Letter, November 27th: dates, building works

Dear parents and carers

Changes to dates and arrangements

I am writing to give you the following updates:

End of the building project We had been hoping to get the front entrance back this week. However it now looks like it will be next week when the internal works are completed. In the meantime, please continue to use the temporary garden entrance.

Cancellation of International Evening We had planned our usual evening celebration for families for next Thursday, 6th December. However because of the problems with the building works, we have no guarantee that we will have the entrance and the spaces we need. With regret, this event has now been cancelled – but we plan to organise a replacement in the new year.

Development Morning We are still going ahead with staff training on Wednesday 5th December but the nursery will remain open for all children as usual. We are trying to minimise the disruption for families.

With apologies for all the changes!




Julian Grenier

Flexible childcare

Dear parents and carers

Consultation on providing more flexible childcare

If you would like to respond to this by email then please copy the following text, paste into an email, write in your replies and send to marie.mason@islington.gov.uk

We are currently considering whether it would be helpful to parents if we offered some more flexibility in the places we offer. If there is enough interest then we will aim to pilot this as a scheme, starting in January 2008.

Please note that at the moment it is not certain that we will go ahead, as it depends on some funding and staffing issues being sorted out.

This scheme will only apply to parents and carers whose children have a core day place and who receive more than £545.34 through the Child Tax Credit scheme. We are planning to offer parents and carers the opportunity to book the following additional hours:

8am-9am
£2.50
Termtime only


3.30pm-5pm
£3.75
Termtime only

Lunchtime (11.45am-1pm)
£3.10 + cost of lunch
Termtime only

1 hour booking (minimum of 2 consecutive hours per day)
£2.50
School holidays only

All bookings would be subject to their being an available place – we cannot go over our registered numbers of children at any time.

If you are interested please could you fill out the form on the other side of this letter and return it to Marie. This is just so that we can get an idea of the level of interest – there would be no obligation for you to take up on the scheme because you had shown interest.

Julian Grenier

FEEDBACK FORM

First, please check that you would be eligible for this scheme:

• Your child has a morning/afternoon/core day place
• You receive £545.34 per year, or more, through the Child Tax Credit scheme


Please could you answer the following questions, which will help us to see if there is enough demand for the scheme:

How old is your child?


Would you be interested in having additional hours through this scheme for your child?




Please tick which sessions you would be most likely to want (tick as many as apply):

8am-9am (only if your child normally starts at 9am)

Lunch time

3.30pm-5pm

Sessions in school holidays


Are there other ways where a more flexible offer could better meet your needs? Any other comments?

Letter to all parents: building works, Ofsted, dates

Dear parents and carers

Building works at Kate Greenaway
What can I say…apart from the fact that the works are continuing to over-run. I’m sorry for the disruption this is causing, and I can assure you that everything possible is being done to ensure that the works are completed as quickly as possible.

I am pleased to say that we now have the full nursery area back in use, and that in general the nursery education and care we are offering to the children remains very good, despite the circumstances, thanks to the hard work and commitment of the staff team.

Headlice
We have a few cases of headlice at the moment. Please see the earlier blog entry for advice and information. Please check your child’s hair every day, so that we can all get on top of this.

Ofsted report
We have now had our official letter from Ofsted, following their visit on 12th October. It is a real tribute to the whole staff team that we got a second “Outstanding” grade for our work.

Nice though this is, we feel that there is still a lot to do and we continue to value feedback from parents – letting us know what you think we do well, and also what we should improve. I hope you’ll read the whole letter, but here are some of our best bits…

• Children revel in the wonderful outdoor learning environment, the garden experiences are of an exemplary standard
• Babies…are an integral part of this family environment, enjoying their diverse activities and the older children who often watch and encourage them
• Resources are exciting and encourage children to be active and independent learners
• Those with learning difficulties and disabilities are fully integrated and included
• There is clear strategic vision and practical management and leadership which strives to reach the whole community in imaginative ways.


Nursery dates
Please can I remind you of the following dates:

Monday 26th November Nursery closed for all children
Training and development for staff

Wednesday 5th December Development morning
Children with morning-only places have no nursery.
Children with core day places have a 1pm-3.30pm place (no morning).
We are open for children with extended day places as usual.

