Nursery Year Group
Welcome to Nursery
Please click on the tab, 'Topic Overview' to access the Nursery Curriculum Information letter detailing what we are learning this half-term.
Key Information
Start & End of the School Day
A smooth and stress-free start to the day is essential for the children’s wellbeing and development. In order to support parents who have more than one child in school and to ease congestion outside the school, we have a flexible system in the mornings where children can enter school and be registered at any time between 8.30 and 8.45am. At the end of the school day, nursery families can collect their child from 3pm.
School gates at both entrances to the school will open just before the start and end of the full school day.
For families arriving to collect or drop off their child at the end of the morning or beginning of the afternoon nursery session, access is via the Ashridge Way gate only to ensure site security.
Afternoon Nursery
If you are arriving to drop off your child for the afternoon nursery session, you will need to enter the site via the Ashridge Way entrance only. The afternoon session begins at 12.15pm. We will open the main school gates just before this time and the nursery door will open at 12.15pm, allowing parents to enter and drop off their children. The nursery door will be closed at 12.20pm so that we can complete the register. If you arrive after 12.20pm, you will need to take your child to the school office to sign them in as late.
- To ensure all children are safe at dismissal time, we politely ask that once you have collected your child, you move away from the door to allow other parents to be seen by staff.
- Please help us to keep children safe on the school site by not allowing them to play on or with equipment before or after the school day. Thank you.
- If a different adult is collecting your child, please inform the school by emailing info@hillcross.merton.co.uk with as much notice as possible. They will need to know your parental password.
Health and Safety
Whilst in the playground, it is really important that all parents/carers ensure health and safety rules are followed. Children must be closely supervised at all times. This includes ensuring that your child (or their siblings) is not playing with the toys or resources in the outside learning environment, riding on scooters or bikes in the playground or playing on the field, adventure trails or climbing equipment.
School Uniform
Nursery children are required to wear a school uniform. There are two options for nursery and reception children, a casual uniform or the more formal uniform worn by the other children in the school. Please see the uniform information page for details. In addition to the school uniform information on the main page, nursery families should also consider the following:
- All clothes and footwear should be easy to manage and ensure children are as independent as possible. We recommend elasticated waists and Velcro!
- Nursery children have access to the outside environment all day, every day, so always send your child to school with a coat – the weather can change quickly. In the summer months, children will need a sun-hat to wear when playing outside, and you will need to apply sun-cream to your child before they come to school.
- Plimsolls are not recommended for all day wear, as they are not suitable for wet weather or outdoor sessions, nor do they offer appropriate support for young children's feet if worn throughout the day.
- Label or write your child's name on everything – young children often have a tendency to lose things.
Personal Belongings
Children are not allowed to bring their own belongings into school. There may be exceptional circumstances from time to time when a reasonable adjustment can be made, for example, to support a child's successful transition when first joining the school or for a child who has additional needs. This must be discussed with the class teacher and agreed with a senior leader first.
Free Milk and Fruit
Every child aged 3–5 years is entitled to free milk provided by the government. Please note that if you want them to have milk at school after they are 5, parents will need to purchase it directly from Cool Milk. The children have access to their water bottles throughout the day.
If your child does not like milk, they will have access to their water bottle throughout the day. We do not allow juice in their water bottles but parents can choose to provide a separate drink in their lunchbox to drink at lunchtime. EYFS staff will refill the water bottles across the day as required.
In nursery, children are provided with a free piece of fruit each as part of the government school fruit and vegetable scheme. Fruit options include; apples, satsumas, pears, tomatoes, bananas, raisins and carrots. All fruit is washed but we do not peel or chop the fruit. Children are encouraged to eat at least one piece of fruit a day from the
Self-service café.
Children have access to these via a self-serve 'café' and so we are not able to precisely monitor all children's fruit and milk consumption each day. If your child has a food intolerance or allergy, please ensure this is shared with the school via their admissions form or via info@hillcross if they are diagnosed after they join the school.
Please do not send your child to school with an additional snack.
PE
Nursery do not participate in formal PE lessons. Instead, they are involved in daily physical development through 'Wake Up Shake Up' sessions and outside play and weekly music and movement sessions.
Home Learning
This will be set on Google Classroom on a Friday and will include information for families to help and support learning at home. Please click the tab on the right-hand side of this page, refer to our Home Learning Policy and/or Google Classroom for more information.
Celebrations
To meet the requirements of our Healthy School status and to ensure no child is inadvertently excluded, we do not allow homemade or shop-bought treats or sweets to be given out at school for any celebrations, including birthdays. An alternative option is to give something that all children can enjoy in school, such as felt pens, creative materials, a game or a book to share.
Get Involved!
There are numerous opportunities for you to join in with the life of the school in the following ways:
- Attending parent workshop opportunities
- Accompanying us on school trips:
- Volunteering in School
- Supporting 'Friends of Hillcross' (FoH) Events (PTA)
- Parent/Teacher Progress Meetings (Autumn and Spring)
- Progress Celebration Evenings (Termly)
- Watching Sports Day (Summer Term)
Safeguarding
Hillcross is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We expect all staff, governors, visitors, families and children to share this commitment. We have a Child Protection Policy and robust supporting procedures in place. Parents and carers are encouraged to visit the Safeguarding page of our website to find out more about these – please click on the tab on the right-hand side of this page.
