TISA Nursery

Information for Parents

TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE NURSERY.................................................................................. 2
ADMISSIONS.................................................................................... 2
THE PROGRAMME............................................................................3
NURSERY EVENTS............................................................................3
PRACTICAL INFORMATION................................................................4
TO BRING TO THE NURSERY..............................................................4
TO LEAVE AT HOME..........................................................................4
CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR..............................................................4
SNACKS AND LUNCH TISA has a NO NUTS food policy.......................5
HEALTH AND SAFETY........................................................................6
COMMUNICATION............................................................................. 7
MEET THE NURSERY STAFF...............................................................7

TISA Nursery
Information for Parents
Welcome to TISA Nursery! We look forward to getting to know you and your
child during your time at TISA. Please read through this booklet for some
important information which we hope will answer many of your questions
THE NURSERY
First established in 2004, the TISA Nursery
offers a programme and a learning
environment that is structured to meet the
needs of 2 and 3 year olds. From the age of
two, children are ready to participate in more
structured activities within a safe and caring
environment. A well-structured and managed
nursery programme can bestow numerous
benefits on our children in terms of their
communication
skills,
self-confidence,
curiosity, creativity and respect for others. Drawing on the professional
experience of our teachers and teacher assistants, it is our aim at TISA Nursery
to bring out the best in your children.
Brief history. Two mothers originally created the TISA Nursery as Baku
Toddler Klub (BTK) with support from both BP and TISA. Early in 2006, to
ensure a sustainable future for both the Klubs children and staff, a decision
was taken for the Baku Toddler Klub to become part of TISA. In August 2007,
BTK completed the integration by relocating to Stonepay. In 2015, BTK was
renamed TISA Nursery.
ADMISSIONS
Children are eligible to join the Nursery when they turn 2 years old. However,
considering the individual development of each child, we reserve the right to
recommend a later start if deemed necessary. This is to ensure a positive
settling in of your child into our routines.
We usually do not accept new enrolments in Term 3 of the current school year,
but if the child is already 3 years old and will move up to P1 the following
school year, consideration will be given, subject to availability of space in the
Nursery.
Children can continue attending the Nursery until they are eligible to join P1 at
TISA Early Learning Centre (ELC). The cut-off date for children to be able to
start in P1 is September 1st. This means that a child must be 3 years old before
September 1st of the following school year.
There are three terms to a school year, with each term running for
approximately three months. Please refer to the whole school calendar for
dates of school events and when school is closed for all students (eg. public
holidays, professional days, planning afternoons, etc.)
In August and January of the current school year, the Nursery operates a
staggered start to ensure that every child receives individual attention in the
settling in phase during the first days of school.
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TISA Nursery
Information for Parents
Admissions Process. If you wish for your child to join the Nursery, please
visit the schools website www.tisa.az and download the required forms to
complete. For further information, please contact Ms Farida, the Nursery Office
Administrator, at nursery@tisa.az. Every effort will be made to meet the
demands for places in the Nursery but should it becomes necessary to start a
waiting list, priority will be given to staff members BP and other oil companies.
THE PROGRAMME
Morning Session: The Nursery Morning Session is open Monday to Friday
from 8:25am to 12:30pm, TISA term-time only. We offer 40 morning places
with different attendance options, as follows:

5 mornings: Monday to Friday

3 mornings: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
2 mornings: Tuesday, Thursday

Instruction is in English and our session is made up of a mixture of indoor free

play, structured activities (such as crafts, painting, story/circle time) and
outdoor play.
In the childs first week at the Nursery, parents may
stay with their child for about 15 minutes; after
that, we kindly request parents and caregivers to
leave the Nursery after saying a brief and cheerful
good-bye to their child, with a promise that you will
return to pick her/him up when school is finished.
We also request parents to please drop off their
children at the Nursery no later than 9:00 am during
their first week of school, to ensure a smooth start
into our daily routine.
Afternoon Club Session: The Afternoon Club is open to children currently
attending Nursery ages 2 and a half years and older, and to P1 and P2 in the
ELC. The P1s arrive at the Nursery at around 12.20pm, and the P2s join in at
around 2:10pm. Both P1 and P2 children walk from the ELC to the TISA Nursery
accompanied by ELC and Nursery teacher assistants. In cases of bad weather,
a school bus is arranged for the childrens transportation.
Weather permitting, your child will be outside for a time each day in the
playground and garden area. The Nursery is within a secure and wellmaintained facility so you need not have any concerns except for the
occasional bumps and bruises that may occur in active play between children.
A copy of our Morning Session and Afternoon Club daily timetables are enclosed
in this information booklet.
NURSERY EVENTS
There are four Nursery celebrations throughout the school year:
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TISA Nursery
Information for Parents

