Report on

PLAN FOR PRE-SCHOOL

Prepared for:

Pratham IGNOU Community College

Prepared By:

Mayuri Gathe

1st year PGDM, Institute for Technology and Management

Approved by:

Mr. Smitin Brid

Date: 10th

Jan 2012

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the submitted report entitled “ PLAN FOR PRE-SCHOOL” is an

original work done by Mayuri Gathe under my supervision.

Place: Mumbai. Signature:

Date: 10th

January 2012.

(Mr. Smitin Brid )

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Prof. Nanda Gole and Mr. Smitin Brid,

for giving me an opportunity to research about the preschools in India by giving a

report on PLAN FOR PRE-SCHOOL.

This Project is great source of learning and a good experience, as it made me

aware of situation of pre school and competitiveness in this business.

DATE: 10th

January 2012

PLACE: Mumbai Mayuri Gathe

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Options for setting up a pre school

3. Permission to start up a pre school

4. Name your school

5. Finding a location

6. Financing your business

a) Private sources

b) Commercial banks

c) Venture capitalist

d) Government agencies

e) Other sources

7. Preschool budget a) Start-up budget

b) Operating budget

8. Setting up fees

9. Playschool infrastructure

a) Rooms

b) Outdoors

10. Samples of Pre School

11. Management department

a) Director/Manager

b) Finding and hiring staff

(1)Steps in hiring staff

(2)Recruiting staff

(3)Determining staff size

(4)Settling working hours

(5)Establishing salaries

12. Preparing centres

a) Safety

b) Equipments and material

c) Setup

d) Storage

13. Courses

a) Craft ideas

b) Play centres

c) Music for education

d) Learning activities

e) Necessary skills

14. Facilities

15. Playschool curriculum

a) Montessori method

b) Reggio Emilia Approach

c) Waldorf Kindergarten

16. Admission procedure

a) Parent interview

b) Application form

c) Documents required

17. Forms, receipts and paper work

18. Day in a play school

19. Caring for children

20. Promotion

a) Web designing

b) Brochure

21. Marketing

1. INTRODUCTION

Owning and operating a child care business can be a very challenging and

rewarding career. Success in this field requires dedication, love and patience.

The work day is longer than a normal eight-hour day, but the satisfaction of

watching children grow and develop will be worth the extra effort.

If you are interested in starting a child care business, this publication will help you

plan, prepare and operate your business. It explains the step-by-step process of

starting the business, from assessing the need for child care services to selecting

the service, setting up your business and preparing for opening day.

A sample business plan outline for child care businesses is included, in addition to

a sample parent survey, a typical undergraduate curriculum in early childhood

instruction, general resources and a list of related national organizations.

2. OPTION FOR SETTING UP A PRE-SCHOOL

Many play schools have come up in recent times. The different ways adapted by

people are:

1) Choosing a Preschool / Play school Franchisor. There are as many as 100

franchisors offering their brand name and support to those who want to start a play

school in India. But the benefit of going for a franchisor is not, what the

Franchisors generally communicate to prospective franchisees.

2) Play school Consultancy. There are many play school consultants available,

who can help you in setting up your preschool with your own brand name.

They provide guidance about location, equipment, curriculum and promotion and

offer support.

3) Consulting a play school owner. You can get good guidance from a friend

or relative who has a successful running play school. They can advise you

on budget, costs incurred, safety measures, teacher recruitment and many others.

Be sure that you get continuous support from them.

3. PERMISSION TO START UP A PRE-SCHOOL

Many people aspiring to start a preschool are worried about the legal permissions

and conditions involved in setting up a preschool. Here’s the good news for all of

them!

In India there are no rules and regulations for starting a play school, preschool or a

day care centre. So if you feel capable of setting a good play school, then there are

no legal issues you have to face.

4. NAME YOUR SCHOOL

Choose a unique and attractive name for your school. Remember that, the name is

the first thing a parent notices in your play school. You can get this name

registered. You can then choose a good logo that goes well with your name and

concept of school.

5. FINDING A LOCATION

An ideal location for a play school would be a place in a residential area with

sample space outside filled with greenery. Usually play schools require a minimum

area of 900 sq. ft to no actual upper limit.

An independent house, duplex house, a full fledged building will all prove to be a

good location.

Commercial and traffic filled areas should never be opted for preschools. A serene

and natural environment around the school would be a boon.

The cost of the centre itself, especially for a location outside your home, will be

one of your major start-up expenses. Many child care providers operate from their

homes, but you may want to build, buy or rent space for your centre.

Operating a Centre outside Your Home

Finding adequate space and the right location requires money, time and thought.

Look for space that is accessible and will require few, if any, repairs.

Sources of information on possible locations include

Classified real estate advertisements

-- Homes for rent or sale.

-- Apartments for rent or sale.

-- Condominiums for rent or sale.

-- Boarded-up space.

Local industry

-- Ask public relations offices if they have space to rent or donate.

-- Approach commercial contractors about new commercial and residential space.

-- Ask local government officials about space in their buildings for donation or rent.

Property management companies

-- Find out if there is any space in office buildings.

If you are not building your own centre, in most cases some changes will be

needed. Renovation can involve projects ranging from painting to rewiring or

major plumbing, which often become very expensive.

Occupancy (space) costs include utilities, maintenance and repair expenses and

insurance. To help estimate these expenses, do some preliminary research.

Utilities

-- Project utility costs based on last year's costs plus inflation. If a deposit is

required or opening a utility account, how much will it be? Will your account be

based on commercial (business) rates or private home rates?

Maintenance and repair

-- Plumbing, wiring, roofing and outside and inside walls.

