Registration

Buckingham Montessori is located on a quite residential road with onside parking. Cars are able to park anywhere on the road apart from the yellow line. We kindly request you to respect our neighbours and park considerately. At the rear of the premises we have a limited parking spaces that are for staff only however families are able to use that as a drop off and collection point. Due to the limited spaces we prefer families to use the roadside parking during peak times. Families who walk to the setting can use the front entrance canopy as a temporary buggy parking otherwise should you prefer to keep the buggy at the setting you can use the buggy shelter at the rear of the building.

Security

Security is of paramount importance to us and this is apparent as you enter our setting. We have CCTV cameras in operation 24/7 to ensure the highest possible security for the children, parents and staff. All external accesses are controlled by video entry systems monitored at reception.
Staff members have access swipe card which they use to enter and exit the premises. At registration we request pictures of the Parents and people who are authorized to regularly collect a child to ensure our receptionist is familiar with our families and to enable them to enter the building during the hours that their child is booked for.

If anyone, other than a parent, is to collect a child from the Montessori, we will require a written consent and a photo or a password to be set up in order to ensure no one unauthorized has access to the building to collect a child. On arrival the video entry will give you access to the lobby where our receptionist will deal with your query and give you access to enter the main building. The Children’s House and other internal rooms are secured by a pin code access of which only staff members are aware of, parents are required to ring the doorbell and wait for a member of staff to allow them in. As a parent you will be requested to wear a blue visitors badge if you will be staying on site for any reason other than collection.

Term

Buckingham Montessori operates from 8:00 – 18:00 throughout the year as from September 2014, closing only for Bank Holidays and 1 week between Christmas and New Year. Our standard day is from 8am-6pm however we also offer part-time schedules. Our part-time sessions run from 8am-1pm and 1pm – 6pm.( a minimum of 3 sessions is required for registration)

Uniform

Buckingham Montessori School requires your child to wear uniform consisting of a branded polo shirt, jumper and jogging bottoms while at the setting. Our uniform consists of a winter set and a summer set. Cotton shorts are available for the summer. Uniform is available to purchase from the setting on registration. We require parents to provide separate indoor and outdoor shoes for your child along with spare clothes and suitable outdoor wear for all weather.

Settling In

On completion of registration your child’s allocated key person along with a senior staff member will arrange to visit you in your home before your child starts at Buckingham Montessori School. The purpose of the home visit is to introduce the key person to the family in the comfort of their home environment and for the key person to get to know the child. During the visit the Key Person will play with your child and get to know your child better.

We record initial information about your child’s interests in their ‘All About Me Booklet’ which will be one of the activities that your child will do with the key worker at the visit. The key worker will also bring your child’s uniform, pictures of the nursery and a welcome card with a picture of their key worker.

These steps will help your child look forward to coming to Buckingham Montessori and have a familiar face to look forward to on arrival. We consider the settling in period to be extremely important at Buckingham Montessori School. This time can be upsetting for both the child and the parent. Children settle into nursery in lots of different ways. Some children will confidently move into the nursery room as soon as they come in. Other children may be nervous and anxious about leaving their beloved parent. Most children will be somewhere in between the two.

Please be reassured and try not to worry if your child experiences difficulties – it is a very normal part of a child’s development to be anxious, nervous or angry about starting nursery. We also recognise that many parents will find this a difficult and sometimes upsetting process.

We hope that we can use our experience to support you and your child in whatever way suits you. Please remember that we require all parents and carers to help their children settle in. No matter how confident you feel your child is, we will insist that you follow our settling in procedures. In our experience, all children benefit greatly when the nursery works closely with the family on settling in. Children can be helped to settle in by their parents, and other important people who they know well and can be comforted by – aunts, uncles and grandparents for example.

All children are different. We have given a rough guide below to the stages most children go through when settling-in. Stage 1 – Parent/carer and child spend 1 & 1/2 hour together in the nursery
Stage 2 – Parent/carer and child spend 2 & 1/2 hours in the nursery. If appropriate, the child will spend 20 minutes in the nursery without the parent/carer. Parent/carer need to stay in the building (e.g. in reception)
Stage 3 – Parent/care spends sometime together in the nursery then leaves the child with the key worker for 20 minutes. Parent/care need to stay in the building (e.g. in reception). Parent/carer stays in the building.

Parking

Buckingham Montessori is located on a quite residential road with onside parking. Cars are able to park anywhere on the road apart from the yellow line. We kindly request you to respect our neighbors and park considerately. At the rear of the premises we have a limited parking spaces that are for staff only however families are able to use that as a drop off and collection point. Due to the limited spaces we prefer families to use the roadside parking during peak times. Families who walk to the setting can use the front entrance canopy as a temporary buggy parking otherwise should you prefer to keep the buggy at the setting you can use the buggy shelter at the rear of the building.