Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Here are answers to your questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What programs does LPP Nursery offer?

We are open from Sunday to Thursday, from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. Parents may chose the most convenient timings

From 7:30 am – 1:00 pm
From 7:30 am – 3:00 pm
From 7:30 am – 5:30 pm

From 2 years old, children fully benefit from our program and better settle down when enrolled on the 5 days program. However, we offer 2, 3 or 4 days enrollment options for children below 2 years old if necessary.

How many months is the nursery open per year?

Our school year is divided into three terms

Term 1: September – December
Term 2: January – March
Term 3: April – June

We run holiday camps during summer, spring and winter holidays. In essence, the nursery is open throughout the year, except during weekends, public holidays and renovation works (One week in summer).

How do you communicate a child’s progress to parents?

An exceptional interactive system is in place to enhance teacher/parent/management daily communication: daily child updates, news feeds, picture sharing, events, children attendance, and much more. The application can easily be downloaded on smart phones.

Monthly Newsletters are e-mailed to parents and provide a detailed summary of activities, a guide for upcoming topics/events and articles of general news and interests.

Parent-Teacher Conferences (PTCs) are held once per term and give parents the opportunity to meet teachers, discuss their child’s progress and be provided with the termly report.

Parents are welcome to contact us at any time. We are open to suggestions and look forward to their keen participation in our activities.

What is your discipline policy?

Our objective is to provide a positive and consistent environment in which children are able to play and learn. Also, we work in partnership with parents by communicating and offering support, especially when dealing with behavior issues.

It is recognized that all children behave in different ways and that changes in behavior are usually the result of a change in their environment or a developmental stages. For instance, biting is common amongst children from 18 months to 2 years old and over

Our Approach: ‘Rewards are better than punishment’, so we prefer

Creating a caring learning environment
Encouraging good behavior
Dealing with undesirable behavior in a positive manner

How do you help children during the adaptation period?

The first day at nursery can be a daunting prospect for both parents and children. At Le Petit Poucet Nursery, we provide professional advice and will ensure that your family’s experience of nursery is a happy one from the start.

Shorter timings for the first 3 days
We believe that an adaptation period is essential. We advise that new students only attend the nursery a couple hours per day for the first three days in order to come to terms with the loss and benefits that the separation with parents’ means, accepts it, and builds up confidence.

TIPS

First experience at the nursery
1. We encourage parents to spend time at the nursery with their child when they come for a tour. On the first day, it is recommended that you avoid spending more than ten minutes with your child, or he/she will expect that you stay longer.
2. Never leave your child without saying good-bye to your child
3. Create hello and good-bye rituals. It might be as simple as giving your child a giant hug before you leave or a Hello when you enter the room. You may kneel near him/her, smile, open your arms wide, and softly call his name. Having rituals offers both of you the comfort of knowing what to do.
4. Bring familiar items from home such as a welcome family photo, a preferred teddy bear, etc.
5. Always communicate. Changes that seem minor to us can be significant to young children and may impact on their behavior and capacity to handle separation. Please let the Teacher know if there have been any changes at home such as live-in visitors, a new pet, siblings, an ailing parent, close family member, etc.
6. Stay strong and positive, and expect few tears during the first few days.

How is your language program structured?

We ensure children possess a strong foundation in French and a satisfactory understanding of the language before starting the French/English program. Therefore, our language program is divided as below :

3 months – 2 years : French focused program with a minimum of English
2 – 3 years : Two options
- A-70% French / 30% English – Weekly Arabic class
- B-50% French / 50% English – Weekly Arabic class
3 – 6 years : 50% French / 50% English – Weekly Arabic classes (Once or twice per week)

Who looks after my child in the nursery?

A main qualified native teacher is present in each classroom. She is responsible for teaching and learning, and she is assisted by a classroom assistant and an assistant teacher, depending on the child/adult ratio. Additional Language teachers have specific schedules and visit the class between 08:00 am and 01:00 pm. Infants from 3 to 12 months old are supervised by a teacher and a DHA licensed nurse. Our teaching staff undergo continuous professional development as assigned by the management.

Do you cater for children with special needs?

We are committed to offering an inclusive curriculum to ensure progress of all children. However, enrollment depends on whether we can accommodate the child and cater for his/her needs. We always aim to do what is in the child’s best interest.

What is an appropriate meal for my child to bring? Does the nursery provide meals?

Meal breaks are very important moments of a child’s school day. They bring awareness about balanced nutrition, help develop good table manners, social skills, and provide additional opportunities to interact with teachers as well as other children. During this time, children copy one another and tend to eat what their peers are eating. This is the perfect time to encourage them to try new foods.

If you wish to prepare your child’s lunch, we would recommend that you include a balance of proteins, carbohydrates and vegetables (Few ideas : sliced fresh fruits, mixed salad, crackers, yoghurt, cheese, fish, meat, pasta, etc.) Please note that we are a chocolate and peanuts-free nursery.

Alternatively, you may register your child for balanced and fresh school meals provided by an external company of a high repute.