Routines and Practices in Nursery at
The British School Manila
Welcome to Nursery at the British School Manila!
This booklet is intended to answer any questions you may have about routines and practices in the Nursery year group.
We hope to answer many of your questions during the Welcome Evening. However, if you were unable to attend or have joined BSM later in the year we hope this booklet will help to smooth your child’s transition into school life.
Inevitably, questions arise as the year progresses and any questions should be directed to the class teacher in person or via the home-school link book or by e-mail. The class teacher may direct you to the Key Stage leader should the need arise.
Nursery is the first year of schooling within the Early Years Foundation Stage.
The Nursery team consists of:
Gaynor Domiszewski: Nursery Year Leader
Ella Nava: Nursery PSA
Kia Magboo: Nursery PSA
Justine De Guzman: Nursery PSA
Nick Paget : Early Years Foundation Stage leader
Daily Routines
Arrival routines – Children are allowed on to campus from 7.15am. Children should be escorted to their classrooms by parents, helpers or bus chaperones to leave their bag in their cubby hole. They should organise their home-school link books, any story books and their reading folder into the relevant baskets in the classroom. The nursery children begin their day as soon as they arrive at school and should register their presence by using the interactive white board register. The bell will ring at 7.40 to signal the official start to the day and time to say goodbye to parents/carers. Parents/carers are free to leave before this time once their child is settled. It is important that parents/carers say goodbye to their child rather than trying to leave quietly to avoid upset once the child realises their parents/carer has left.
Morning snack time
All children should have a morning snack sent from home. Please send healthy foods such as chopped fruit or vegetable sticks such as carrot or cucumber. Please do ensure your child has any necessary cutlery to eat with and straws for drink cartons. The children can choose to eat when they are hungry at the snack station and are monitored to ensure they all eat by 11am. We would prefer your child to drink water whilst at school so please send a water bottle that is easy for your child to open and refill every day. BSM is a nut-free environment so please ensure that all family members and household helpers are aware that snacks should not contain nuts or nut derivatives.
Outdoor Play
Children should have a white BSM sun hat in school at all times. The school rule is no hat, no outdoor play, so children will have to sit in a shady place or remain indoors.
Home time
The children are dismissed at 11.10am directly to you or your helper. Should you wish another parent to collect your child please ensure that the class teacher has been informed and that your child knows. Please help us to ensure the children are happy at the end of the day by arriving promptly to collect your child. Children who are not collected by 11.15am are taken to the waiting area of the office of the Head of Primary School to wait for you.
Practices in Nursery
Independence
We encourage the children to be independent and ask you to encourage this at home also. Please allow your child to dress, feed and toilet themselves at home to ensure they are confident doing this at school. Please help your child to be independent at school by ensuring all of their belongings are clearly labelled with their name and that they can read and find each label. Swimming kits in particular require regular checking to ensure labels have not washed out and that ALL items are labelled.
Newsletters
The school wide newsletter entitled “The Lion’s Roar” is published every Friday and is accessible through the BSM web site; a link will be e-mailed to you. The nursery team sends out a weekly newsletter to parents by e-mail giving details of what we have been doing, upcoming events and making special requests. These will also be available to download from the school website.
Library books
Two library books can be borrowed each week during our library session each Thursday and kept for one week. Please ensure the books are returned to the basket in the classroom which will be left out for this purpose each day. Books may be returned after one night if your child does not wish to keep the book for longer and we will keep it in class until our next library visit. Please ensure that books are returned by the following week to avoid disappointment as children will not be able to borrow books if they have books outstanding.
Super star of the day
Each day a child is chosen to be super star. The super star is chosen by the teacher and often by the children for good behaviour, positive attitude, good effort etc. Their star is displayed in the classroom and they will be the line leader for the day, select a story/song for their classmates to read/sing and will be allowed to feed our pet fish
Birthdays
Birthdays are important celebrations in the life of nursery children; however we are not able to hold parties for children at school. If you wish to send a birthday cake or cup cakes for your child to share with their classmates, then please speak with your child’s teacher to find out the best time to do this. If you are sending a cake that requires cutting please ensure that you send a knife, plates, candles and lighter. We are happy to distribute invitations to parties via the home school link books but cannot be held responsible if all children do not receive their invitation as it has been lost before reaching home. Please do check that all children have received their invitation if you have any doubts. Staff do not attend birthday parties for children as we feel it would be unfair unless we attended every birthday party held.
Class representatives
Our class reps have an important role in supporting the class teachers in preparing for special events such as Christmas productions, end of year parties, fete days and book weeks. They may help in disseminating class contact list information to parents. They will also be responsible for sending out text messages in the event of school closure.
We hope you find this booklet useful. Please direct any further questions to one of the Nursery Team. Many thanks.
The Nursery Team