Thursday 6th December International Evening from 4pm-6.30pm More details soon!

Wednesday 19th December Last day of the Islington school term

Friday 21st December Last day of the extended nursery provision

Wednesday 2nd January 2008 Extended nursery re-starts

Thursday 3rd January First day of Islington school term

Monday February 18th-Friday February 22nd Islington school half term

Friday 21st and Monday 24th March Nursery closed for all children
Good Friday and Easter Monday bank holidays

Friday 4th April Last day of the Islington school term

Monday 21st April First day of Islington school term

Monday 5th May Nursery closed for all children
May Day bank holiday

Monday 26th May-Friday 30th May Islington school half term

Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd June Nursery closed for all children
Training and development for staff

Wednesday 23rd July Last day of the Islington school term

Friday 15th August Last day of the extended nursery provision

Outbreak of measles

Dear Parents

I am writing to inform you that a number of children within Islington have been diagnosed with measles over the last few weeks. Measles is a highly infectious illness. Children with measles are usually quite ill and in some circumstances complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis, can develop. Professionals working with young children are concerned to prevent any more cases or a large outbreak occurring.

Children who have received the full course of the MMR vaccine (two doses, the first one at one year of age and the second one before school entry) are protected; however, there are still many children who have not yet been immunised or have not received the two doses and could therefore catch measles.

MMR immunisation is the safest way for parents to protect their children against measles, mumps and rubella, which are diseases that can be serious for babies, young children and their families. Not all children respond adequately to a single dose of vaccine, so to ensure protection children need to receive two doses of MMR. Children who were not immunised before starting school can be protected by receiving MMR at any age

For an appointment to discuss MMR vaccination or to bring your child for MMR or any other childhood immunisation, please contact your GP, Practice Nurse, Health Visitor or School Nurse. You can also obtain additional information from:
• NHS Direct by calling 0845 46 47 and asking them to send you a “MMR parent pack” (free of charge)
• The internet at www.mmrthefacts.nhs.uk


If you suspect your child has measles infection it is important you consult your GP. If your GP confirms that measles is the most likely cause of illness you must inform the school and your child should remain away from school for 5 days from the onset of the rash.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

Yours sincerely



Julian Grenier

Report to the governing body

You can read the latest report to the governing body at Kate Greenaway here

You'll need Microsoft Word to read it. If you don't have Word, then you can download Word viewer for free.

If you are interested in becoming a governor - we have some vacancies. Please contact Kate Greenaway Nursery School by phone (020 7527 4850) or email julian.grenier@islington.gov.uk for an informal discussion and more information.

Problems with the building works

Unfortunately, building works at KG are running late and so we are not going to be able to start the new term normally. Apologies to all parents and families for the inconvenience this is likely to cause.

We are planning for all children with extended day/year places to start back as planned on Thursday 6th September. Meanwhile, we will be trying to make places available for as many other children as possible and we will be in touch with parents and carers during the week of 3rd September for an update.

The children's areas at Kate Greenaway are planned to reopen in full on Monday 17th September, when all children can come back on roll as normal.

The following letter has gone out to all parents:

Dear parents and carers

I am writing to you because there has unfortunately been a delay in the progress of the building works at Kate Greenaway.

As a result of circumstances which are outside my control, the toilets in the main nursery room are not yet ready for use. Without the toilets we are not able to take your child back into the nursery next week, as planned.

The toilets are now due to be completed by Monday 17th September which is when the nursery will definitely reopen for all children.

I am aware that this is a long delay and I am doing everything I can to make alternative arrangements. If it is possible for your child to return before Monday 18th then I will contact you by phone to let you know.

In the meantime, please accept my apologies for this problem. If you would like to speak to me about it, please phone me on 020 7527 4850 after 9am from Tuesday 5th September. In the meantime, I can assure you that I will do everything I can to make arrangements for you and your child.

Yours sincerely







Julian Grenier

Information about headlice

There are some cases of headlice going round Kate Greenaway at the moment. I know that some parents have checked their child’s hair and treated the headlice – only to find that their child has picked them up again a few days later. Unfortunately headlice are a fact of life in all schools in England – there is only one solution, which is for everyone to check their child’s hair every day, looking carefully for lice or eggs.

