Staff Handbook 2022-23
Staff Handbook 2022-23
Staff Handbook 2022-23
2022-2023
Dear Colleagues:
A warm welcome to Chubby Cheeks Nursery. We hope your time at CCN will be a happy,
rewarding time of learning for both you and for your pupils. This Handbook has been
compiled to provide you with the necessary information about nursery procedures.
The Staff Handbook is available to all staff and reading it is important. If any of the
information is unclear, or if we have missed out anything that you feel you need to know,
please do not hesitate to ask your manager or the HR Manage, we are all here to help each
other. Please do not feel any question is too trivial. What you tell or ask us will enable us to
improve this Staff Handbook for future colleagues. Your perspective as a staff member is vital
in this process.
The information in this Handbook and other nursery policies are an important part of your
contract with us. Please read them carefully and make sure you are familiar with what is
required. All members of staff must follow these rules and regulations for the benefit of
students, staff and parents. They apply whenever you are in nursery and whenever you are
engaged in any nursery sponsored activity offsite.
Every day, we love to work and play, set new goals before
we start.
Yet, caring for each other, a most important part.
Such a caring sharing nursery depends on family and
friends.
Making friends, until the nursery day ends, help our team
to be the best.
Together, be the finest nursery. So little time to rest.
Fit and active, healthy, growing strong, busy moving all
day long.
Nursery Motto
Preparing for life
Mission Statement
It is imperative that at Chubby Cheeks Nursery we provide a multicultural environment that is conducive to the
development of each maximum potential and equip them to become responsible, socially well-
adjusted, future citizens who can make balanced informed decisions.
Vision Statement
It is our vision to be an outstanding international nursery committed to the culture of excellence, imparting the
tenets of the British National Curriculum to our Nursery students to prepare them for life. It is our vision to
development, and create a social and environmental awareness so that they become positive, contributing
members of society and the new world order and will be able to confidently meet the challenges they will face.
Statement of Purpose/Objectives
We prepare our students for life
To promote academic, personal, social and physical development in our students.
To encourage creativity in our students and ensure that each one gets an opportunity to develop their
interests.
To give enough opportunity for each child to develop their personality and gain self-confidence.
To ensure that each child makes steady progress and is motivated to do their best.
To foster a healthy sense of respect and tolerance toward people of different nationalities and cultures
and become compassionate individuals.
To create an innate awareness of the importance of sustaining their environment and surroundings and
to spread that awareness.
To learn the importance of solidarity and contributing towards causes that parents, the nursery
and society believe.
To appreciate that they are privileged to be able to learn and that learning enriches life.
Successful Learners
Confident Individuals
Responsible Citizens
Innovative Contributors
The staff is accountable to the children and community it serves and have a responsibility to carry-out their
professional duties mindful of the high regard and important position they hold in our community and society.
The expectation of the staff of Chubby Cheeks Nursery is to foster a culture of the highest professional standards.
and we are proud of what we do. There is an emphasis on mutual support through which we develop our shared
professionalism. We are reflective and adaptive in our practice. This is a safe place to make mistakes making
mistakes is a good way to learn! We are happy to try out new ideas, because we want to ensure that every child
Child Safeguarding Competencies for staff and volunteers who work with Children and Young People
The following competences are necessary:
Emotional Awareness
Aware of the range of emotions in self and others
Demonstrates empathy for the concerns of others
Listens to and understands directly and indirectly expressed feelings
Encourages others to express themselves openly
Manages strong emotions and responds constructively to the source of problems
Listens to personal comments without becoming defensive
In highly stressful situations, keeps own feelings in check, takes constructive action and calms others down
Has a range of mechanisms for dealing with stress, can recognize when to use them and does so
Shows respect for feelings, views and circumstances.
Self-awareness
Has a balanced understanding of self and others
Has a realistic knowledge of personal strengths and weaknesses
Can demonstrate flexibility of approach
Shows a realistic appreciation of the challenges of working with wide diversity of student needs
Ability to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people
Appreciates the significance of safeguarding and interprets this accurately for all individual children and
young people whatever their life circumstances
Has a good understanding of the safeguarding agenda
Can demonstrate an ability to contribute towards a safe environment
Is up-to-date with legislation and current events
Can demonstrate how to promote and proved
Shows a personal commitment to safeguarding children
Use of Language
Children are expected to speak English whenever in the nursery building, except in Arabic and Arabic Studies
classes. In the playground and dining room children are given freedom of choice so that their social development
is not impeded. Children in these cases switch from one language to another depending on the company they
are keeping.
Student Records
ctivities and
progress. The nursery has a policy for assessment, tracking, recording and reporting of National Curriculum
subjects and UAE Ministry of Education subjects that must be adhered to. Other records are left to the
professional discretion.
