Parents

Communicating With Parents

To communicate with parents about their child and share specific evidence of the child’s learning, the following are in place:

Formal Process

At the expiry of 6 weeks attendance by the child in the Centre, a New Entrants Report is prepared and given to the parents.
The report is discussed with the parent(s) by appointment when the portfolio to date is introduced.
A Mid year Report is for each child and this is discussed with the parents at the Parent/ Teacher Meeting arranged soon after.
End of Year Report is prepared and again this is discussed at the Parent/Teacher Meeting.
On each of these occasions the child’s portfolio is discussed.
Special Education appointment is arranged for a child where this is necessary.
Invitation to Parent by appointment to attend a session with their child for however long he/she is prepared to stay. This way the parent is able to decide the duration. At this attendance the parent is part of the child’s programme and experiences the activities first hand.
Settlement Period. Where a new child is enrolled, a parent is encouraged to stay with the child at the Centre until such time that the child is not fully settled. In some cases this could be as long as 2 weeks.
Parent Day. Each term the Centre invites all parents and families and friends to come and enjoy the time with the children.
Graduation Day. When the child attains the age of BIG 5 and is prepared to take the next step to a primary school, and the child for at least 2 years attended the Centre. On this occasion the child is awarded a Certificate or a Diploma at the graduation. The families and friends of the child are invited to attend the celebration.
Organised trips. When the Centre organises trips for the children, away from the Centre. Parents have the opportunity of meeting with the teachers but also with other parents on the trip.
Visiting health inspectors. When vision and hearing inspectors make the rounds, the teachers have the opportunity to communicate with the parents.

Informal Communication

Festive Day . The centre has children from various ethnic group that we are proud to have each family from different ethnicity celebrate their important festive occasion and explain its importance to rest of the children at the Centre. Therefore, Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Chinese New Year and Ramadan are, to name a, few occasions.

Birthdays. The centre encourages the parents to celebrate their child’s birthday with other children.
Over the gate. When parents come to drop off or pick up their children. Teachers have the opportunity to greet and farewell the children and at the same time the teachers have this special moment, brief as it maybe, with the parents to communicate with each other.
Unforeseen event or incident. Irritability and sickness in children may be another reason for the teachers to communicate with the parents. Any other unusual signs may the reason for communicating with the parents in passing.
Parent's Specific Concern. Where a parent is concerned about their child, they can arrange to meet with one of the teachers after hours at the Centre.
Constraints. Our only constraint could be the excessive demand made on specific teacher’s time. Availability of car parking on site could be considered as another constraint. For these we apologise sincerely.
Ad hoc Invitation. On occasions the Centre invites a parent or the spouse who is willing to offer some of their time to speak on their profession or trade, for example, a doctor, painter, sports person or a fireman to name some. A parent who perhaps may be interested in talking on culture and food. A parent who may be able to offer to cook a dish with the children at the Centre.

Parents Guide to Selecting the Right Preschool

Please bear in mind that these suggestions are not exhaustive but merely food for thought. So what must parents do?

Identify Your Needs.

There are several options available and you have to select one that best suits you and your child’s needs. Matching your needs to the choices available will help you determine what is appropriate for your child.

Is the location nearer to your home? Is the preschool on your way to work? Will you be able to budget the cost? Would you be entitled to government subsidy? If more than one preschooler, then will the preschool be able to take all your preschoolers? How many hours of care are required? Are there a minimum number of sessions required per week per child? Does the centre provide food?

Options Available

Consider the merits of available alternatives. What are the types of childcare available? Licensed Centres, Language Nests/ Play-centres and Home Based Care. Within these there are options available. Let us go through some of these.

Licensed Centres

These are centres such as community based and government sponsored Kindergartens and privately sponsored Kindergartens. Large private organisations offering childcare services or small private preschools are also licensed centres. All these centres are teacher lead centres. The Nursery Schools are often owned and operated by privately owned organisations, which may be large corporations and/or small entities. Some kindergartens and or preschools may exist as satellite to primary or secondary schools.

Within all these centres you may like to enquire about their education programme and the centre’s education philosophy.

Language Nests/Play Centres

These are centres, which are largely sponsored by charitable organisations such as religious organisations, or centres that are established by different ethnic groups which cater for their specific needs. And then you have play-centres, which are community based with a supervisor, while parents make up the adult ratios and contribute their children to the centre’s care.

Home Based Care

Children are cared for in the private residence of the caregiver. These homes may be approved and periodically inspected by an Agency, which is licensed, such as Barnardos. However, there may be other independent caregivers who are not approved. In either case the mix of ages, hours, availability of special needs may vary from home to home.

Short List

Prepare a short list of the centres that suit you. You may wish to refer to the yellow pages, your local paper, Plunket Rooms and telephone the Citizens Advise Bureau. In the neighbourhood, talk to some of the parents whose children are already attending a centre in or out of the area. You will need to be proactive.