Head lice are tiny grey-brown, wingless insects, which live by sucking blood from the scalp. Their eggs are known as nits and they are laid glued to the base of hairs, and look like tiny white specks. Infestation often causes itching of the scalp, but may also go unnoticed. If you suspect head lice, check the base of hairs for eggs and comb the hair over a piece of white paper to see if you can spot any dark mature lice.
If you or your children have head lice you should check the rest of the family, and tell close friends and your child’s key person.
We recommend two approaches to treating lice: either over-the-counter medication, from a chemist, or using the “bug-busting” approach with conditioner and use of a nit-comb.

Bug busting

Wet combing, or ‘bug-busting’ is used to remove lice without using chemical treatments. This method can be helpful because head lice are growing increasingly resistant to the insecticides used to remove them. The best procedure is as follows:
• wash the hair as normal,
• apply lots of conditioner (this causes the lice to lose their grip on the hair),
• comb the hair through with a normal comb first,
• with a fine tooth nit comb, comb from the roots along the complete length of the hair and after each stroke check the comb for lice and wipe it clean. Work methodically over the whole head for at least 30 minutes,
• rinse the hair as normal, and
• repeat every three days for at least two weeks.
Do not use medicated lotions or rinses ‘just in case’, for example in close friends or family members. They should only be used if live lice are found. Regular combing of hair using the bug-busting method can help with early detection as well as treatment.
If you want more help or guidance then the best thing to do is to make an appointment to see the practice nurse at your GP surgery, or speak to the pharmacist at the chemist’s.

Minutes of the governing body, April 2007

Minutes of the meeting of the Governors of Kate Greenaway Nursery School, held in the school, York Way Court, Copenhagen Street, London N1 0UH on, Monday 30 April 2007 at 6.30pm.


PRESENT

Phyllis Richardson Chair
Julian Grenier Headteacher
Fiona Dodd
Lucy Lloyd
Sanchia Lyon
Peter Warren


ALSO PRESENT

Judy Okello Clerk to the Governors
Georgette Djaba Observer


1. APOLOGIES/CONSENT FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received and consent given to absence from Carole Warden and Maggi Mahoney.

RECEIVED


2. COMPOSITION OF THE GOVERNING BODY, COMMITTEES AND LINK GOVERNORS

Information on the current composition, committee membership and link appointments had been previously circulated to governors.

Cllr Dorrie Valery had not attended a meeting since January 2005 and her term of office would lapse if she did not attend the next governing body meeting. The governors enquired about the arrangements for appointing a governor to the possible LEA vacancy.

Governors noted the outstanding community vacancy and were asked to consider appropriate people for filling it. The headteacher had been in touch with Ms Georgette Djaba, an active local resident, but was not sure whether she would have the time commitment. Ms Djaba joined the meeting later to introduce herself to the governing body and offered to support the nursery wherever required. It was suggested that people with links to children/community or with health/social services perspective would be useful to the governing body. All governors were asked to pursue any possible candidates / put out a feel for different people and feedback to the chair.

Following the poor attendance at the committees, the chair questioned whether the governing body should continue to work with committees, which required governors to feel committed/make the effort to attend meetings and to have committee structures that worked. It would be practical not to have a committee structure if the cycle of meetings was problematic for governors. It was proposed that all matters should be dealt with at full governing body meetings, including ad hoc extra ordinary meetings when necessary. This arrangement would be reviewed in the spring term.

After discussion,

RESOLVED: that the committee structures should be abolished and this arrangement should be reviewed in the spring term.


3. MINUTES AND MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

i) Minutes of the meeting held on 29 January 2007 had been circulated prior to the meeting.

After discussion,

RESOLVED: that the minutes be signed as a true record.


4. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The date of the next meeting had previously been agreed for 24 September 2007.

After discussion,

RECEIVED


5. HEADTEACHER’S REPORT

A report by the Headteacher had been circulated prior to the meeting.

