.sch.uk
Early Childhood Educator:
Jennifer Bisset, email: bissetj22s@
glow.sch.uk
Supply Early Childhood Educator:
Carol Matheson
S.L.A:
Nicola Devlin
Family Worker
Debbie Fraser
Admin Assistant:
Linda Samson
Nursery Teacher:
Jim McAllister (4 weeks per year)
The entire team are committed to continual professional development and
regularly participate in quality training opportunities.
In the team we have qualified First Aiders and Fire Wardens and all staff
are trained in Food Hygiene and Child Protection.
At times it is necessary to use Supply Early Childhood Educators to cover
within the
playrooms. A policy has been developed to ensure supply staff are aware
of roles &
responsibilities
Places and sessions available
Morning Session - 8.45am 11.55am
Afternoon Session 1.00pm 4.10pm
We are able to offer a number of extended year and /or extended day
places to families who meet the criteria (i.e. working parents and families
who require extra support).
Extended year means: that your child can access their place during the
school holiday periods.
Extended day means: you can access the nursery outwith the session
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times. Therefore your child may attend 8.30- 5.15 (times for extended days
can be arranged to suit individual needs).
Contracts
All families are issued with a contract for their nursery placement. This
details allocated sessions and any charges that may occur. Nursery
placements can be term time only (nursery sessions during school term
ONLY) or extended year (placement available 50 weeks of the year). Please
speak to the Head or Depute if you wish to discuss your contract.
Fees
A charging policy is in place for those parents/carers who wish to access
extended hours for their child over the maximum entitlement of 15 hours
50 minutes per week (this entitlement is for children aged 3 or over and
eligible 2 year old) or during school holidays. Places for children under the
age of 3 are chargeable for every hour.
The unit charge is based on a simple hourly rate of 2.85 per hour.
All parents except those who fall into the categories below will
be eligible to pay fees.
-Low income families, including those on income support or
equivalent.
-Families whose children are on the child protection register.
-Children who require additional support (at the discretion of
Nursery Head).
-Families are required to provide evidence to support the
exemption process.
Invoices are raised on a monthly basis at the beginning of the
following month and should be paid within 14 days of date of invoice;
failure to do so may impact on your childs place.
Fees payments should be given to Admin Assistant, Head of Nursery
or Depute Head of Nursery. NB all other staff are not allowed to
accept payments.
Nursery closures
You will receive a holiday list detailing when the nursery is closed.
Training days
We also close for 6 training days, 1 in August, 3 in November and 2 in
February. The nursery is closed to the children on these days to allow
educators to take part in necessary training.
Emergency Closures
The nursery will be opened during the times previously outlined, however
on some occasions circumstances arise which mean the nursery has to
close. Establishment may be affected by, for example, severe weather or
power failure. If this happens we will do all we can to let you know about
the details of closure and re-opening.
Applying For A Place At Nursery
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Application forms are available from the nursery, you can apply at any time
of the year, but it is important to note that the majority of nursery places
are allocated annually at the Area Admissions Panel Meeting held in April.
The information you provide within the application form allows us to assess
which type of placement you require.
Bringing Your Child To Nursery
When your child has been given a nursery place, he/she will be allocated a
Keyworker. This member of staff will have special responsibility for the early
learning and childcare of your child whilst in nursery. However all nursery
staff are very involved with every childs learning and development, and
can be approached at any time, The Head of Nursery and Depute Head are
also available to answer any queries on request.
Prior to starting nursery you will receive a transition welcome pack and a
home visit, which is an opportunity to meet your childs keyworker and a
member of the management team. During your home visit the keyworker
will explain the settling in process.
Our Just a Thought box is displayed in the foyer and also on display in the
foyer are our complaints procedures. Parents or carers who have any
concerns with any aspect of their childrens care should initially approach
their childs key worker. If this proves unsatisfactory, they should then
approach a member of the Management Team. The Care Inspectorate can
also help and details are available within the main entrance and at the back
of this handbook.
Arrival/Collection of Children
On arrival parents are required to leave their child with a member of
nursery staff.
It is very important that you sign your child in and out on the
register
You will be asked during your childs settling-in period what member
of the family will be collecting your child. If your child is to be
collected by someone else please let us know. We cannot let your
child leave the nursery with another person unless you have informed
us beforehand - educators will ask for identification if the person is
unknown to them.
We cannot allow a child to be picked up by anyone under the age 16
years please do not send older brothers or sisters who are below
sixteen, as they may become upset or embarrassed when we are
unable to allow the younger child to go with them.
Please note that we will not allow a child to be picked up by anyone
who appears to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Where a child is not collected, educators will attempt to contact the
parents/guardians, if parents cannot be contacted the emergency
contact number will be called.

