Parent Information

Woolden Ferns Pre-school Uniform

At Woolden Ferns Pre-school we expect the children to wear the following:

  • Burgundy jumper/fleece. If you would like to purchase these with the pre-school logo, they  can be obtained from: https://www.gascoigneclothing.com/
  • Sun hats for sun safety when appropriate
  • Appropriate clothing for the time of year including waterproof clothing and wellies during the Autumn and Winter months

Early Years Pupil Premium

The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) is available for eligible 3 and 4-year olds accessing Free Early Education Entitlement. If your child is eligible, the premium will provide us with extra funding to enhance the opportunities, experiences and support offered to your child. Please complete the section on the first page of the admission form, providing us with your National Insurance number so that we may check your eligibility.

Special Educational Needs and Disability

Woolden Ferns Pre-school is an inclusive pre-school that offers an inclusive provision for all  children     including those with Special Educational Needs and disabilities (SEND).

Each school has a SEND coordinator who has the responsibility for making sure that children with  SEND are well supported and their needs are met.

If you have concerns or think that your child may have special educational needs, please ask to speak to our pre-school SENDCO. There may be times when the advice of Mr Collins, the SENDCO for Woolden Hill Primary school, is sought. You will be informed if this happens.

Special needs provision may include:

  • Smaller group work for both academic and behaviour support
  • Adapting the environment to suit the needs of the child
  • Differentiating the activities/experiences to ensure that children of all abilities can access learning
  • Targeted Plans to record targets and review how well these are going
  • Referrals to specialists from outside agencies, for example Speech and Language or The Specialist Inclusion Team. This is done with prior parental consent

Contact With Staff

Effective and regular contact between pre-school and parents is essential. Conversations may often be informal but appointments for more formal discussions may be made by contacting the Manager. A formal opportunity to discuss your child’s progress is given at parent evenings, although staff are happy to be contacted informally at any time.

Verbal communication about your child’s day will be given at the end of a session. There will always be at least one member of staff available to speak to.

Woolden Hill Primary school office is available to take your calls between 8.30am and 4.00pm (and they will endeavour to put you through to pre-school or pass a message on to us. A pre-school mobile number will also be available to contact staff in the extended sessions (early morning and evening sessions). These will be shared in your induction pack.

Absence / Late Arrival

Absences are recorded in the pre-school register. If your child is going to be away from pre-school for any reason, please inform the school by 8.30am. Messages can be left on the telephone absence line, option 1, or via the link on the school website. Late arrivals are marked in the register if the child is not present when the register is taken. If your child arrives after 9.30am, the mark we must give shows as an absence on their attendance records. The register is a legal document.

Illness and Infection Control Information

The health of the children and staff is of paramount importance to Ferns Pre-School, and we endeavour to provide a healthy environment  In order for us to maintain a clean and healthy environment, we ask that you refrain from sending your child into Pre-School if they are sick or displaying signs of illness.

If your child is unwell and will not be attending Pre-School, please contact us and let a member of staff know to inform us of the reason for absence and for guidance on a return date. If your child has an infectious illness please refer to the leaflet below for more detailed guidance, as you may need to take specific actions before returning to Pre-School, staff are also able to give you advice on these illnesses.


Infection Control Guidance


Key People
All children are allocated a key person within the first two weeks of starting. Your child will work  closely with their key person during group time sessions but they will also have the support they require from other staff members throughout the session.

Our planning is play based and is developed to reflect the children’s current interests and needs. Your child’s key person will lead activities based around their next steps on a regular basis. Children also take part in adult led groups to learn phonics and early number work. They will also have daily group times with their key person.

Safeguarding Children
Woolden Ferns Pre-school aims to provide a friendly, welcoming environment where all children feel safe, secure and free from harm. We promote and safeguard the welfare of children in our care, which includes protecting children from maltreatment, preventing impairment of children’s health or development and ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care. We have a duty of care to refer any allegation, complaints or concerns received relating to a child to Social Care or the police. A copy of our Safeguarding Children Policy is available for parents to read on the school website equally a hard copy can be requested.