Introduction/specifics

Motif

We are a Protestant after-school care centre under church sponsorship.

Our work is based on the Christian guidelines of the Protestant Church.

"In our after-school care centre, the Christian image of man is the basis of our pedagogical work. Therefore, we regard the children entrusted to us as creatures accepted by God, to whom we show love and respect in educational responsibility – regardless of their origin and cultural background.

We give the children time and space to be independent and develop their gifts and abilities. Children of all denominations are welcome to join us.

Our educational mission includes the teaching of Christian values and content, whereby children of other faiths are neither harassed nor disadvantaged. Through our dealings with each other, we try to convey a Christian image of humanity to the children. This includes the children learning to respect people of other faiths.

Rooms

Spatial design and use

The facility manager's office is located right next to the entrance area.

Group rooms/homework rooms:

2 group rooms are located along the right-hand side of the hall. Another group room is in the left-hand part of the day-care center. These rooms serve as a community space. The day-care center children eat lunch there, do their homework and can play together in various themed areas. In addition, the 4th graders have a separate room in which they can do their homework independently.

"Welcome" the children:

The registration area is in the entrance area. This is where the children arrive and are greeted by us. The arrival of each child is documented in a registration list and checked against an overview of the school times. This ensures that every employee is informed of the children's arrival and measures can be taken if they are absent, e.g. telephone calls to the school and legal guardians, scheduling the route to school and support from the police.

Activity rooms:

The after-school children also use 4 activity rooms. The rooms are furnished differently - based on the children's needs. Our after-school children design the rooms independently and in consultation with the staff.

Toilets: The sanitary rooms for boys and girls are located between the activity rooms. They have a total of 6 lockable toilets and 8 washbasins.

In addition, staff and guests each have access to a toilet room with a washbasin.

Kitchen:

The kitchen is in the left part of the after-school center. It is used exclusively as a warming kitchen. The rooms are cleaned daily by our housekeepers. Electrical devices, play equipment, toys and inventory are serviced and checked at regular intervals. Each room has an additional emergency exit.

Outdoor Facilities

Outdoor area

The outdoor area is directly in front of the after-school center. The children have two swings, a large sandpit, a climbing frame, three terraces (directly next to the group rooms) and a large open green area at their disposal.

Three days a week we also use the large open space of the chill box. Our cruisers, scooters and Drikes are often used in the alley. We regularly use the playground 50 m away. Next to the entrance gate there is a separate storage area for waste. The 3 garden houses are to the left and right of the building.

Daily Schedule

A day in our daycare!

6.30 a.m. - 7.30 a.m.

Before school starts, the children are looked after by us in the early shift. This gives them the opportunity to regain some strength and pursue their interests with small games or a rest period. Together we start the day harmoniously and calmly.

8 a.m. - 11 a.m.

We use this time for team meetings, parent and teacher meetings, visits to providers and preparations for interest groups and the current day.

from 11.15 a.m. - 1.20 p.m.

The children come home from school and can pursue their needs (play, spend time outside, do crafts, rest...) Homework supervision begins.

1.30 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Now the communal lunch begins. Clearing and wiping the tables is done by the respective shift. This is done by one child, who is chosen anew per table every day.

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

We then do homework with the children. The children who have already done their homework can play.

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Homework time ends at 3:30 p.m. The children now organize their free time independently until they are picked up or go home.

Food

Food and drink offers

Parents can book a balanced hot lunch for their child on a monthly basis. The cost is 4.20 euros per booked meal. Lunch is ordered fresh daily from a renowned catering company.

Parents have the option of choosing between a warm lunch and a snack.

The snack is brought daily by the childs. No food may be heated in the facility.

We offer the children the following drinks to choose from, among others:

• Water still, sparkling, medium
• various juice spritzers
• Tea

Basics

Pedagogical approach

Our day-care center is a family-supporting and family-complementing facility. Our mission is the education, upbringing and care of school children. In our facility we work according to the situation-oriented approach, taking into account the Christian guidelines of the Protestant Church.

The children eat their meals in fixed groups and do their homework. At the beginning of the school year, the children decide independently, after a trial phase, which caregivers and which group room they want to belong to.

During their free time, the children have the opportunity to organize their free time independently and autonomously in open play phases. The caregivers and activities offered are freely selectable. The children's needs, impulses and interests are taken into account. Each child is given their own development time. "Qualities" are offered that make them strong for life. The children should feel safe and accepted with us after the stressful school day and be able to enjoy their time with us.

You are important to me!

I take part in your life, I see you, I accept you as you are, I look after you, I listen to you, I support you...

I'm interested!

Questions are addressed. Together we look for answers. We take the children seriously.

I want to know!

The driving force for learning is curiosity. We want curiosity and support it.

I dare!

Children can pursue their own interests with us.

I have an idea!

We offer time, the opportunity and the freedom for their own forms of expression. The children develop their own initiative and imagination. They find their own ways and solutions, they become inventive and creative.

