South Harrow Methodist
PRE-SCHOOL | Holiday Club |
Pre-school
The main aim of our Pre-School is to work in partnership with parents/carers to provide quality care in a happy, safe, child centred environment that allows the children to learn through play.
General Information
The Pre-School is part of the Harrow Integrated Early Years and Community Services which provides support, information, funding for training and other resources. We work to National standards set out by Ofsted who inspect our setting regularly (for the latest report see here) so that we can offer free nursery education for eligible 2, 3 and 4 year olds. Note that the free places are available from the beginning of the term after your child's third birthday. So your child must be born before September 1st, January 1st or April 1st to have a free place for that term.
We are members of the Pre-School Learning Alliance and we have been awarded accreditation and re-accreditation for quality assurance and high standards of care.
Our Pre-School curriculum is planned to provide activities, routines and play opportunities to support and encourage children’s emotional, physical, social and intellectual development.
We work to the revised Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.
Times and Activities
Our Pre-School is open for 38 weeks each year, for five mornings a week from 9.00 - 12.45. Initially the children are offered two or three sessions but additional sessions may be offered when available. (Four sessions per week of 3¾ hours makes up the 15 hours of free education which 3 & 4 year olds are entitled to.)
The main activities are in the hall but we also have facilities for slide, sand and bikes and buggies. We are committed to our Equal Opportunities policy and this is reflected in the activities and equipment provided for the children.
We had a new outdoor area built for us last year and the children are enjoying using this, especially when the weather is good.
The children are provided with a drink and biscuits/fruit, served using a canteen system, mid session.
Drinking water is available at all times.
Dietary and cultural or religious needs are noted daily.
All children are encouraged to bring in a snack for lunchtime.
Staff
We are a multi-cultural Pre-School and our staff reflect this. We have 10 members of staff at present and we are a friendly, motivated team who work well together. The Pre-School-Leaders are there every session. A variety of languages are spoken, including Gujurati and Arabic.
Pre-School Policy
Our policy at Pre-School is to encourage the children to learn through play. We want them to enjoy all the activities that we offer, learning to share, to make friends, to be comfortable in a group and to care for 
each other and beginning to acquire some of the skills that they will need for school and later life.
We do not smack, shake or slap the children, nor do we use any actions to frighten them. We try always to be positive in our approach, to meet each child's individual needs and to treat the children with respect while they are in our care.
Equal Opportunities Policy
Our Pre-School has an Equal Opportunities Policy which is committed to providing a service for the children in our care, free from discrimination against race, religion, sex, class, colour, disability or special need.
We will take positive action to discourage any discrimination that we find in the Pre-School and we have a complaints procedure.
Special Needs / Additional Needs
Our Pre-School is aware that children may have special/additional needs and will ensure that appropriate steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within Pre-School, in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties.
Health and Safety
We are registered with Ofsted who inspect the Pre-School regularly (for the latest report see here). They ensure that all areas of Health and Safety are adhered to. This includes fire procedures, risk assessments, safety of the building and safety of equipment used.
We are required to have a `Safeguarding Policy’, which protects the children and the staff. All accidents and incidents in Pre-School are recorded in a book.
Admissions Policy
We have a continuous waiting list at Pre-School. The waiting list is set out according to date of birth of the child and date of application. We are registered to take children aged from 2-5 years and are allowed to have 8 children aged from 2 years 10 months to 3 years in each session.
Our policy is to give priority to all those children whose names have been on the list from 2 years or younger. If the child's name is put down at 2 years or after, the date of application is used to decide priority. We do try to take into account people moving into the area recently, unforeseen family circumstances and individual needs.
At no time do we discriminate between one child and another for any reason. We try to ensure fairness at all times.
We will accept a child in nappies into our Pre-School.
If you would like to put your child's name on the waiting list, visit the Pre-school when we are open and complete an application form or telephone Hilary on 020 8422 9109.
Office Address:
Walton Ave
South Harrow
MIDDX
HA2 8QU