-- Cleaning supplies and equipment.

-- Snow removal, if required.

-- Trash removal.

-- Lawn mowing.

-- Insect control.

Insurance

-- Do you need liability or fire and theft insurance? A fidelity bond?

Operating a Canter from Your Home

Operating a child care centre outside your home is very costly, and may not be

financially feasible for most child care providers. As a matter of fact, many very

successful child care centres are located in the homes of the providers. The

advantages of operating a centre from your home are

Fewer expenses.

Convenience for the provider and generally for the parents.

Lower overhead.

More flexible hours.

Proximity for provider to his or her family.

There are, however, certain safety regulations that may require changes to the

rooms you will be using.

You also are required to have adequate insurance protection for the centre. If you

don't have them already, you will need fire and theft insurance for your home. If

you have insurance, make sure your policy covers the supplies and equipment that

you purchase.

6. FINANCING YOUR PLAN

With an investment of 5 lacks or more, one can start a preschool in India. Many

popular school chains offer franchise units to establish a branch. The deciding

factor is not the low capital required, but the space. Even that has been taken care

of by acquiring a leased property.

To further assist the entrepreneur, banks and financial institutions provide loans to

help in starting the business. In cities personal loans of amount 3 to 5 lacks are

provided without any mortgage and in just a week or so.

Getting funding for your business can pose a problem, especially if you don't know

where to go or whom to see.

There are many sources for financing your centre. However, that financing

depends on whether you are beginning a nonprofits or for-profit organization.

These sources of financing can be divided into five categories:

private sources, venture capitalists, commercial banks, government agencies and

other sources.

a) Private Sources

Private sources include your own savings or funds from friends or relatives, and

are among the most common methods of financing.

The advantages of using your own money are

(1) there are no finance charges .

The disadvantages are

(1) you lose the interest you could be earning on your money and

(2) you lose the use of your savings as a cushion for any future emergencies.

The advantages of borrowing from friends and relatives are

(1) they are less likely to make demands on your style of management,

(2) there is no legal limit on how much you can borrow and

(3) the terms of borrowing can be negotiated and usually are more flexible than

those of commercial sources.

b) Commercial Banks

All banks have a commercial division. Since the banking industry was deregulated,

many savings and loan associations also engage in commercial banking. All

commercial banks offer business loans -- both short-term and long-term -- at

prevailing interest rates.

When applying for money from a bank or individual investor, show a willingness

to invest your own money. You must be willing to risk your assets if you expect

others to risk theirs.

c) Venture capitalist

venture capitalists are the most unlikely to finance your centre; they tend to invest

in growth firms rather than start-up businesses because of the significant long-term

capital appreciation and the high yields generated on investment returns.

d) Government Agencies

Local government agencies offer special financial assistance to small businesses.

Many loan programs, administered under government guidelines and funded by the

government, are available. Each program is designed to assist a special type of

business.

e) Other Sources

Credit unions and life insurance companies also can be a source of funds. Credit

unions offer personal loans to members, usually at interest rates lower than those

of commercial banks.

Insurance companies will often loan money against a life insurance policy for up to

95 percent of the policy value. Their interest rates also are generally lower than

those charged by commercial banks. Interest payments may be deferred as long as

your premium payments are made. But until the loan is repaid, your coverage will

be reduced by the amount of the loan.

7. PRE-SCHOOL BUDGET

Setting your budget is the most important step in starting any business.

If your operation is to succeed, you'll need a sound budget, i.e., a plan that provides

a realistic projection of actual estimated expenses and income.

Preparing both a start-up budget and an operating budget will tell you what you

will spend, now and in the future, and where the money will come from for starting

and operating your centre.

Most important, these budgets will indicate whether your projected income will

meet your expenses.

Your money should accommodate the following necessities. Though this list is not

complete, it gives an overall idea about the minimum requirements.

Location and building cost (Lease / Rent)

Play school set up cost (includes indoor, outdoor and other equipment)

Curriculum

Paper Work for office purpose like, receipts, fees, forms, report cards.

Teachers’ training and staff salaries

Marketing / Promotion costs

Transport facility

Web development costs

Do keep a good margin between the money you want to spend on setting up

a preschool and the money you can invest (the former being lesser). This is

because you can never predict when indispensable expenses turn up.

a) Start-up Budget

The first step to building a sound financial plan is a start-up budget. This will

usually include such one-time costs as major equipment, renovation, utility

deposits and down payments.

Additionally, your start-up budget should include at least 60 to 90 days of

operating costs.

Table 1 -- Start-up Budget

Expenses Amount

Personnel (costs prior to opening) _______

Occupancy

Down payment or purchase of building _______

Remodelling costs _______

Rent deposit _______

Utilities deposit _______

Equipment

Office _______

Program _______

Installation fee _______

Supplies

Program _______

Office _______

Housekeeping (toilet paper cleaning supplies) _______

Food service _______

Miscellaneous

Advertising _______

Food (first month) _______

Legal and professional fees

Operating cash _______

Insurance _______

Expenses Total _______

Income Total _______

b) Operating Budget

Prepare an operating budget when your centre actually opens. This budget reflects your spending

priorities, the expenses you will incur and how you will meet those expenses. From the moment

the door to your new business opens, you will undoubtedly receive a certain amount of income.