I belong here!

Shared play interests bring people together. Especially in play, the children plan together, argue with each other and learn to assert themselves, find compromises and make friends.

I have something to say!

Those who can express themselves verbally can communicate and are not ignored or ignored.

I have a task!

The children take on tasks in the community. In doing so, they take on responsibility for a common cause.

You will be trusted!

The children come together from different homes with different family, cultural and national backgrounds. What is still difficult in society is a matter of course for us. “Learn about each other and live together.”

Importance of play

“Playing is learning!” Every child is born with a play instinct; they play while eating, in their free time, at school, outside and inside, alone and with others. The child plays from morning to night.

By playing, the child explores its world. For the child, it means a pleasurable up and down of tension and relaxation.

In play, the child experiences its own self. It satisfies its need for external and internal order (size, shape, color, comparisons, putting together pairs).

Through play, the child learns basic attitudes such as order, care, devotion, patience, positive social behavior, such as consideration, being able to share, putting one's own wishes aside and distinguishing between yours and mine. They learn concentration and perseverance, to recognize opposites and connections.

Therefore, we create a pleasant, relaxed play atmosphere. We remain calm, correct, instruct and do not constantly intervene. We provide suggestions appropriate to the age. We allow the children peace, time to be alone, dawdle and dream. We let them experiment with things.

Employee

Staffing

T - Tolerance

E - Empathy

A - Acceptance

M - Together

We are a team of 9 educators, one of whom is a manager and 2 are on parental leave, as well as a socio-pedagogical assistant.

We are supported by a housekeeper with 30 hours, a housekeeper with 6 hours and a caretaker with 5 hours.

In addition, we supervise interns every year during their professional training.

Quality Assurance

Measures for quality assurance and development

Quality assurance is an integral and important part of our educational work.

We achieve it through:

- regular observation of group activities

- discussions during team meetings

- feedback to and from parents

- photo documentation

- excursions

- questionnaires for parents and children

- observation sheets for individual children

- further training and continuing education (internal and external)

Overview documentation of:

- presence and absence of children

- completed homework

- hygiene standards and tasks

- people authorized to drop off and pick up children (Appendix 10)

- medications or applications prescribed by doctors

Another important part of quality development is the further development of the concept. It is checked and updated at regular intervals. It is the flagship and represents the facility. This gives outsiders the opportunity to get an idea of ​​the facility. For the employees and the operator, the further development of the concept is proof of quality development.

Cooperations

The after-school care center is in regular contact with the city of Zirndorf in order to be able to coordinate the allocation of after-school care places.

The head of the facility regularly attends management meetings with other heads of after-school care centers. Current topics are discussed there under the guidance of the specialist advisor.

There is also contact with the following institutions:

• Youth Welfare Office

• Zirndorf elementary schools

• Daycare centers in Zirndorf

• Fire department

• Other after-school care centers (district and city of Fürth)

• Facilities under the same management

• Evangelical parish of St. Rochus

Teamwork with school

The shared mission of the school and the day-care center to educate and raise children requires close cooperation and coordination between both areas of life. There is regular contact between day-care center staff and teachers. The staff and teachers thus have the opportunity to exchange information about the work and support options for individual children (while observing confidentiality).

The schools inform the day-care center if there are school closures. If possible, we take over supervision in the event of school closures from the end of lessons. If this is not possible, we inform the parents and the schools in good time.

Teamwork with parents

Educational partnership

We are an institution that complements and supports families. Our educational work only becomes valuable when parents and daycare go down the path of education, upbringing and care together. Parental skills are a great asset to our daily work. That is why a trusting, cooperative collaboration with parents is very important to us.

For the employees, all parents are welcome guests in the institution. However, the focus of our work is on the children and their needs. Communication between parents and employees grows through constant interaction and can be encouraged.

To ensure that the child feels supported by both sides in their upbringing and development, we place importance on the following points:

•  - Regular communication with parents (in person, in writing, by post, email, leaflets)
•  - Announcement of information (by email, letter, children, personal conversation) e.g. holiday plan, celebrations
• - Parents' evenings
• - Parents' meetings (How is the child?; Do we need to change something?;...)
• - Family outing/family day (for a sense of togetherness, community)
• - Parents' council (new elections and participation in activities, creating a basis of trust between parents and staff)
• - Triangular meetings (parents-teachers-educators)
• - Consultations
• - Integration into everyday life (parents' visits to the day-care center, observation)

Only through mutual trust and building on one another can a loving environment be created!

Feedback geben.

Specifics

Swimming is fun – if you can do it

Fewer and fewer children of primary school age can swim safely. The Corona pandemic has exacerbated this problem even further. That's why we launched our swimming project. We (Claudia and Elisabeth) are both lifeguards. What was initially just a spontaneous idea of ours has now developed into a permanent offer/project in our after-school care centre.