Emergency Contacts

Please make sure that we know where to contact you in an

emergency.

If you move house or change your telephone number, or your

emergency contact person does, then please inform the main office
immediately.
What you might need to bring
Nappies, wipes and cream (if prescribed).
Prescribed Medication (when appropriate)
Spare Clothes (with name labels)
Appropriate clothing for rainy/snowy weather e.g. Wellington boots.
Please remember the children are here to learn through their play and
it is helpful if you dress them in suitable clothing as we provide
messy play.
Sun hats on sunny days.
Personal Belongings
While educators do their best to ensure that your childs personal
belongings are cared for, the nursery holds no responsibility for
such belongings being lost, broken or damaged. It would be
helpful if your childs clothes and footwear were clearly labelled.

Our Nursery Day

Each day is completely different at nursery, but we do have some routines
to help us get the most out of our time here. The nursery day is divided into
short sessions when the children come together in small or larger groups,
and more extensive period of free play, when they move around the various
areas of the nursery, selecting activities for themselves. Young children are
learning all the time from adults, from one another and from the world
around then. By following childrens interests and providing a wide variety
of experiences and activities in nursery, we offer the children opportunities
to develop and extend their thinking and learning. You are your childs first
and most important educator. By the time he/she comes to nursery he/ she
has already learned a great deal. We value your comments and suggestions
to extend your childs learning though our group floor books and your
childs personal portfolio folder. We are here to support and extend that
learning process, and to offer you child opportunities for further exploration
and experimentation.

Getting It Right For Every Child

Getting it right for every child and young person (GIRFEC) is a national
policy to help all children and young people grow, develop and reach their
full potential. Within Cornton Nursery, GIRFEC is the spine that is threaded
through all our practice guidelines. The eight wellbeing indicators are Safe,
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Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Responsible, Respected and Included:

its focus is to improve outcomes for children and their families based on a
shared understanding of their wellbeing.
SAFE
Child Protection
We aim to protect children from any form of abuse and act upon any
behaviour indicative of this.
All educators participate in child protection training which keeps them
informed of current practices and highlights the need to be vigilant
when working with children.
Where educators have concerns regarding the safety of a child they
are required to raise these with the Head of Nursery.
Legislative Child Protection Procedures will be implemented where
necessary.
These are in place to ensure safety of all children.
Sun Protection
To ensure your children are protected from the harmful rays of the sun
we ask that you apply sun cream prior to nursery sessions. We would
ask parents and carers to also provide sun hats and suitable clothing
for the children playing outside. If your child is in nursery for extended
sessions, please name label sun cream and place it in their nursery
bag.
Collection
Please ensure you inform educators if someone other than your
named contact people are collecting your child. A password will then
be issued. Educators cannot hand over children to people who are not
known to them, unless the name and password is given.
First Aid
The nursery has qualified first aiders available at all times. All
accidents are recorded and parents will be asked to sign to indicate
that they are aware of the incident.
Please ensure that all contact numbers are kept up to date in case we
need to contact you.
We also ask that you inform us if your child has any bruising or injury
that has happened outwith nursery.
If your child has suffered from a broken limb, a risk assessment and
possibly a letter from your GP will need to be in place before he/she
can return to nursery following recovery.
Fire Safety
A full fire risk assessment of the premises has been carried out and is
subject to annual review.
In addition, termly fire evacuation exercises and weekly bell tests in
the centre are carried out and recorded.
No Smoking Policy
There is a no smoking policy in the nursery at all times.
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Door Entry System