Key responsibilities
Teachers
ensure that they fully understand Chubby Cheeks Professional Code of Practice
ensure that they fully understand the requirements of their job specification
complete, forward as requested, and keep a copy of any required documentation in relation to their
performance and to performance appraisal
attend performance appraisal meetings with their line manager
Line Managers
ensure that they fully understand Chubby Cheeks Professional Code of Practice and ensure
that they are understood by those they manage
ensure that those they manage fully understand the requirements of their own job specification
complete, forward as requested, and keep a copy of any required documentation in relation to their
appraisee's performance
arrange first hand observation of practice
request, where necessary, information from other sources where this will make appraisal more
effective and accurate
arrange and attend performance appraisal meetings with their appraises
share information with the Manager about the performance of their appraises and make
recommendations for additional requirements for support or monitoring, or nonrenewal/termination
of an contract
Staff whose performance is judged to be unacceptable in any area throughout the year will be supported to
improve. Our aim is to
period and fail to respond to the support offered, contracts will be terminated or not renewed.
Where staff have completed a probationary period, but are still judged to be performing at an unsatisfactory
standard by the end of the performance appraisal cycle, their contracts will not be renewed for the following
year.
It is the responsibility of line managers to monitor performance and to identify at the earliest possible
opportunity any aspects of performance which do not meet the standard for acceptable performance. Where
this occurs, the following process will be implemented.
Step 1 - Meeting between the line manager and the appraisee. The line manager will outline her concerns, referring to
specific criteria in the professional standards, and the appraisee will have the opportunity to state her case and, where
possible, provide evidence to show that these criteria have been met. The appraisee will also be asked to suggest ways
in which the nursery can support her to improve
Step 2 - Meeting between the line manager and the HR Manager to discuss areas requiring support, the means of
providing such support as may be necessary, and suggested targets for improvement.
Step 3 - Meeting between the line manager and the appraisee. The line manager and the appraisee will agree targets
for improvement, the support offered, and a timeline. They will set a review date.
Step 4 - Review meeting. The line manager and the appraisee will meet to review the effectiveness of the support
implemented and the extent to which targets have been met. At this stage, if performance is deemed to be acceptable,
the normal performance appraisal cycle is resumed. If performance is deemed to be unacceptable, the support
programme continues as follows.
Step 5 - Meeting between the line manager and the HR Manager to draft an action plan, with target dates to support
the appraisee's improvement.
Step 6 - Meeting between the line manager and the appraisee. The line manager and the appraisee will agree an action
plan comprising SMART targets and detailing the support to be offered and dates to be achieved.
Step 7 - Ongoing review. The action plan will be reviewed fortnightly by the appraisee and the line manager. The line
manager will discuss the outcome of each review with the HR Manager. Targets and support will be extended or
amended as appropriate until such time as performance is deemed to be acceptable, at which time the normal
performance review cycle is resumed.
Step 8 - If performance is still deemed to be unacceptable at the end of the performance management cycle, the nursery
will not offer a contract for the following year.
Staff timings
In the morning check in at the biometric station located in the reception area.
The workday starts no later than 08:00 am and is finished as follows:
Teaching Assistant as dd
Two Saturdays will be required every month for all staff as per Rota given by the line manager
Dress Code
All staff (teaching and non-teaching) are required to professionally be dressed at all times to set a high standard
of personal appearance whilst at nursery or any outside nursery-related events. Staff attire should be respectful
and according to the culture and values of the UAE
This policy establishes the dress code required for all employees working at CCN
Loose fitting, modest, and professional clothing (blouses, skirts, pants), with closed shoes.
Smart business suit
Clean formal shoes (no sandals, no chappals or flip flops). Smart open shoes are acceptable.
Skirts should be at least knee-length.
Teaching Assistants are required to wear their Staff aprons with logo, black pants, and closed shoes.
Personal hygiene is equally important. Make sure there is no body odour, bad breath or smell of hair oil when
reporting to work. Some individuals may need to refresh themselves during the day so if required, carry your
deodorants, mouth fresheners, etc.
With the exception of earrings, any other body piercings and tattoos should not be visible.
A dress code for staff is a matter of some sensitivity and relies on personal judgement. Please remember:
Parent Meetings
Regular meetings are arranged in the middle and end of each term for parents to consult with
teachers.
Information Confidentiality
If a concern is shared by a parent to the nursery administration/teacher and the administration passes it
on to the teacher, please treat this information as confidential and do not discuss it with the parents or
students.
As part of the Professional Code of Practice, teachers must not speak to another staff member regarding
a concern they have in front of students.