International Day (September)

Winter/Christmas Party (December)
Novruz Celebration (March)
End of the year Party (June)

The exact dates of these events will be announced well in advance to give
parents time to prepare. We also include our Afternoon Club children who take
part in our programme in these gatherings.
We warmly invite parents to join us in these celebrations and encourage them
to actively take part in the preparations leading up to these events.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
TO BRING TO THE NURSERY
Please provide your child with these items when they come to the Nursery:
- water bottle
- a small backpack/zippered bag with spare clothes
- hat that fits well (not too big or too tight please, otherwise your child
wont want to wear it )
- sunscreen lotion in the summer (please apply on your child before he/she
comes in the morning)
- nappies and wet wipes (if your child still needs them)
- lunch pack (if your child is having lunch at the Nursery)
IMPORTANT: Please make sure all items are clearly labelled with your
childs name.
TO LEAVE AT HOME
- jewellery, wrist watch, hair pins/clips
- lip gloss
- sweets, candies
- pacifiers /dummies (If need be, these are
allowed in the settling-in period.)
- personal toys, security blankets (These can
be easily misplaced or mixed up with others
toys in the Nursery, causing children to
become upset. However, bringing in a cuddly
toy that would help your child in the settlingin period is allowed.)
CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR
Clothing and footwear should always be weather-appropriate.
sure all items are clearly labelled with your childs name.

Please make

Clothing. Please have your child wear comfortable clothes that do not restrict
movement and are easy for him/her to put on and take off independently.
We strongly recommend that children wear:
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TISA Nursery
Information for Parents
-

sweatpants, trousers with elastic waistband

shorts with elastic band in the summer months

comfortable t-shirt (short or long sleeves, as appropriate)

footless tights/leggings with socks. These are better than tights that
cover the feet so if your childs feet get wet, he/she will only need to
change their socks.

easy-to-wash clothes, as your child will be active and involved in various

activities (painting, playing outside, eating, etc.)

The following are not ideal for children to wear, as they restrict movement,
uncomfortable, or difficult for them to do independently:
-

dresses and skirts. Although they look nice on girls, they are rather
impractical and especially not safe for climbing and
other physical activities.
jeans, trousers/shorts with buttons, zippers, and belts
woollen tights/thermal underwear during winter months.
We keep the room temperature comfortable year-round,
so one layer of clothing is sufficient.
Footwear. Outdoor shoes These are
the shoes your child wear to and from school and when
outside in the playground. They should be closed-toe and
offers good support to allow all play activity that involves
climbing, running, and jumping.
Shoes with Velcro
fastening, not laces, are ideal, so your child will be able
to put them on independently. Shoes with straps or
sandals (crocs) in the summer months are appropriate.

Indoor shoes Your child does not need

Nurserys flooring is carpeted, and the
pleasant temperature.

indoor shoes as the

room
has
a

Boots/wellingtons Please bring a pair of

your child to wear when playing on the
gardening. We will keep them in your
the duration of the school year.

boots/wellies
for
sand pit and when
childs cubby for

SNACKS AND LUNCH TISA has a NO NUTS food policy.