____________________________________________________________________________

Table 2 -- Annual Operating Budget

Expenses Annual Total

Personnel

Full-time (100%)

Director/head teacher ________ _______

Teachers (#) ________ _______

Aide (1) ________ _______

Cook/maintenance ________ ________

Part-time (50%)

Aides (2) ________ ________

Secretary/bookkeeper ________ ________

Substitutes (minimum

wage/hour x # weeks) ________ ________

Occupancy

Monthly rent 12 months ________

(number of square feet amt/sq.ft.) ________

Heat/air-conditioning ________

Electricity ________

Telephone ________

Insurance ________

Equipment

Educational ________

Kitchen ________

Housekeeping ________

Office ________

Depreciation ________

Supplies

Educational ________

Housekeeping ________

Office ________

Food

2 meals and 1 snack (cost x no. of children x

no. of days in the centre/year) ________

Other expenses

Advertising ________

Licensing fees ________

Liability insurance (cost/child/year) ________

Annual payment on start-up loan ________

Total expenses ________

Income

Fees (Assess 90% enrolment; no. of children x

enrolment % cost/week x no. of weeks) ________

Fund-raising/donations ________

Total income ________

8. SETTING A SCHOOL FEES

Your play school fee has to be competitive. Conduct a small survey by visiting

few schools in your area.

Observe the community around your school. You can have an estimate about

the affordability of parents towards the preschool education.

For example if you are going to set up the school in a posh locality, you can build a

high quality preschool (if your budget permits). Parents will be willing to pay good

amount of fees for sending their kids to a preschool maintaining good standards.

Determining Your Fees: Charge too much and the fear is parents won't utilize your service. Charge to little

and you might as well work for nothing. So just what should you charge for your

child care services? The five tips below from Start & Run a Profitable Home Day

Care.

1) Check out the rates for child care in your area. 2) Calculate your expenses. 3) Place a value on your time. 4) Factor in the quality of the program you offer 5) Planning for the unexpected 6) Tally It Up

9. PRE-SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE

Ambience attracts parents to join their kids in your preschool. Make your play

school colourful and buy as many toys as you can.

Here’s a quick list for your reference which will help you in planning your layout.

Rooms

Reception

Class rooms

Nap room

Audio Visual room

Activity Room

Ball room / Play room

Dining room

Kitchen

Outdoor

Swimming pool

Garden

Assembly

Play area for see-saw, slide

Play is the most interesting thing for any child. The preschool owners have to

take utmost care in choosing the play equipment. Play and learning equipment

at your preschool increase the scope of admissions in your school.

Safety being first, your play school equipment should serve the following

purposes

Entertainment

Learning through play

Health and exercise

Increase the ambience of your school

Here is a brief list of the things you need for setting up a good quality modern

preschool.

School Furniture : Plastics melded or Wooden tables, chairs and desks, Reception table,

Chair, furniture for staff. Dining table

Play equipments : Slide, Rockers, Cycles, Ball rooms, Play stations, Play houses, Sand

pit, Gym

Equipment for activity room: Spindle boxes, Puzzles, Blocks, Alphabets, Towers

Play school Interiors : Wall Paintings, Wall hangings, Book rack and books (usually

placed at the reception)

Miscellaneous : Stationery items, Uniforms, bags, Projector, Interactive CDs

10. SAMPLE OF PLAY SCHOOL

Play ground

Study place

Storage place

Day care centre

Health centre

11. MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

Planning and developing a program that adequately manages your centre is very

important. There are many factors that you must consider, such as finding and

hiring qualified staff, determining staff size, setting working hours, deciding on

staff responsibilities, establishing salaries and fringe benefits and developing

personnel policies.

Any school require a group of people to manage a school, which includes:

a) Director /Manager :

Every profitable day care centre requires a sharp manager or director. This person

might be yourself, or someone you hire for the job.

The director should have an empathy with people, be an excellent judge of people,

be sales oriented, and have an outgoing personality. As much as anything else, this

person must have the ability to listen to, and really hear what other people are

saying without the influence of preconceived opinions, or making snap decisions.

Your director will be responsible for the hiring and supervision of your other help

and the budgeting, scheduling and overall day-to-day operation of the business.

A good director for a day care centre will command a salary equal to teachers in

your public schools, plus fringe benefit allowances such as free enrolment for their

children and perhaps medical and dental insurance if you choose to provide group

coverage.

b) Finding and Hiring Staff

(1) Some steps in the hiring process include

1. Establish criteria for selecting your staff. Working with children involves

enhancing their social, intellectual, emotional and physical development.

Major considerations in a candidate are his or her personal qualities; attitude

toward child care, children and parents; previous applicable employment and

education or other special training.

Having the necessary qualities and skills to fulfil the job description is, of course,

also important.

2. Establish a time frame. Remember, you will need time to advertise, interview

and make selections, and some individuals may have to give notice to present

employers, so it is wise to begin the hiring process at least 60 days in advance.

3. Advertise for employees.

4. Review resumes based on your criteria.

5. Telephone any promising applicants for an interview. Screen to be sure they

meet your criteria.

6. Have candidates fill out application forms.

7. Conduct interviews (if possible, observe candidate with children).

8. Contact references.

9. Review and make your decision.

10.Notify candidates of your decision, even those you do not hire.

(2) Recruiting Staff

following lists shows several places where you might begin to recruit staff.

1. College placement

2. office

3. Vocational high school

4. State licensing office

5. Information and referral agency

6. Local employment agency

7. Newspaper advertisements(nearest city paper)

8. Local business school

9. Notices in markets and Laundromats

(3) Determining Staff Size

The size of your staff will depend on how many children you plan to care for, state

licensing regulations and the quality of the program you plan to provide.

States establish minimum guidelines for the number of staff needed in a child care

centre, depending on the age of the children. You may choose to exceed these

minimum requirements.

Research has shown that for three to five year olds, groups of 14-18 children work

well. Infants should be in much smaller groups than that, and school-age children

may be in slightly larger groups.