Gossiping and discussion of political issues with students and among staff are not condoned at the
nursery.
Reporting to parents: written reports and consultation events:
All areas of concern must be discussed with the Manager before written reports are produced and consultation
times with parents are set.
Cluster Meeting
Each core will hold regular Cluster Meetings with their group of teachers with a focus on teaching and learning and any
areas that need to be addressed. These meetings form part of directed time and are to be attended by all staff.
Attending meetings is considered part of your daily responsibilities.
Lesson Plans
Each teacher is expected to keep long term and short-term plans. This assists with planning and also for when a
teacher is absent as it will assist the teacher who is covering the class.
Excursions
To bring greater depth and interest to topics, children are taken on trips in every year group which parents are
asked to pay for in addition to nursery fees. All children are expected to attend, as we consider such trips to be
valuable in devel Trip
Policy
student safety, there can be no exceptions as a lot of planning has gone into the trip. If the permission form is
not returned signed then the child will remain at nursery. The homeroom teacher will make arrangements to
ensure the student is assigned to another class in the nursery and work is provided. If there is a case where a
child may miss a field trip due to poor behaviour, etc. as determined by the teacher, the parent must be notified
with ample lead time.
All injuries that happen on nursery premises or whilst on a nursery trip, and the treatment given, should be
documented and the nursery Nurse notified. This also applies to accidents to staff.
Parents should be informed of incidents their child has been involved in. If a child receives a blow to the head
the Nurse must be informed immediately who will follow up with the parent. In notifying the parent it may not
mean that the parent has to come to the nursery, but the option to do so is offered
Administrative Arrangements/Policies/Procedures
Student Attendance
Student attendance is to be taken by the teacher and the Register is a legal document. Place it in the pocket
insside the classroom, it gets collected by an Admin member for audit purpose.
Teaching Timetables
Please keep to the planned and updated timetable. Timetables should be displayed in and outside the
classrooms.
Classroom Equipment use during the day and at the end of the nursery day
The class teacher is expected to leave their class in a reasonable condition which does not hinder the cleaning.
All electrical equipment should be turned off and resources returned to the appropriate
places. Children should be encouraged to clear their desks. Lights must be switched off
whenever the classroom is unattended and
happens.
Nursery Policies
Nursery policies are set out on Google Drive. It is the duty of each teacher to be familiar with nursery
policies and to apply them. They are updated once a year.
Staff should remain sensitive and take into account the wishes of the child, remembering that some children do
not wish to have their photograph taken.
It is good to take photos as it reminds students of the educational value of their field trip and also serves as
good evidence for the Nursery Development Plan. Ensure that all images are available for scrutiny in order to
screen for acceptability.
be able to justify the images made.
do not take, display or distribute images of pupils unless there is consent to do so.
Mobile phones should not be used in the class or when teaching or during student supervision.
Inventory List
The Facilities Manager will supply each member of staff with an equipment inventory list at the beginning of
each academic year and the staff member will be responsible to see that all the items are returned or left in the
classroom for checking at the end of the year.
Resources
Teaching resources and art supplies are available from the Stores. All items are required to be signed for when
receiving and returning them.
Nursery Expenditures
All nursery expenditures must be pre-authorized by the Management, in writing, in order to be reimbursed.
The objective of the policy is to provide a friendly and productive working environment for not only the children and
parents but also for all staff members. Staff absence, leave and attendance policy falls within the labour law and
Chubby Cheeks Nursery strives to provide a comfortable working environment to its employees.
ABSENCE
This policy is aimed to ensure that the nursery employees inform the Nursery Management about their
absence to ensure discipline and smooth running of the daily operations of the nursery.
Staff members are expected to report daily as per their work timings.
If by any reason, the staff member is unable to come to work, it is compulsory to inform either the Branch Manager, Deputy
Manager a day before or latest by 6:00am. They can inform them via Email, WhatsApp, Message or a Phone Call. Failure to
do so will result in double pay-cut of the employee.
3 days late leaving early will be result in half day salary deduction. 5 days late leaving early willbe result in one
day salary deduction.
To discourage long weekend absence, if any staff is absent on Friday, 2 days salary will be deducted (Friday & Saturday)
and if any staff is absent on Monday, 2 days salary will be deducted (Sunday & Monday).
ATTENDANCE
Working days at the nursery are Monday Friday. Nursery hours are 7:00 am 6:00 pm. Working hours for full day staff
are specified in their employment contract/offer letter agreed separately. Working hours for half day staff are from 8:00
am 2:30 pm.
All Staff must ensure to be present at the nursery before the children start arriving at 8:00 a.m.
