The Mews Playclub Parent's Handbook
Revised June 2004 and available to parents after enrollment

Contents of this page:
Welcome to the Playclub
Parents & Staff Working Together
The Management Committee
Staff Areas of Responsibility
Bringing and Collecting Your Child
Emergency Telephone Numbers
Failure of Parent to Collect Child
Suitable Dress
Security
Health & Welfare
Behaviour Management
Visits & Outings
Meals
Deposit and Notice of Child Leaving
Payment of Fees
Holidays & Temporary Changes
Permanent Timetable Changes
Child Protection Procedure
The Mews Complaints Procedure
What Your Starter Pack Should Include

Welcome to the Playclub
Congratulations on securing a place for your child in the Mews Playclub. This handbook aims to acquaint you with some of the most important details regarding our facility, and outlines the means by which you as a parent may gain the most trouble free and happy experience for your child. The reward of reading this document thoroughly is well worth the small investment of your time.

The Management Committee
The Management Committee is comprised of the original steering committee, hotel representatives, interested members of the community, and parents like you who are interested in the future of our nursery and playclub. It is a non-profit making group with charity status. The committee provide a forum for parents to meet each other, and affords an opportunity to present ideas and be part of the policy decision-making process relating to the day-to-day management of the facility. Further information and the written constitution may be obtained from any member of staff, whose names and details can be found in the staff section.

Staff Areas of Responsibility
Certain members of our staff have special areas of responsibility which include the following: Behaviour Management Issues, Special Educational Needs, Child Protection, Health & Safety, and Equal Opportunities. Should you have any questions regarding our policy in these areas, please refer to the Staff Sheet (or see the online Staff page) and contact the appropriate member of staff.

Bringing and Collecting Your Child
Children are collected promptly from school at the agreed finish times and brought back to the playclub to enable the staff to commence the session.  Please collect your child at the agreed time.  Staff ratios are strictly controlled and our registration is in jeopardy if we do not comply.  No child is allowed in the playclub before 8 am or after 6 pm.

If your child does not need to be collected from school, please advise the staff in advance or contact them on Extension 269, between 2.30 – 3.00pm.

At no time will your child be allowed to leave the playclub in the care of another adult without previous written consent from you.  Please do not ask us to allow anyone under 16 years of age to take this responsibility.

The hotel has a car park for hotel guests only, but it is always possible to park for a short time when leaving and collecting your child. Otherwise please do not leave your car in the car park.  Wheelchair access is provided via the rear entrance of the hotel, by arrangement.

Emergency Telephone Numbers
We need to have two telephone numbers so that we can contact you during the day in the event of an emergency. It is vital that you fill in the nursery Health and Information Form fully, informing us immediately of any changes.

Failure of Parent to Collect Child
If a child is not collected at the agreed time, the Nursery staff are instructed to establish contact with parents via the emergency numbers. If contact is not established a member of staff will inform and seek advice from Social Services.

Suitable Dress
For the comfort and safety of your child please ensure he/she:

• Wears comfortable and appropriate footwear (i.e. not flimsy).
• Brings shoes to change into if wellingtons are worn.
• Does not wear any jewellery to the nursery (except for studs of previously pierced ears).

Your child will be encouraged to participate in all kinds of in and outdoor activities such as water play, sand play, painting, etc.  It should be expected that on these occasions children might return home looking as if they have enjoyed themselves!

After School Club – Please remember to equip children with wet weather gear for the walk from school.

Security
For your child’s sake, always ensure that the doors and gates through which you enter are securely closed at all times to prevent children wandering into potential danger.  A push button security system operates on both inner door entrances to the nursery and play club that will prevent unauthorised visitors gaining access. Please do not facilitate access to any other person but yourself.

Health & Welfare
Again it is vital that you bring the completed Health & Information form with you on the first day so that arrangements can be made if necessary.  If your child has an infectious illness, which will of course preclude them from attending the playclub, please inform the staff immediately to prevent it spreading to other children.  Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the premises or near children.

Behaviour Management
Our behaviour management policy aims to protect children by endorsing and reinforcing good behaviour, while gently butfirmly showing the child that certain behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Full details of our policy are included in your starter pack (pink sheet) or may be downloaded using the above link.

Visits & Outings
Children will be frequently escorted or transported to a variety of venues. You should have signed a statement on the enrolment form allowing your child to participate. If you have not done so, or you do not wish your child to leave the Nursery, please inform the staff. For further details of our visits & outing procedures and how we ensure your child’s safety please see the green sheet in the starter pack or you may download it using the above link.

Meals & Snacks
After school club - A snack is provided for the children in the after-school club.

Holiday club - As your child is staying all day, they will need to be provided with a packed lunch, which we will refrigerate.  Please specify in writing details of any special likes, dislikes, or allergies to any foods. A daily menu of the snacks, which are provided in the morning and afternoon, is displayed on the parent’s notice board.

Deposit and Notice of Child Leaving
A deposit equal to two weeks fees will be requested upon confirmation of a place offered in the playclub.  This deposit is not returnable in the event of cancellation, non-take up of place or failure to pay fees promptly, which may result in your child’s place being reallocated. 

We require six weeks notice if you intend to withdraw your child from the playclub after receipt of a place.  This will allow us to fill the vacancy and make the best use of the facilities.  We are obliged to charge the full six weeks if this courtesy is ignored.

Holiday club fees are due when bookings are made for the holiday club in conjunction with the booking form.

Holidays & Temporary Changes
If you are planning a holiday which means your child will be absent for a while, please inform the nursery staff as soon as possible. This is necessary to avoid administrative difficulties and maintain accurate staff/child ratios. We regret that there is no reduction in fees for temporary absences. Bank Holidays will not be charged.

Temporary Timetable Changes
((Used for extra sessions on a temporary basis or due to illness).
Please complete a Temporary Timetable Change form as soon as you know the dates.  Again this is to assist administration and ensure correct staff/child ratios.  We regret that no reduction in fees can be made for absences, or for short periods of illness (two or three weeks).  It is however, possible to make a special application to the Management Committee for a refund for periods of prolonged illness.

.Permanent Timetable Changes
Should you wish to change your agreed timetable permanently, please complete the Permanent Timetable Change form as soon as possible.  Please bear in mind this may change your fees and timetable priority..

Child Protection Procedure
It is a condition of our registration with Bath & North East Somerset County Council and Ofsted that we record and report any concerns we have about a child’s welfare to the Local Authority. Confidential records may be kept for monitoring purposes in accordance with the data protection act, for further details please see the blue sheet in your starter pack entitled Child Protection Procedure.

The Mews Playclub Complaints Procedure
If you have general concerns about your child or about the way in which the nursery is being run, please speak to a senior member of staff. If it is likely to take some time, or be of a confidential nature, please make an appointment.

If you are concerned about your child or an incident which has occurred in the Nursery after leaving, and you feel it is serious enough, then ring the hotel on 01225 462089. The member of staff on duty will then contact one of the co-ordinators and request that they telephone you immediately.

If you are not satisfied with the response, or the complaint is about a senior member of staff, or the way the Nursery is being run, please put your complaint in writing to the Chairperson of the Mews Management Committee.  Names of members of the Committee can be found on the parent’s notice board. If you are still not satisfied, please read the full details of the complaints procedure in your starter pack (yellow sheet), or download it from our website.

·          Behaviour Management (pink sheet)
·          Child Protection (blue sheet)
·          Complaints Procedure (yellow sheet)
·          Special Educational Needs (white sheet)
·          Outings & Visits (green sheet)

(The Heath & Safety, and Equal Opportunities policies are available on request.)

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