In addition to your regular staff (those caring for the children), you will need to

make decisions regarding other personnel who, although not working directly with

the children, are necessary to maintain a smoothly operating centre (e.g., a cook if

you are preparing food at the centre, a secretary, a bookkeeper and a custodian).

Substitute staff will be necessary for days when regular staff and volunteers are ill,

on vacation or in training.

(4) Setting Working Hours

As you decide on the number of staff you will need, also plan the hours they will

work at the centre.

Most centres are open 10 to 12 hours daily. However, the kind of service you plan

to provide will determine your centre’s hours.

Working with children is emotionally and physically demanding. Staff tends to be

less effective after six hours. If you require eight hour shifts, staff are entitled by

law to lunch breaks and coffee breaks, the latter usually once in the morning and

once in the afternoon.

(5) Establishing Salaries and Fringe Benefits

To maintain a consistent, qualified staff, you must offer competitive salaries and

fringe benefits.

12. PREPARING THE CENTER

Before you start caring for children, it is wise to transform your centre (i.e., your

home or location outside your home) into a place that is safe, clean, comfortable

and inviting to parents and children alike. There are a number of measures that you

can take; each is described below.

a) Safety

You must be confident that all areas the children will use -- indoors and outdoors --

are safe. To check, you might want to crawl around on your hands and knees,

asking, What could a child possibly get into here? How might a child be hurt here?

What other problems could be caused here?

Make sure

All items children should not use are safely locked away or on high,

inaccessible shelves.

Precious breakables are put away.

Poisonous plants are out of reach.

Stairs are well lighted and secure underfoot.

Chemicals, medicines and other dangerous items are behind safety locks.

Toys are stored on shelves to avoid injury from falling lids on toy boxes.

All play materials, furniture, shelving, outdoor equipment -- everything with which

children will come into contact -- should be checked every few days for loose parts

or any safety hazard. Broken toys and missing pieces discourage play and should

be fixed, put away or discarded.

b) Equipment and Materials

The equipment and materials you will need depend on the ages of the children you

care for. Here is a list of ideal equipment and materials for a centre serving a wide

age range of children:

Child-size tables and chairs, booster seats, high chairs and infant seats.

Tables can be used for eating and for a variety of children's activities.

Cribs, beds, cots, all with protective mattress pads covered with plastic that

can be stored under the beds; blankets and sheets for each child. If you use

your family's beds, lay the children's bedding on top of the made-up bed.

Diapering area (preferably near a faucet) that can be easily sanitized after

each use; nearby childproof, sanitary storage for used diapers; step stools for

sink and toilet.

Space -- to crawl, toddle, run, climb and to be alone (but still in view).

Outdoor play space (sand, hard surface for wheeled toys, swings, climber,

garden) or a nearby park. A covered porch or carport is ideal for rainy days.

Art materials, such as meat trays, egg cartons, computer paper; washable

surfaces for messy activities.

Water and sand to scoop and pour into plastic dishpans or a larger trough or

water table; old throw rugs or other absorbent floor covering.

Large and small, simple and complicated toys, including building materials

such as wooden and plastic blocks.

Good children's books and a quiet, cuddly place to read them.

Paperback books can be covered with clean adhesive plastic to protect and

strengthen them.

Games, puzzles, dolls, vehicles (child powered rather than battery powered).

Make-believe props, clothes and costumes for dressing up and pretending.

Record player, tape recorder and radio; number, alphabet and colour charts

or cards; canister for crayons, pencils and other miscellaneous art materials.

A fabric carrier for young babies and a backpack carrier for babies who can

sit up. Many babies love swings and bouncing chairs.

For older children, a private place with props and equipment that children

can rearrange as they choose. School-age children will also need a place to

keep their things from school and perhaps a place to do their homework.

c) Setup

Your job will be easier if you arrange your centre to simplify everyday routines.

Some problems can be prevented by having selected things where the children can

reach them (e.g., toys, spare clothes and water cups), and others where they can't

(e.g., house plants, TV, crayons and children's projects).

If children can take care of some of their own needs, it makes them feel

independent and competent and frees you to do other things.

Encourage the older children to help the younger children with simple tasks such

as tying shoes and buttoning or zipping coats; it reinforces their independence,

sharpens their skills and fosters friendship and learning among peers.

d) Storage

Adequate storage is especially important for child care providers with limited

space. Well-designed storage reduces clutter and increases play space. Boards and

cement blocks make sturdy, inexpensive shelves for preschool and older children.

Heavy cardboard cartons and wooden crates from grocery stores can also be used

to build storage units. Make sure shelves are stable enough that children won't tip

them over when they use the furniture to pull themselves up to stand or walk.

It is a good idea to rotate toys and materials: put away items the children are tired

of for a few weeks; bring them out later and the children will enjoy rediscovering

them. You may want to assemble theme boxes containing all the materials you

need for a specific activity.

Every child should have a personal storage area, even if it is only a shoe box or an

ice cream tub. Label it with the child's name and a special symbol. Each child's

special area should be off limits to the other children. This gives the child a feeling

of belonging and the security of knowing special things can be kept safely.

As a businessperson, you will need office space. Efficient storage of administrative

and financial records will save you time. You may not have the money to purchase

a file cabinet or desk when you open your centre

It is a good idea to find a secure place to keep your business records because these

records will be used to file your federal and state taxes at the end of the year. If you

misplace any of your records, filing accurate taxes will be virtually impossible.

13. COURSES

Play group,

Nursery,

LKG/PP-1,

UKG/PP-2

Day care program : decide on your regular day care hours. Generally, these are

from 6 a.m. through 6 p.m.

