Preschool

Preschool

The Preschool room caters for 16 children and has 4 staff members to facilitate your child’s play, learning and care needs.

We concentrate specifically on helping the children develop:
intellectually, educationally, personally, socially and emotionally.

Over a period of a year, we aim to cover all the main colours, numbers, shapes and various types of animals. However, some aspects may be covered more than once in order to familiarise the concept within the child’s memory and to enable all the children to have the same opportunities to learn.

Each month we concentrate on a specific topic. These topics can cover health issues, multi-cultural topics and environmental issues.

One hour per session is specifically set aside for pre-school activities. These are number, language or topic related. We look at the weather each day; have circle time and role-play in story time. Some pre-school time is spent on a more structured activity. This encourages the child to manipulate their concentration skills on the set task.

Pre-school children enjoy all play and learning activities ie painting, sand, water, gluing, dressing up and generally learning social skills within the group.

We liaise with local schools for when your child leaves the centre to start school.   We produce transfer documents to enable the teacher to know your child's developmental stage.

Each day you will receive a daily record of your child day.

 

What your child will need to bring:

Footprints will provide your child with a named bag containing the following items and all to be individually marked:

  • Two changes of clothes with outdoor wear for wet weather

If your child requires the following then please send in:

  • Disposable nappies
  • Wipes

 

Potty Training

Potty training is a happy process and the staff will advise you on the best time to try potty training your child. There is not a fixed age for this. Please do not worry if everyone tells you your child is late. All wet nappies are changed in the toilet area and your child will be encouraged to use the potty. When the child uses the potty they will be praised. Please note elasticised waistbands are preferred rather than dungarees.

Developmental Framework

The preschool room follows the principles of the foundation stage.   This provides a learning and development framework for children from birth to five.  The foundation Stage areas are listed below

Personal, Social and Emotional

We aim to provide experiences and support to enable children to develop a positive sense of themselves and others.

 

Communication, Language and Literacy

The development of this area of learning emerges from both verbal and non-verbal communication. We provide opportunities in our activities for the child to communicate their thoughts, ideas and feelings through speaking and listening.  We encourage the development of communicative skills through the use of books and by learning rhymes, together with role-play activities and early writing skills. We also introduce new languages through daily activities.  Communication is at the heart of a child's learning; we believe it is important to help its development.

 

Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy

The introduction of counting skills, matching, sorting, sequence and pattern is developed through counting games, imaginative play and experimenting with numbers.  Development of numerical and reasoning skills arises from experiences in a well-planned environment.

 

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

All children deserve the best opportunity to develop their knowledge of this area. We aim to offer both indoor and outdoor experiences, combined with monthly themes to help children question why things happen and how things work.

 

Physical Development

This area aims to develop balance, control, co-ordination, manipulation and movement. Fine motor skills are developed in a variety of ways including building and sorting skills, matching activities and puzzles. Gross motor skills are developed using a large range of equipment, including climbing, pulling and pushing toys.

 

Creative Development

This area includes art, role-play, imaginative play, music and dance.  The children learn to experiment with colour, shape and texture. They use taught skills to cut, join and fold in order to create interesting models. Through their senses they experience music and sound using our extensive multi-cultural range of instruments.

 

Preschool Staff Team

Geraldine McManus

  • NVQ Level 2 Play work
  • NVQ Level 3 Play work
  • First Aid
  • Play Quest
  • Food is Fun
  • Early Years Disability Training
  • Behavior Management
  • Customer Services

 

Kellyanne Judge-Qualified Childcare assistant

  • Nippa Diploma
  • NVQ 2 Playwork
  • NVQ 3 in Childcare and Education
  • Child Protection
  • Play quest
  • Customer Services
  • Pediatric First Aid

                                          

 Orla carlilse-Childcare Assistant

  • NVQ 2 Early Years Childcare and Education
  • NVQ 3 CCLD
  • Child protection
  • First aid
  • Progression Award NVQ Level 3
  • Play Quest

 

 Aisling McErlane –Qualified Childcare Assistant

  • NVQ 2 Childcare and Education
  • Play Quest
  • Child protection
  • First Aid