From the short list prepared, visit some of these centres and ask them some questions that concern you. Is there space available? Is there a waiting list? Are there minimum sessions per week for the child to be enrolled? Is the centre licensed? What education programme and education philosophy the centre is adopting? Will the centre be sensitive to my child’s needs, for instance, dietary, religious, health and any other specific need relating to my child?

Centre Visit

Make appointments to visit the centres you have short-listed. What are some of the characteristics of a quality childcare service? There are three main aspects that one should consider and these are people, education activity programmes and the environment.

Are the staff qualified and well trained and experienced? Are they warm, caring, and sensitive? How do they relate to children? Do the children feel empowered? Are the children being challenged by their programmed activities?

What are the daily-programmed activities? Are the activities, age appropriate? In door and out door play? Personal and health care routines? Balance of planned and child initiated activities? Are positive child behaviour management techniques in use? Are the children adequately supervised?

What first impression did you come away with? Did you find the centre safe, clean, and comfortable? Equipment well laid out for indoor and outdoor activities? Did you find the rooms bright and spacious and access to washroom easy and the outdoor play area user friendly? All areas appropriately sign posted and hazards distinctively identified?

Important Questions to Ask

On your visit to the centre do not forget to ask relevant questions. What are the opening hours? Is there a fee for late pick up? In the event of child being sick, is he expected to stay home? Does the staff have adequate medical training to attend to the child if he/she gets sick while at the centre? Do you have to pay for the term holidays?

What is the cost per session, per week and per term? What is the fee-paying structure? Can you apply for government subsidy? What is included in the fees? Food? Nappies? School trips?

Are parents welcome to visit the centre at any time? How often can parents meet with the teachers to discuss the progress of the child? Can I call another parent for reference? Are parents expected to have specific input on a daily basis? How is the misbehaviour, crying or an upset child managed?

Qualification of the staff, are these appropriate? Is the centre in compliance with the Early Childhood Regulations? Is the centre happy and willing to work with other agencies involved with the child?

Making Your Final Choice

You are now equipped with most of the relevant information and your impressions of visits to these short-listed centres. You also have had the opportunity to observe your own child in each of the settings. Which one of these centres seems to meet your requirements of affordability and location? Do you have to sign an agreement? The cost of child care varies from centre to centre and is dependent on age of the child, the hours of care and the type of programme being offered.

Building Positive Relationships

You have now made your choice of the centre in which you wish to place your child. This is the beginning of a partnership between the Centre and the parents. Building a positive relationship with them will help your child become comfortable and happy in the centre.

After the settling in period, your child should be eager to get to the centre. If any thing special has happened, please feel free to tell the teachers, so they can celebrate this with your child as well. The teachers are always having small chats on a day-to-day basis; they may want you to encourage some practices which your child has learnt/adopted at the centre. If you have any feedback or concerns, please do ask the teachers for a convenient time to meet with you.

Keep your contact details updated. Always be prompt in payment of your fees and always attempt to pick your child on time. If you must be late or arranging alternate pick-up, please call the centre ahead of time and be prepared to pay the late fee.

FAQs

Is there any discount for more than one sibling attending at the same time at the Centre? To qualify, both the siblings need to be under three years of age.
Does the centre provide lunches? This is the responsibility of the parents. The parents are the best persons to know what their child can or cannot eat where allergies and religious taboos are concerned.
My child is only two years of age, do I have the opportunity to help settle my child in the initial stages? Yes, the parents are given generous time to enable them to settle their child.
Can I selectively enrol my child for Montessori curriculum? It is important that the child gets as much of the Montessori curriculum as possible, especially if he/she is already 4 years old. Learning is less traumatic to the child if he/she is allowed to learn through one discipline.
Can I choose a specific teacher at the Centre for my child? All the teachers are generally responsible for all the children so that the children learn to deal with all kinds of personality. Favouritism cannot be good for the child for when they go on to the primary school.
Why is enrolment for 13 weeks only when I want my child to come to the Centre indefinitely, unless personal circumstances change? The period allows the parents to register any change in sessions, such as to increase the number of sessions or to nominate different sessions but the same number. Depending upon the availability of places the suggested changes may be possible.
Can I take a few weeks off before I re-enrol my child for the next period? No. It is possible that someone may be given your child’s place and your child may be placed on the waiting list. If you are enrolling your child for the first time, the fee payable starts from the date your child first attends the Centre. Re-enrolment is an opportunity for the parents to institute any changes to the sessions booked for the next 13 weeks period.
If my child is ill or we have decided to go on family holiday during the 13 week period, are we legally liable for the fees for those booked sessions when we are away? Yes. When you book your child for the sessions during the 13 week period, those sessions are specifically booked for your child.
Religion. Does the Centre practise any particular religion? No. The Centre does not practise nor does it deliver any religious instructions. However, parents from various cultures contribute their children to the Centre and we are richer as a result and proud of it. It is important that the children know of the existence of other cultures and its importance.
How does the Centre deal with conflicting issues and circumstances arising as a result of religion? Each parent is asked of any special religious issues that the teachers should be aware of. Parents are encouraged to inform of these in their application form which deals with it specially.