After-school care program.

For making maximum utilization of resources, play school owners today conduct

other events. Keeping the above factors in mind, list the different courses you

would like to offer .

The sample list of various activities is given below:

1. Tuitions, drawing, painting, Music, Dance and other extra-curricular

activities for elder children as well.

2. Exhibit a language skills i.e. with a little verbal stimulation.

3. pronunciation of words.

4. Identification of shapes, fruits, colours, signs, body parts.

5. Learning poems, stories acts.

6. Animal shows such as interaction with dogs or other domestic animals.

7. Teach them how to behave with other children.

8. Games like language games, puzzles.

9. Experiment with writing, reading.

10.Celebrating various festivals and events.

11.Literacy related play activities.

12.Homework, maintaining dairies, tasks for parents.

13.Seminars for parents about child health.

14. Eating manners.

a) Craft Ideas

Bow Art

Recommended Ages: 2 years up

Materials:

Gift bows (Dollar store bag works just fine.)

Construction paper

Foam or plastic bowls

Non-toxic liquid paint

Glue stick

Glitter

Directions:

Pour liquid pain into foam or plastic bowls. Place one or two bows beside each

bowl of paint. Give each child a piece of construction paper. You can use square

pieces or cut out different Christmas shapes like a star, tree, round ornament etc.

ahead of time.

b) Play centres

Through play children learn to imitate animal noises, recognize alphabets and

numbers, understand about sharing and getting along with their peers. They

develop their large muscle skills by running, walking, climbing or riding a bike;

their small muscles skills by colouring, cutting, pasting and painting. And this just

scratches the surface.

Learning centres can be set up at home on trays, little tables, or on a shelf as is the

case with the reading centre. Different centres allow caregivers to guide a child's

learning by providing suggestions or guidance on what to do with the materials

provided.

c) Music for education

Using a cassette or CD player to introduce children to different kinds of music like

jazz, classical, international. getting children to move with the beat, clapping,

dancing, doing a variety of movements that also help to build the large muscles and

coordination.

d) Learning activity

Make reading a daily part of the lives of your preschool charges by reading to them

everyday from storybooks and what are known as big books, large-sized books

with many pictures and items of interest that can be seen from a short distance.

Make children a part of the experience by allowing them a chance to choose the

stories to be read at story time.

e) Necessary skills

Undergo Nursery teacher training / Montessori Teacher training / Pre-primary

teacher training / Early childhood care training. You can also work as a teacher in a

good play school for a short span to have a complete insight about pre-

primary education.

14. FACILITIES

Providing breakfast ,lunch, snacks

You'll also need to decide whether you want to offer breakfast for the

children. If so, you'll have to plan for a cook and food supplies for morning

meals. You'll already be set up with kitchen facilities and a cook because

you will be serving a noon meal.

Mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks are required in some states, but even

where they're not required, they are pretty much standard fare . Fresh fruit,

cookies, and juice are the usual snack foods served in most day care centres.

This entails a cook, dishes, planned menus, food supplies in bulk, and

perhaps even small size table and chairs. You'll also have to have kitchen

help and facilities for washing the dishes.

Travelling facilities such as school bus.

Emergency ambulance

Providing study materials.

The basic materials required:

a stove, refrigerator and sink

small tables and chairs

pots & pans utensils, plastic cups, bowls, plates, etc.

an ironing board & plastic iron

a broom & dustpan

dolls and a doll crib or cradle

plastic food items or empty food containers

a play phone

play dough, cookie cutters, rolling pins, oven mitts, place mats etc.

food coupons

play money

magazines, newspapers,

menus

pencils, note pads

dress-up items like shirts, skirts, dresses, pants, sweaters, blouses, hats,

scarves, ties, belts, purses, shoes, jewellery, shawls

15. PLAY SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Curriculum is the back bone for a preschool. The quality of curriculum offered in

your school will lift the standards of your school to great heights.

The modern preschool education believes in stress-free learning. Today children

are not forced to learn, but, encouraged to play and they learn in that process.

Much research has been carried out and many theories have been developed for

educating children from 0- 6yrs. The following methods are being adopted in

different schools in India.

a) Montessori Method:

The Montessori Method is an educating approach for children based on the

research and experiences of Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori

(1870–1952). It arose in the process of her experimental observation of young

children given freedom in an environment, leading her to believe by 1907 that she

had discovered "the child's true normal nature."

Based on her observations, she created an environment prepared with

materials designed for their self-directed learning activity.

If your preschool is going to be Montessori based , you have to buy

Montessori material like practical life material, sensorial materials, spindle boxes,

metal insets etc.,

b) Reggio Emilia Approach:

The Reggio Emilia Approach is an educational philosophy focused on preschool

and primary education. They felt that it is in the early years of development that

children are forming who they are as an individual. This led to creation of a

program based on the principles of respect, responsibility, and community through

exploration and discovery in a supportive and enriching environment based on the

interests of the children through a self-guided curriculum.

The Reggio Emilia approach to teaching young children puts the natural

development of children as well as the close relationships that they share with their

environment at the centre of its philosophy.

Parents are a vital component to the Reggio Emilia philosophy. Parents are viewed

as partners, collaborators and advocates for their children.

Teachers respect parents as each child's first teacher and involve parents in every

aspect of the curriculum. It is not uncommon to see parents volunteering within

Reggio Emilia classrooms throughout the school.