In addition the written report, the following was drawn to the attention of governors:

i) Budget Monitoring

Large amounts had been carried forward over the last two years, which was earmarked for the new build. However, the budget would be tight as a result of staff regarding. The school was now entering a period when the budget will be tougher and in a more realistic place. They were leaving an era of planning projects and moving into maintenance.



ii) Community Kitchen Campaign

The community kitchen group was looking at proposals for consulting parents and considering sources of additional funding. A business plan was required to make the project work. The headteacher was cautiously optimistic that they could manage their own kitchen and that it was the ideal time to do this. Islington Council had agreed to extend the decision of whether to opt into the borough-wide contract until the end the current term.

iii) Staffing

The staff team was now much bigger, following some good appointments, but also more challenging to manage. The nursery was full and the uptake of programmes very high but the downside to this was the potential effect on staff morale. The change to the late start on Thursday was going well and would not be reinstated because parents had vigorously expressed their unhappiness with the arrangement. Parents did have an understanding of what the time was being used for the late mornings but the reality was that many working parents did not the option of flexible working which could accommodate the late starts. The core function of a children’s centre is to cater for working parents. It was also not ethical to put something to consultation to parents knowing that their views would be ignored. In the larger staff more formal systems of working were required and more major changes were expected in the future. Increasingly parents wanted more flexibility and staff had to find different ways of meeting and getting together. This was an experimental period and some of the systems would not work. However, it also provided a coaching role for the senior management team. The staff were very competent and these changes would help them grow and develop at the same time.

iv) Building News

The building works were progressing satisfactorily and the job had now gone out to tender. A meeting would be convened to update governors once the outcome of the tenders was known.

iv) Children’s Centre Developments

A detailed report on the new style of programmes had yet to be completed. The response to the support groups was very positive. There were concerns around the multi-agency approach to child protection issues and this was being resolved through mediation.

v) School Improvement Plan

The four-year SIP had been circulated to all governors. The key point noted was regular governing body involvement in monitoring/evaluation. There was a definite cycle of what governors should receive and when in order to made a valuable contribution. The governing body was also required to make more of an effort in visiting and getting involved into the school. Governors were asked to make targeted visits once a term on a particular theme, which involved meeting with subject coordinators. Governors were asked to arrange convenient dates for visits with Sanchia Lyon as follows:

Lucy Lloyd /Georgette Djaba to visit after half term
Shakyra Dowling & Peter Warren to visit in the autumn term (focus on teaching & learning)
Phyllis Richardson to visit in the spring term (provisionally)

Governors were also asked to support the parent’s groups. Lucy Lloyd agreed to do this. The next parents conference would be held on 29 September 2007.

vi) Curriculum & Care

A report on the core experiences at Kate Greenaway was laid on the table.

vii) Attendance

Islington had one of the worst attendance levels in the country at primary level and although nursery attendance was not statutory, it was felt that it was important to encourage good attendance and timekeeping. It was agreed that families would be asked to phone in if they were going to be late and the nursery would adopt a better monitoring process to follow up on children who are consistently late or missing for no compelling reason.

viii) Fire drill

A fire drill took place; evacuation time was 1 minute. This was a vast improvement from the previous drill.

iii) School closure

None reported.

After discussion,

RECEIVED


6. BUDGET 2007/08

A budget summary report for 2007/08 was laid on the table.

After discussion,

RESOLVED: that the draft budget for 2007/08 be approved.


7. REPORTS FROM THE DIRECTOR OF EDCUATION SERVICES FOR ACTION

Reports from the Director of Education Services were previously circulated.

i) New Model Sickness Absence Management Policy for Schools

Governors were asked to consider adopting the new model policy.

ii) New Model Organisational Change Policy for Schools

Governors were asked to consider adopting the new model policy.

iii) Extended Services in Schools

Noted

iv) Planned Changes to Exclusion Procedures fromSeptember 2007

Noted

After discussion,

RESOLVED: that the new model sickness absence management and organisational change policies for schools be adopted.


8. REPORT BACK FROM COMMITTEES

i) Personnel Committee

A note of the meeting held on 5 March 2007 had been circulated prior to the meeting.

After discussion,

RECEIVED


9. GOVERNORS’ VISITS

There were no visits reported.


10. DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING PROGRAMME

Governors were reminded of the previously circulated programme for the Summer term.