We have a door entry system for the safety of our children and
security of the building. Please make sure the door is ALWAYS closed
and do not allow anyone you do not know to enter the building with
you. Children should be discouraged from opening the door
themselves.
Please alert us if you notice any strangers loitering.
HEALTHY
Sleep/Rest Times
There is no set time when children take a nap, however please inform
educators of your childs sleep pattern when they start nursery.
Administration of Prescribed Medication
Wherever possible medicine should be administered at home. Where
this is not possible and the child is well enough to attend nursery,
prescribed medication can be administered by Educators.
All medication must be retained with the original packaging and
clearly labelled by the pharmacy, with the childs name and
prescribed dose.
Medicine forms must be completed with written instructions from
parent/carer regarding times/amounts of medicine to be administered
the first dose of medicine must be administered by the parent.
Educators cannot administer medication unless this form is
completed.
Please note that educators administer medicine on a voluntary basis.
The above information also relates to asthma inhalers. Please provide
an additional inhaler to be kept in nursery.
When Your Child Is Ill
We aim to provide a healthy environment for everyone: families and
educators share this responsibility.
If your child is unwell they should not be brought to nursery. We
appreciate that this is difficult for parents/ carers who are studying or
working, therefore we suggest that back up child care arrangements
are in place. Please note that children should be kept off
nursery for 48 hours AFTER the last bout of sickness or
diarrhoea.
It is important that you notify us on the first day of your child
being absent from nursery. It is policy that we will make contact
with you on every day of an unexplained absence, to ensure that
everything is okay.

ACHIEVING
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The Curriculum
The nursery environment offers opportunities for children to engage in all
areas identified through our curriculum in Scotland: Pre Birth to Three and
Curriculum for Excellence (CfE 3-18). CfE includes indoor and outdoor
opportunities to explore Literacy and English, Numeracy, Health and
Wellbeing, Expressive Arts, Science, Social Studies and Religious and Moral
Education.
Pre-Birth to Three Curriculum
The Scottish Government Pre-Birth to Three Curriculum is used to support
educators to provide positive outcomes for the children and families we
work with. The curriculum is based on the 4 key principles: Relationships,
Rights of the Child, Responsive Care and Respect. Through the use of the
Pre-Birth to Three document, educators are aware that childrens learning is
shaped through relationships, environment, health, family and community.
Educators acknowledge that very young children are capable individuals in
their own right and work to nurture and provide the specific support for
each child based on their needs, disposition and interests.
Toilet Training
We welcome all children into our nursery regardless of the amount of
help that they require with intimate care. We will gladly support you in
your childs toilet training programme when applicable.
Recording Your Childrens Learning
Childrens individual learning portfolios - are an observational record
and identification of your childs progression in learning, they record
progress and development during his/her time at nursery. They are available
in the nursery for you to look at and contribute to at any time. Information
about each child in the nursery setting is collected over time and in many
different learning areas and contexts.
Contributions are sought from yourself, your child, as well as your childs
keyworker and any partner agencies to update this portfolio. The portfolio is
then passed onto the Primary School which your child will attend, with your
permission.
Annual reports every spring you will be given a report on your childs
learning and development, and at other times of the year you will asked to
become involved in profiling & reflecting on your childs achievement.
NURTURED
Meals & Snacks
Due to allergies, no nuts are permitted in nursery
Snacks are prepared in nursery by our educators with the assistance
of the children.
Our aim is to provide a well balanced diet and to encourage children
to eat healthily.
Fresh fruit or vegetables are served daily.
Packed lunches should be healthy. We suggest no chocolate or fizzy
drinks.
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 Children are given either milk or water to drink.