This philosophy does not end when the child leaves the classroom. Most parents

who choose to send their children to a Reggio Emilia program incorporate many of

the principles within their parenting and home life.

c) Waldorf Kindergarten:

Waldorf education (also known as Steiner or Steiner- Waldorf education) is a

humanistic approach to pedagogy based upon the educational philosophy of the

Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steine. The approach emphasizes the role of the

imagination in learning, developing thinking that includes a creative as well as an

analytic component. Waldorf schools approach learning in early childhood through

imitation and example. Extensive time is given for guided free play in a classroom

environment that is homelike, includes natural materials and provides examples of

productive work in which children can take part. The education emphasizes early

experiences of daily, weekly and annual rhythms, including seasonal festivals

drawn from a variety of traditions. There are no worksheets, posters, or calendars

hanging on the walls. No books, no computers. The toys in the classroom are

simple and made from natural materials

You can choose any method or a combination of the above as a basis of your

curriculum. Ample material is available on internet for your reference. However it

is a tedious work to frame good curriculum. You should again search for books to

match the curriculum.

THE CURRICULUM

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Appropriate opportunities should be provided in preschool education for children

to develop personal and social skills, values and attitudes.

These should include the following:

• Play activities where children:

– learn to co-operate, for example, in block play when they build together;

– learn to take turns, for example, when a new pram or tricycle is provided;

– learn to share, for example, in water play where they share containers and other

equipment;

– experience the therapeutic value of working with materials, such as clay, dough,

paint, sand and water;

– can explore their emotions, for example, in hospital play where they may learn to

come to terms with fears.

• Stories, rhymes, music and drama

In these activities, children should be given opportunities to express emotion,

develop self confidence, extend their imagination, identify with characters,

appreciate the imagery of words and take part in group situations as they sing and

dance.

• The environment

Most children are interested in and curious about living things. They should be

given guidance on how to care for plants and animals, and encouraged to consider

the needs of others in the environment.

• Personal health and hygiene

Children eat and drink together every day. This provides adults with opportunities

to talk naturally and informally with children about healthy foods and healthy

eating habits. As they engage in various types of play and other activities, children

become aware of the importance of personal safety.

Children should be encouraged to develop acceptable standards of hygiene.

Opportunities for this will occur in the course of daily routines, for example,

washing hands after messy play and after going to the toilet.

CREATIVE/AESTHETIC DEVELOPMENT

Children should be given opportunities to develop their creative skills and aesthetic

appreciation through play activities and other experiences. These may include the

following:

• Painting and drawing

In these activities children experience working:

– at vertical and horizontal levels;

– with paper of different colours, shapes, textures and sizes;

– with various media and tools such as paint, crayons, pencils, brushes, fingers,

sponges and

combs.

• Paper, card, wood, fabrics and scrap materials

Children should have opportunities to work with materials of different textures

which will offer them sensory experiences. They should be encouraged to make

pictures and models.

• Malleable materials

Children should be given opportunities to work with large amounts of clay and

dough and should be given time to explore their properties and to develop their

creative abilities.

• Music

Children should participate in simple musical activities such as singing and

listening to music. They should develop an awareness of different sounds, pitch

and rhythm, and create their own sounds using percussion instruments. They

should have opportunities to respond freely to music through movement and mime.

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Language development occurs when:

• children have access to a wide variety of play activities and are encouraged to

talk about their experiences, ideas, feelings and achievements to one another and to

adults during the course of their play;

• adults are available to listen to and talk with the children in a relaxed atmosphere;

• children have access to a well-stocked library of story and information books

suited to their needs, interests, race and culture, and when books are available in

various areas of play, for example, at the house corner and interest table;

• children have opportunities to listen to stories and rhymes told or read to them in

one-to-one situations or in small and large groups;

• children enjoy and share books with each other and engage in role play;

• children are encouraged to be aware of print in the environment;

• children have access to a variety of painting and writing materials.

EARLY MATHEMATICAL EXPERIENCES

Children use their own everyday language to talk about mathematical concepts and,

with the skilful help of adults, will begin to use mathematical language as they

develop an awareness of space, size, order, pattern, number and relationships. For

example, as children play they develop an awareness of:

• space as they build with large blocks on the floor or push a pram through a

confined space;

• size as they dress a variety of dolls and teddy bears;

• order and pattern as they thread beads of different sizes, shapes and colours;

• number as they help to lay the table in the house corner for dinner;

• relationships as they pretend to cook and place the correct lids on saucepans.

Through play, children need to have:

• time to experiment with a wide range of materials;

• opportunities to explore and investigate the properties of the materials;

• encouragement to discuss their experiences and findings with adults and peers.

Rhymes, stories, songs, seasonal events, birthdays, routines, such as tidying away

toys and equipment, and incidental occurrences in the course of the day also help

children to develop mathematical concepts.

EARLY EXPERIENCES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Children can also learn about themselves, their environment and about how things

work from books, pictures, posters and photographs.

Children need opportunities to:

• observe and explore, for example, in water play when they explore the properties

of water and observe how different objects behave in water;

• use their senses, for example, in sand play when they feel the texture of dry and

damp sand and make comparisons or when they identify sounds such as the

telephone ringing, blocks falling and birds singing;

• explore, for example, in creative/aesthetic play when they work with malleable

materials such as dough and clay, becoming aware of how these materials behave

when poked, rolled, squashed and pulled;

• observe and respect living things, handling them with care and sensitivity, for

example, by helping to attend to plants and helping to keep the nature/ interest

table fresh and attractive;

• make models, for example, in construction play when they assemble, rearrange

and build with a variety of sizes and shapes of blocks and other materials,

observing that carefully stacked blocks are less likely to fall than those that are

stacked haphazardly and that a broad surface of blocks gives a better base for

building;

• put things together in a variety of ways, for example, in creative or construction

play when they make models with materials, both natural and manmade, sticking,

cutting, folding and, on occasions, taking things apart;

• learn about themselves by talking with adults and listening to appropriate stories,

rhymes and songs.

KNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT

To help them develop knowledge and understanding of the environment, children

should have opportunities, individually or in groups to:

• experiment with a wide variety of play materials. Through talking with adults

and other children, they learn the names of materials and equipment and observe

how these behave. They develop an awareness of space as they help to tidy away

equipment. They become familiar with some positional and directional words;

• talk about topics which arise naturally from the children’ s own experience, for

example, holidays, festive seasons and birthdays;

• explore items on the nature/interest table, for example, photographs of events

which took place during the year, plants at different stages of development and

natural materials such as sheep’ s wool or shells;

• talk about the weather and the seasons at appropriate times during the year;

• talk about themselves, for example, where they live, the members of their

extended family and events in their lives both past and present;

• listen to stories and rhymes which have some reference to the past;

• use their senses to explore the immediate inside and outside environment;

• play with simple floor maps and small vehicles, discussing road safety when

appropriate;

• learn about their pre-school setting, for example, the name of the setting and the

people who work in it, the names, function and position of different rooms, and the

name of the school to which they will transfer;

• play with materials associated with different places and occupations, such as the

seaside, the farm, the fire station and talk about related ideas with adults.

• talk about the work of some of the people in the local community, for example,

the shopkeeper and the dentist.

Preschool Sample Timetable

A sample pre-school timetable for the day:

Sample Pre School Timetable

9.30am-10am Shelf work – jigsaws etc

10am-10.30am Snack time

10.30am-11.30am Group activity or work e.g. arts and crafts

Painting – sponge Colouring – Crayons

Paint brush pencils

Bubble

Butterfly

Hand/eye coordination:

• Gluing

• Cutting exercises (following lines)

• Practice writing (join the dots)

• Threading

• Weaving

Music and Movement:

Move tables out of the way.

Action songs – The wheels on the bus

Heads, shoulders, knees etc

If you’re happy and you know it

Exercises – Warm up and stretch different parts of

the body.

Sing individual songs.

Lessons:

• Colour (maybe colour of the week)

• Find everything in the room that colour

• Favourite colours

• The rainbow

• Shapes

• Shapes around the classroom

• Favourite shapes

• Numbers

• Letters

11.30am-12pm Circle Time

• Days of the week/months/weather etc

• My news – children talk about holidays, birthdays etc

• Story time

Group lesson:*Life cycles – butterfly/chicken/frog

*Seasons – what happens

*Festivals/important days

*Colours/shapes

*Parts of the body/parts of animals

*Care of self – brushing teeth, washing

hands

*Famous people and events

*Different countries and customs –

Foods/flags/animals

*Animals

12pm-12.30pm Free play: *Lego

*Straws

*Connects

*Building blocks

*The farm

*Road

16. ADMISSION PROCEDURE

The first step is to give the full information about the school to the parents. Then

the procedure will start step wise.

a) Interview of parents:

This is the first step in which all details about the children is taken from the

parents. The certain questions are to be asked in such interview these are:

Can you tell me about your child in brief?

Tell me something about your family?

Where do you work?

What do you expect out of the school?

What is the role of a school in a child’s life?

Who takes all decisions in your family?

What time do you come back from your work?

How much do you travel?

How do you manage alone?

In your absence, who takes care of your child?

Do your parents live with you?

What is the language spoken at home?

What is your qualification?

Who cooks in your home?

Do you have a live in maid?

What are your child’s interest / hobbies?

What are your hobbies?

What activities do you do with your child?

What is your child’s favourite cartoon character?

Why are you not working?

During school holidays, how will you manage with work and your child?

Where is your hometown?

How many times in a month do you eat dinner out?

Do you have another child in this school?

What would you look for in a good school?

Why do you want to move your child from that school?

b)Application form:

The sample of application form is given:

Sample Admission Form The form is based on the admission forms of formal schools that parents will be asked to fill in at

the time of admission.

1. Name of the child:_______________________________________

Sex:_____________________

2. Date of birth(in words):

____________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________

(in figures):______________________

3.Age on 01.04.08 (in words) __________________________

(in figures): ____________________

4.Address:_______________________________________________________________

________

____________________________________

PH No (Res): _____________________________

Particulars of parents: Father

a) Name:

_____________________________________________________________________

____

b) Educational qualification:

___________________________________________________________

c) Occupation / Profession :

__________________________________________________________

d) Monthly Income:

_________________________________________________________________

e) Office Address:

__________________________________________________________________

f) Office Phone no: ______________________________

g)Email: ____________________________

b) Mother

a) Name:

_________________________________________________________________

_______

b) Educational qualification:

__________________________________________________________

c) Occupation / Profession :

_________________________________________________________

d) Monthly Income:

________________________________________________________________

e) Office Address:

_________________________________________________________________

f) Office Phone no: ______________________________

b) Email: ____________________________

c) Sibling Details

a) Name ____________________ School ______________________

Class __________________

b) Name ____________________ School ______________________

Class __________________

Name of the child’s present class teacher (s)

Parent’s Signature

1. _____________________

2. ____________________ _______________

c) Documents required

Photos

Parents id

Child’s Birth certificate

17. FORMS, RECEIPTS AND PAPER WORK

You will be in need of a number of receipts

Enquiry form : This form is given to the parents who arrive for the first time at your school. It

includes columns for knowing about their personal information. This will be used

later for making follow up calls

Admission form / Enrolment form: This is a form required to be filled by parents at the time of admission.