The chair recommended training on extended services and support for parent governors. Governors were also encouraged to visit CEA@Islington’s website for useful information.

After discussion,

RECEIVED


11. CHAIR’S REPORT

There was no report from the Chair to consider.


12. AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING AND ANY OTHER BUSINESS

i) Any Other Business

A planned visit with the publicity consultant, Andrew Smith, was taking place on 10 May 2007 at 10am to which governors were invited.

After discussion,

RECEIVED

About chicken pox - and also a reminder of key dates coming up

This letter had an attached leaflet about Parentline's Just Ask - because instructions aren't included service.

Parentline Plus say: You can contact us about anything that is worrying you. Parents call and email us about a range of issues affecting them and their families from having a new baby, starting a new relationship and disagreements in the family, to issues with teenagers, school, homework and eating patterns.
www.parentlineplus.org.uk
parentsupport@parentlineplus.org.uk
Freephone 0808 800 2222 (24 hours a day)



Firstly, as you probably know we have lots of cases of chicken pox at the nursery. Chicken pox is not a serious illness, but it can be uncomfortable for children. Some recommended ways to help your child include:

• use paracetamol (Calpol) to relieve pain and keep the temperature down
• warm baths every few hours (without any soap or bubble bath) can be soothing; so can calamine lotion
• ice lollies help if your child has a sore throat and if she or he is reluctant to drink
• antihistamine helps if the spots are especially itchy
• keeping your child’s nails short reduces the risk of excessive scratching

There has been conflicting information about judging when your child is ready to return to nursery. The Health Protection Agency recommends that children can return to school or nursery once the blisters have fully crusted over, this usually happens 5-7 days after the first scab appears. After the last scab has burst and crusted, children are no longer considered infectious.

If you know you are pregnant, or it’s possible you could be pregnant – it’s no problem if you have had chicken pox before. But if you haven’t had it, or you’re not sure, then please make an appointment to see your GP as chicken pox can be dangerous in pregnancy for you and the unborn child.

Important dates

Half term

Monday 28th May – Friday 1st June (inclusive). We remain open if you have an extended day/year place – please check in the office or with your key person if you are not sure.

Nursery picnic and funday

Saturday 16th June from 12pm-2pm. Fun…food…stalls – we hope you can come and join in with the fun. If you’d like to help out or run a stall – please speak to Jan or Julian. We are raising money to support our community kitchen project.

Development morning - 19th June

If you have a core day place, then we are closed in the morning but open from 1pm as usual. If you have a morning-only place then we are closed. Extended day/year places – open as usual.

End of term – Friday 20th July

Closure for the extended day/year service: Friday August 17th

Start of the autumn term (all children): Wednesday 5th September

Parent conference – Saturday 29th September from 11am-2pm

Last year we had a really successful parent conference. Parents gave their views and suggestions on lots of important issues and this has directly informed some of the changes introduced during the year. Please come and have your say about Kate Greenaway.

Letter to parents, 10th May 2007

Dear parents and carers

Firstly, I wanted to let you know that the staff team had a very valuable 2 days of training and development on Wednesday and Thursday last week. The 5 days per year we close, as a school, are really important because they enable us to keep developing and trying to improve the education and care we offer all the children. Our focus was on how staff record and monitor children’s learning and development, and how we can involve parents and carers in this.

Attendance at Kate Greenaway

We want to do everything we can, to ensure that children attend as much as possible and get the fullest benefit of their place here.

If your child is ill, or if there is another reason why your child will not be able to attend nursery – please phone us to let us know.

If we don’t hear from you, then Marie will call you during the day to check everything is OK with you and your child.

We follow Islington’s policy on attendance and late collection, which can lead to the place for your child being reduced in hours or withdrawn if you are consistently late. This is not something any of the staff at Kate Greenaway want to happen – so please help us by being on time.


We know that sometimes there are special circumstances which might make it difficult for you to ensure your child comes to nursery every day. Because we now have an outreach and family support service we might be able to help you if this is the case – speak to your key person or to Dawn if you could do with some extra help to make sure your child comes regularly to nursery.

Start of the day

Attendance is important, and it’s also important to do everything you can to ensure your child comes to nursery on time.