We accept and appreciate kind donations of fruit and Percy, our pig, is
in the foyer to collect donations towards our Healthy Body Fund.
If your child is on a special diet, is vegetarian or is allergic to any
particular food, it is imperative that you inform us of this. We will
ensure that any special diets are catered for.
When A Child Needs Additional Support And Care
Stirling Council has a system known as Staged Intervention, this
process is used in Stirling nurseries and schools to identify and meet
the needs of children who need additional support of any kind.
During this process you will be asked to meet in order to prepare a
support plan for your child.
Your views and your childs views are taken into consideration at
every stage of this process.
Please speak to the Head of Nursery, who coordinates Staged
Intervention in the nursery, if you think this may concern your child.
ACTIVE
Outdoor Learning
We value the importance of outdoor learning, knowing that
opportunities for outdoor play is a crucial part for brain development
and supports children to develop, not only physically, but also
emotionally and cognitively.
Therefore children at nursery are outdoors everyday, exploring and
discovering in the nursery garden and also in the local community.
The nursery as waterproof clothing for every child so that the good old
Scottish weather does not hinder our outdoor play.
RESPECTED
Fairness
We believe that everyone should be treated as an individual
regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and disability or family
background. This is our ethos; please adhere to this when in nursery.
Moving to School
A detailed Transition Program is in place to support children through
their transition from nursery to primary school. You will be given a
copy of our transition policy at this time
We have close links with the local primary schools, and your child will
be supported by the nursery as they make the transition to school.
Information about your childs progress will be passed on to the
primary school with your permission.
RESPONSIBLE

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Positive Nursery Ethos

Our policy aims to help children to develop positive behaviour and
attitudes.
The Nursery aims to promote positive behaviour and encourage
children to show consideration for each other, educators and
premises.
Educators provide good role models and are consistent in their
approach and realistic in their expectations.
Children are helped to cope with their feelings, develop self-respect
and self-control and adopt a positive attitude towards their
environment and others.

INCLUDED
Communication
Communication is an essential part of working in partnership with
families and we make our communication as effective as possible.
Parent- Keyworker link meetings are held twice a year to share
relevant information and to discuss your childs learning and
development.
You will also find a variety of posters and leaflets within the entrance
area, which we feel, may be of interest to you.
It would be helpful if you inform us of any significant happenings at
home, which will support childs learning and development in the
nursery.
Each spring we host a Celebration of Learning evening. Educators will
share presentations about how your child learns and the
opportunities/activities on offer.
Parental Involvement
Parents/ carers are encouraged to spend time in the nursery.
Our parents/carers group, Friends of Cornton Nursery, meets on a
regular basis, which you are welcome to join, otherwise just pass your
thoughts/concerns onto the current members for them to bring up on
your behalf.
Our family worker coordinates various groups held within the family
room and local community, including handling childrens behaviour,
healthy cooking, play@home, baby massage and adult learning courses.
Our nursery family worker is also available for 1:1 advise and support.
Nursery Policies
Copies of full policies and procedures are available in our family room.
Please ask a member of the management team if you wish a copy of
any of these. We also have a policy of the month on display in the
welcome area.
If you would like them to be available in another format e.g. Braille or
another language, then please ask and this can be arranged.
We hope this booklet is helpful to you. If you have any further questions
please do not hesitate to ask us
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Contact details for Stirling Council, Education and Care

Inspectorate.
Judy Edwards
Service Manager
Early Years
Municipal Buildings
8-10 Corn Exchange
Stirling
FK8 2HU
Or
Lynn Nimmo
Care Inspectorate
Compass House
11 Riverside Drive
Dundee, DD1 4NY
0845 600 9527 www.scswis.com

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