Attendance is monitored through the Biometric at the reception and all staff must sign in and sign out every day. Failure to
sign in can result in staff being marked absent as all attendance will be compiled at day end every day.
All staff may be required to attend training/staff workshops, staff meetings, curriculum meetings, nursery events and other
similar activities, which are not held during work hours, these are to be observed as regular working days and hours by the
staff.
One Saturday will be required every month for teachers, nurse and bus monitors, management will inform the staff in advance.
Two Saturdays will be required every month for Teaching Assistants, deputy manager and manager; management will
inform the staff in advance
All Employees are entitled to 30 days of paid leave from September 2022 August 2023 which would bepaid as per
MOL.
First 6 months of service are considered as Probation period during which if any employee takes an OFF from work it
would be considered as unpaid leave even if they get a sick leave certificate for it.
To avail paid leaves, an employee must complete 6 months of service.
All leave dates should be submitted in Sep 2022 for approval.
Leave policy is only applicable for employees on CCN Labour card.
Maternity leaves cannot be clubbed and annual paid leaves or unpaid leaves.
NO leaves will be carry forwarded in any case.
Any holidays taken in middle of the term would be considered as Unpaid.
Unpaid / unapproved leave: To maintain high standards of care, we must follow staff child ratios. Hence on unapproved
AED / Teachers = 50 AED / Deputy Manager
= 75 AED / Nurse & Manager = 100 AED / Core Team = 150 AED) per day for days not worked will be paid by the employee
to compensate as penalty for Unpaid leaves.
Leaves cannot be clubbed and Paid leaves can only be taken as per the below mentioned scheduled others will be
considered as unapproved Leaves unless approved by Management.
Please note you cannot club your winter and spring breaks, and no carry forward is allowed.
Managers / Deputy Managers/ Core group can take their holidays as per the following schedule:
Oct / Nov = 7 days
Feb / May = 7 days
July Aug = 16 days
Teaching Assistants can take their holidays as per the following schedule:
Winter camp = 7 days
Emergency Leave
It is not acceptable for any member of the teaching or support staff to request leave of absence
during term time unless it is under exceptional circumstances. Emergency leave is something beyond your
control to anticipate, example.
Personal illness/injury
Medical emergency or personal matter relating to dependent or immediate family members
Death in the immediate family.
Immediate family means mother, father, siblings, spouse, children.
Chubby Cheeks Nursery Staff Handbook
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In case of the aforementioned emergencies, the staff member should phone the Manager immediately. In case
of emergencies where prior sanction cannot be obtained in the required format, the employee needs to inform
Manager / HR through phone or any other means of communication and necessary documentation needs to be
completed on the day of reporting back to duty with sufficient reasons for not reporting in advance in order to
arrange cover and delegation for the class/duties.
Compassionate Leave
The Nursery shall grant compassionate leave in case of death of family
members. 5 days - for spouse
3 days - for parent, child, sibling, grandchild or grandparents.
including weekends and public holidays, such leave cannot be en-cashed or accumulated. Sufficient
supporting documents are required to be submitted within 15 days of rejoining duty.
Maternity Leave Maternity Leave will be paid as per the Ministry of Labour laws
As per the needs of the day, teacher timetables may need to accommodate coverage internally
for those absent.
Lesson Cover Procedures
If a teacher is absent then a brief description of the day should
reference to: the structure of the day, personnel supporting in the class, resources being used, aims of the lessons
and reference to the planning displayed, children who need medication, children who may need special attention,
whether or not they are on duty. This note will enable the covering teacher to focus on the teaching.
The Staff Handbook and the Professional Code of Practice and Child Protection Policy along with other policies set
out the standards expected and the duty upon staff to abide by the principles of professional practice including
confidentiality, courtesy, collegiality, respect and integrity.
The Staff Handbook and nursery policies and procedures are aimed at maintaining the dignity of the profession and
the respect of other members of the community (students, colleagues, parents). In becoming an educator, you accept
Chubby Cheeks Nursery Staff Handbook
Page 17 of 19
a position of public trust; therefore, you shall cooperate with colleagues and parents to improve the nursery
community and ensure that students realize their full potential.
Please sign below to confirm you have received the Chubby Cheeks Nursery Handbook. By signing below, you pledge
to abide by the Staff Handbook, and other nursery policies and to accept full responsibility for any action that does
not comply with them.
There are some things that may not have been included in the Staff Handbook, if in doubt about something or you
have any questions or concerns, please forward them to the Head of your deputy Manager or the Manager .
Sincerely,
HR Manager
I acknowledge that I have received the CCN Handbook and that I am responsible for reading, understanding,
and following the rules and other information contained in this Handbook as well as other policies forwarded
to staff in official memos.
Signature
Date 25.01.2023
_________________________