Snacks. The children at the Nursery will be given a mid-morning snack and
drink each day consisting of sliced fruit, vegetable, yoghurt, bread, cheese
cubes and water. For Afternoon Club children, an afternoon snack will also be
served. If your child has any food allergies, please make sure you note them
down on the health form provided upon enrolment of your child to the Nursery,
and rest assured that we seriously take this information into account.
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TISA Nursery
Information for Parents
Lunch. If you want your child to have lunch at the Nursery, please send in a
packed lunch along with your child in the morning. If your child prefers a hot
lunch, we will be able to warm it up as the Nursery has a microwave oven in
the kitchen. Please be reminded of TISAs school-wide NO NUTS food
policy.
During snacks and lunch times, although teacher assistants on duty will be at
hand to help your child with his/her food, we encourage children to develop
self-help skills, including self-feeding. We therefore ask parents to please send
in lunches that your child can easily manage on his/her own, such as boneless
meat, small sandwiches, cut up fruits/vegetables, mashed potatoes, etc.
Birthday celebrations. Parents are welcome to bring in a cake or cupcakes
(no nuts please) to celebrate your childs birthday with his/her friends at the
Nursery. Kindly inform us at least a day in advance. We will sing our birthday
song during circle time and the children will enjoy the cake at snack time. Each
birthday celebrant will receive a book as present from the Nursery, courtesy of
the PTA.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Feeling Safe and Secure. Your childs safety is our utmost concern. Our
staff members are experienced child minders and regularly attend childoriented first-aid training delivered by the SOS Clinic medical staff. In addition,
BP Health and Safety personnel also conduct regular visits to the Nursery to
ensure that we consistently meet their health and safety standards.
Medical considerations. Please do not send your child to the Nursery if they
are unwell and have the following ailments:
- temperature exceeding 37.5oC/100oF
- diarrhoea
- vomiting
- rash
- bad cough
- communicable disease (conjunctivitis or pink eye, chicken pox, etc)
If your child needs to take medication while in school, please take the medicine
to the school clinic located in the Primary School building. Please ensure that
the medicine is clearly labelled with your childs name and the required
dosage. The school doctor will administer the medicine to your child.
In the event of a medical emergency, our trained staff will administer the
required first aid while parents are being contacted. In cases requiring
treatment beyond the usual first aid measures, we will take children directly to
SOS Clinic using an ambulance service if necessary. A first aid trained staff
member will stay with the child until a parent arrives.
In case of minor accidents or injuries, parents will be informed and the incident
will be noted in the Nurserys accident logbook.
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TISA Nursery
Information for Parents
Releasing Children. Children will not be released
to anyone other than their parents or designated
drivers/nannies.
Should you change pick-up
arrangements for your child, please inform the
Nursery, or in some cases, both Nursery and the ELC
(for P1 and P2 children in the Afternoon Club).
Absences. If your child will not be coming to the
Nursery, please call or send an email to let us know.
In cases where your child will not attend the Nursery for a prolonged period,
please also inform us and, where possible, let us know when you expect your
child to return to school. Please note that it is not allowed to temporarily
assign your childs place in the Nursery to another student during your childs
prolonged absence.
Behaviour.
We at the Nursery know that children in this age group go
through emotional changes. Separation from parents and being in a new
environment is challenging and even confusing for them. Emotional outbursts
are typical reactions to such situations as your child tries to take control of
his/her actions, feelings, and impulses.
Whilst we acknowledge that children in this age group will not always behave in
a rational, logical and grown-up like manner, there are simple classroom rules
that we encourage the children to follow and understand, to ensure a safe and
secure learning environment for everyone.
When necessary, we intervene in childrens arguments, assist them in solving
conflicts, and help them understand how their actions affect the feelings of
others. We enforce positive behaviour and make this topic a regular feature in
our circle times. In cases of behavioural issues involving biting, hitting or
pinching, parents of children involved will be informed immediately to discuss
the matter.
If there are areas of concern in the childs general or specific development, the
Nursery teacher will closely monitor and observe the child, take notes, and if
necessary, consult with the TISA Learning Support Coordinator. The teacher
will then invite the parents to a meeting to discuss further steps to ensure the
best possible support for the child.
COMMUNICATION
TISA Nursery Contact Information. We strongly believe in the importance
of parents as partners in your childs journey of learning. Please feel free to
contact us if you have any issues or concerns you wish to discuss.
Nursery Office telephone number: (012) 497 72 83
Email address: nursery@tisa.az
Nursery Manager:

Racquel Haverkamp

rachaverkamp@tisa.az
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TISA Nursery
Information for Parents
Office Administrator:

Farida Guliyeva

nursery@tisa.az

Your Up-to-date Contact Information. It is vital that the Nursery has

current home address, email address and telephone numbers. Please inform
the Nursery if you change any of your contact information.
Nursery Newsletter. This will be sent out to all parents every Friday. Please
read the Newsletter as they contain important information.
Aug 2016

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