For children with a core day or morning place: we have a flexible drop-off time between 9am-9.30am every day (don’t forget that we now open as normal on Thursdays, not late). The reason for the flexible start is that if you have a child at primary school you can’t be in two places at once! So you can drop your older child off first, then come here. If you don’t have a child in another school then it will help your child if you come every morning at 9am. Coming at 9am every day instead of 9.30am will give your child nearly 100 extra hours of nursery education every year. Please do everything you can to arrive at 9.30am at the latest – if you are regularly late, then your child is missing out on her or his entitlement to a full nursery place.

If you come early (before 9am) you are welcome to take your child to the sofa-end of the Foundation Room and share a book there. Please note that the staff are either very busy with the children already here, or are busy setting up for the day ahead.

For children with extended day/year places – we recognise that you are away from your child a lot during the week, so if you have a chance for a later start to work you may wish to spend some extra time with your child. If you want to do this, then please make sure you phone before 9.30am so we know when to expect your child in nursery. Unless it’s an exceptional circumstance it’s best not to come any later than 10am – it’s difficult for children who arrive late to get involved in the morning’s play and experiences, and they can end up feeling left out.

If you come early (before 8am) you are welcome to take your child to the sofa-end of the Foundation Room and share a book there. Please note that the staff are busy setting up for the day ahead – they only have a short time to do this.


End of day

Please can you help the smooth running of Kate Greenaway by picking your child up on time.

If your child has a core day place, then she or he needs to be picked up at 3.30pm. Although we have a late programme, we do not have enough staff for extra children on top. If you know you are going to be unavoidably late, as a one-off, then let us know so we can prepare your child.

If there is anything here you would like to discuss – please let me know, and I will arrange to meet with you.

News for parents and carers

Key dates

This term ends on Friday 30th March and the Summer Term will begin on Monday 16th April.

Half term is Monday 28th May to Friday 1st June (inclusive).

The summer term ends on Friday 20th July.

We are closed for 2 days for training and development: Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd May. The nursery is closed for all children.

Kate Greenaway stays open for children with extended day/year places once the school Spring Term ends, except for the two bank holidays (6th and 9th April) when we are closed.

In the summer, we will close on 17th August for two weeks and reopen for children on Wednesday 5th September.

Thursday late start and new development mornings

From 16th April onwards we are ending the late-start system on Thursday mornings. Your child will now start at the same time every day of the week.

However we have two “development mornings” next term on Friday 18th May and Tuesday 19th June. On development mornings, we will offer your child her or his normal hours.

Fees

From April 1st, fees are payable to Kate Greenaway Nursery School. We charge fees for every day, including training days, with the exception of Bank Holidays and the August closure. Parents are charged for training and development days. This is all in line with Islington’s policy and the contract with parents.


Parking

Please could you remember not to park in York Way Court when you are dropping off/picking up your child. There have been continued complaints to Home for Islington, who have a mobile clamping unit. Please use meter parking instead. Thanks.


Staff news

Sanchia will return to Kate Greenaway next term, following her secondment to Moreland Primary School and Fortune Park Children’s Centre.
Heidi will be leaving Kate Greenaway after covering Sanchia for this term; she will be travelling on and then returning to New Zealand. Heidi has done a fantastic job this term as a temporary teacher, and I know that staff, children and families will all miss her.
New staff for the Children’s Centre (extended services) are currently being appointed.

Children’s Centre

We are currently finalising our Children’s Centre programme and will be distributing details about this later in April.

Kitchen Campaign

Lots of parents are now getting behind the Kitchen Campaign. Kate Greenaway wants to opt out of Scolarest and other contract catering arrangements and have its own kitchen, to cook fresh healthy food for children. The Community Kitchen will also be open for parents to learn more about healthy cooking and snack preparation. It will provide healthy snacks for Stay and Plays, and sell prepared meals and snacks to parents. The Kitchen Campaign group is working hard to make sure that the kitchen will be able to do enough business to pay for itself. If you would like to get involved – please talk to Jan. We are now very likely to achieve this aim, thanks to the support of parents.

Rebuild

We are aiming to rebuild the front of the building to provide a better reception space, and also working space for Children’s Centre staff. We are also planning an Art Workshop (in the front garden) and a base for community cycling. We are planning to have bikes to lend to families (adult and children).