Swimming is not only fun, but also promotes health and self-confidence. However, the element of water also harbours dangers. Therefore, it is all the more important that we discuss the bathing rules again and again before each swimming lesson, which is also the basic requirement for passing a swimming badge.

Our after-school children have already achieved many new seahorse and youth swimming badges in bronze in our beautiful Zirndorf Bibertbad with a lot of ambition and pride.

Of course, we also have a lot of fun in the water or on the diving towers and at the end of the lesson it is sometimes difficult for us to get the children out of the water. At the end of the swimming project, each child receives a certificate for successful participation. We are already looking forward to many more swimming lessons and badges.

Interested parents will learn more details about this project at the first parents' evening.

Holiday Care

Holiday activities

The holiday planning of our day-care center is very important. Not only the holiday plan deserves attention, our holiday service is also very good. There are few holiday closing days in our day-care center except for the Christmas holidays and 2-3 weeks during the summer holidays.

When selecting our excursions, we attach great importance to variety between educational activities, fun and games.

When drawing up the holiday plans, the wishes and suggestions of our children are always taken into account and taken into account.

With us, children find this time particularly relaxing, experience highlights when exploring the environment and some experiences would not have been possible for some outside of the day-care center. Here they experience the balance to the often stressful school day. We experience the children more intensively, our holiday plans are lively, colorful and unique. For us, holiday time is intensive day-care work and optimal implementation of educational work. Our parents have the opportunity to take part in our holiday program at any time. This allows relationships between them to be intensified and a good parenting partnership to develop.

Examples:

• Cycling tours
• Swimming pool
• Hiking in nature
• Ice skating
• Museum visits
• After-school activities
• Water playground
• and much more Leisure activities during

after-school activities

Usually during the Whitsun holidays or the summer holidays we go on an after-school activity together for a week. Here too, the destination is discussed and worked out together in the spirit of participation.

Our goals:

• Children have fun, relaxation and adventure I sleep in a room with my friends.
• Varied program I have “parent-free time”.  
• Through group experiences, the children get to know each other better.
• The relationships between them are strengthened and consolidated through shared experiences.
• I play a key role in the selection and organization.
• New friendships are formed.
• The bonds with the educators are strengthened and intensified.
• I get to know my fellow human beings more intensively and learn to assess other people.
• The children discover a new environment and find their way around it.
• I learn to read city maps.
• I find my way around the public transport network. I
• discover cultural differences (behavior patterns, dialects...)
• I discover cities that I only know by name or pictures.
• The children manage their everyday lives independently.
• I pay attention to my personal hygiene and wash myself every day.
• I keep things tidy and clean my room.
• I put on new clothes and underwear every day.
• I pack my backpack every day to suit the destination.
• I prepare breakfast and a packed lunch every morning.
• I pay attention to how hungry I am and pack enough.
• I divide my pocket money for the week myself.
• I learn to make my own bed and pack my suitcase myself at the end.

The travel costs are to be paid by the parents.

They vary depending on the number of children, destination (accommodation in a youth hostel) and travel costs. The travel price must be paid in cash no later than four weeks before departure. Parents also have the option of paying for the after-school camp in installments. The price includes: 4x overnight stays with full board and the train ride. The entrance fees are financed from the proceeds of our Advent booth and other donations.

If parents use the participation and education package from the job center, they can apply for the travel costs at the job center. The trip is usually paid for in full.

All children have the opportunity to take part in our holiday camps. Together we find solutions and ways to make this possible. Children from financially weak families also have the opportunity to explore a more distant holiday destination or to generally enjoy a holiday.

Homework Support

Under supervision, the children have the opportunity to do their homework independently in the after-school care center. We offer a calm, learning-friendly atmosphere through various auxiliary materials, such as noise-cancelling headphones, beanbags, play money, dictionary, non-fiction books, etc. We are reliable companions and provide assistance or try to find an individual solution with the child. When checking homework, it is important to us that the children have completed their homework carefully, completely and correctly to the best of their ability. They are given an appropriate amount of time (11.30 a.m. - 3.30 p.m.) to do this.

Homework can be abandoned if it is not completed within the allotted time. Reasons for abandonment: homework is not understood, homework was too extensive, child has not developed a regular work pace, the child is picked up early or is taking part in an interest group.

It is important to us that parents regularly look at their children's school and homework books. Only written homework is done in the after-school care center. The staff maintain contact and exchange with the school without relieving the parents of this task.

It is the parents' responsibility to check that homework is complete and to study or read with their child.

Overview

Our facility provides childcare for 75 children of school age. The target group are parents who see us as a family-supporting and complementary facility in the education, care and upbringing of their children.

Admission criteria:

• Children of school age

• Children from all Zirndorf primary schools

• Children who attend the Elisabeth Krauß School

Description and Stations

The after-school care centre is located in a traffic-calmed location in Kneippallee.

It is within easy walking distance of all schools in Zirndorf. This ensures that the children have a safe way to school.