Once we have firm details of when the work will be taking place, parents will be informed.


Julian Grenier

Training and Development Day

Kate Greenaway was closed on Monday 26th for training and development. We spent the day developing our approach to integrated work for children and families.
By integrated work, we mean that as a Children's Centre we don't just want to provide a whole range of services under one roof.
We want to have an approach to working with families which is consistent, and built on values and principles (rather than whatever happens to be this month's special flavour, or having an "anything goes" approach.
The planning which came out of the day will be posted as soon as it's written up.
In the meantime here's our statement of "what we stand for".

What we stand for

Here for every child – now

We do all we can to help children feel wanted and secure so that they can develop and learn. We plan for close attachments and relationships with children on roll in the nursery. We see children as strong and competent learners and we stand up for their right to play in early childhood. We treasure children for who they are, not what anyone wants them to be. We work closely with parents to help children develop self-discipline, self-motivation and an awareness and respect for others.
We try to make ourselves accessible and helpful to parents who are having a difficult or hard time.

"We have a duty to support the development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential."
UN Declaration – Rights of the Child

"To move, to run, to find things out by new movements, to feel one's life in every limb, that is the life of early childhood."
Margaret Macmillan

"Love in infancy and childhood is as important for mental health as are vitamins and protein for physical health."
John Bowlby


Helping the development of a strong community around Kings Cross

Strong, energetic, lively and curious children grow up in strong families and strong communities. Unlike most other public services, we are directly accountable to our local community – Kate Greenaway is run by a governing body, with democratically elected parent governors.
Our roots in the neighbourhood are nourished by the involvement and commitment of local people.
We have particular expertise and knowledge about young children; but we do not always know best.
We are especially committed to education for all children and adults as a way to self-fulfilment and wellbeing.
We are unreservedly on the side of families with young children.

"It takes a whole village to raise a child."
Traditional African proverb, quoted by Chinua Achebe

"Unless both power to choose and opportunity for choice are present no child, woman or man is free."
Christian Schiller

"It is not for professionals to tell families how to bring up their children."
Tina Bruce

A staff team achieving things to be proud of

We are committed to new ways of working with children and families, breaking down the traditional barriers between health, social services and education. We think that professionals need to listen carefully to families and work in ways to help families overcome difficulties and disadvantage.
A strong, creative and energetic staff team is essential to the success of Kate Greenaway. Staff should feel that they are valued, and that they have sufficient time and energy for their personal lives whilst dedicating themselves to the service of local children and their families.

"There is a need for better and more multi-professional exchange, dialogue and integrated working."
Tina Bruce

Everything connects
We want everything to connect at Kate Greenaway. We value and promote education for children, parents and the staff team. We value quality provision for play in the nursery, in Stay and Play groups, and during home visits and outreach work. We think that all children and all adults have the capacity to overcome disadvantage, difficulties and problems for themselves, with the right help and support. Our commitment to respecting each family, encouraging choice and promoting equal opportunities shapes everything we do.

"We have a duty to help prepare children for responsible life in a free society, in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of sexes, and friendship among all peoples, ethnic, national and religious groups and persons of indigenous origin."
UN Declaration – Rights of the Child

Parent Conference and Governing Body

You can read about the views and ideas put forward in the parent conference by clicking here.
You can also read the minutes of the latest meeting of the Governing Body here. The decisions taken by the governors took full account of the findings from the Parent Conference. Parent governors on the governing body are democratically elected by the full parent body and help to represent parental views. We place a strong emphasis on parent involvement in decision making. We try to be open and accountable - so we publish minutes and decisions for everyone to see. If you'd like to find out more about the governing body then email julian.grenier@islington.gov.uk

To read the documents linked to above you will need to have Microsoft Word installed on your computer. If you don't have it, you can download the Word Viewer which is free.

First posting

Welcome to the first posting on our blog...We have been doing some work for the last few months on how we are going to communicate better with parents and the local community and this is one of the suggestions we are following up. The blog should help everyone keep up to date with news and developments at Kate Greenaway - and also encourage parents and others to post their own views and comments. Here we go...