TC form: This form is given to the students who are moving out of the school in the middle

of the course

Feedback form: You can give this form to parents during parent-teacher meetings and receive their

valuable feedback

Fees collection receipts: These are to be given to the parents after fee payment.

Diary: A diary is the most important book to be printed for pre-primary students. It has to

be filled everyday by the teacher to make the parents aware of the happenings at

school. It is also used to intimate parents abut their kid’s performance.

Report Cards / assessment cards: Report cards must include many columns for tracking the complete performance of

student. Grading system is usually followed in many pre-primary schools.

18. A DAY IN A PRE-SCHOOL

The day is broken down into one-hour segments, with pre-planned

curriculum, much the same as classes at a public school.

A typical day begins with a play period from whenever the children arrive

until about 9 o'clock.

For this, you'll need indoor sand boxes, toys and perhaps a family-sized

television set. From 9 to 10, the children are separated into groups -

generally by ages - and you hold a reading or story-telling session.

The mid-morning snack time is scheduled sometime between 10 to 11. For

the younger children, this might include a mid-morning nap.

After snack time, a learning session is usually held. Typically, this is the

time when guests are invited in to speak or entertain the children.

Work with your Chamber of Commerce, civic clubs, and city administration

for guests..

Noon to 1 o'clock is generally lunch time, and from 1 until 2 is another

learning session. During this afternoon learning session, you might offer the

rudiments of reading, writing and arithmetic.

About once a week, your afternoon learning session should be a tour or a trip

to some place that might be interesting as well as educational for the

children. These trips can be anything from a walk in your immediate

neighbourhood to loading all the kids into cars or onto buses and taking

them to the zoo.

On days when you don't have a trip scheduled, your "learning session" might

be a film or program related to nature, particularly animals. The advent of

the Video Cassette Recorder has opened endless possibilities in this area.

Nap time and snack time will fill a period for younger ones, and books and

quiet games will occupy older children who do not take a nap. When the nap

period is over, they're allowed to play until their parents come by to pick

them up.

Whenever possible, you should encourage the children to be outside during

play periods.

If you have lots of playground equipment, you won't necessarily always

have to have organized games, but you will have to have a playground

supervisor - someone to watch the children and see that they don't get hurt as

they play.

Table 5 -- Preschool Activities Developed by the

Gather children into a group for roll call.

Sing a good morning song together. Discuss the weather (cold hot warm

raining).

Hand coordination activity -- Break up into individual groups according to

age (group A -- age two; group B -- age three) for painting. Distribute water

paint and paper to both groups. Let group A finger paint and group B paint

using brushes.

Practice nursery rhymes using hand instruments.

Snack.

Introduce the numbers 1-5 and the letters A-C to class. Practice as a group

and individually.

Hand coordination and motor skills activity – Introduce buttoning, zipping

up clothes and typing.

Lunch/free time.

Nap.

Gather for story time.

Snack.

Free time.

Depending on the ages of the children you may want to do an activity all together

with a small group or individually. Let the children know you value their work.

Avoid activities to impress parents; keep your program cantered on the children at

all times. Explain to parents why it is important for children to invest part of

themselves in their work.

19. CARING OF CHILDREN

Your playground will require a fenced-in area. Drive around and look at the

playground equipment in the play yards of your public schools and at day

care centres in your area. You should have the basic sandboxes, swings,

slides and jungle gyms but in this area you can be creative and original,

provided your equipment meets safety standards.

Some states require that you have a registered nurse on the premises, but

generally, the main things needed are medical information from the parents

and a written procedure to follow in case of accident or illness.

Basically, when a child is injured or be comes ill, you should take him to the

nearest medical centre, while another staff person gets in touch with the

parents, and explains what happened. If the parent cannot be present at the

medical centre, all information should be passed on to him/her immediately

it is available.

It's a good idea to have all your helpers indoctrinated with basic Red Cross

first aid knowledge, and have a well-equipped first aid kit on the premises.

As for any requirements relative to a full-time nurse, you should be able to

hire registered nurses who are either not working or looking for extra

income.

You might be able to "hire the license" of a registered nurse. You pay a

small fee to hang her license in your office, and she agrees to be available to

serve your needs when you call.

20. PROMOTION

a) Play school Web Development

Why is it necessary to have a website for your play school?

It allows parents to get an idea about your school even before visiting it.

You can update parents about events and celebrations coming up in your

school.

You can upload latest photographs of celebrations. Parents love seeing their

kids’ pictures online and send the link to many of their friends giving free

publicity for your school.

With good optimization of your school website, your school can be seen in

search results when parents are searching for preschool for their kids

Design

When a website looks great, it sends the impression that the company or

product is great. Keep in mind that your website may be your first chance to

make an impression upon your site visitors, so make it a great one!

Structure

Have you ever been to a website and didn’t know where to start or how

to check out? While structuring or restructuring your website, be sure that

your visitors can easily navigate through your website. A confused consumer

may easily say no to your service or product.

Content

Content is King! More over, it is the heart of your website. The first purpose

of a blog or website is to educate and build expertise. A really great site

offers content in the following forms: written articles, audio and video. This

is a great way to meet the learning preferences of your site visitors.

Optimization

It is a marketing tool that allows any online user to get more clicks in their

web copy writing efforts for their website by improving the search engine

results in the Web. Moreover, make sure that search engines can read your

website. This is a great way to attract website visitors from major search

engines such as Google.

Maintenance

Your website needs to be maintained the same way that we maintain

our physical building. Content needs to be changed, design needs to be

updated and items may need to be moved around. I suggest that a website be

reviewed 2-3 times a week to track visitors with a scheduled monthly

maintenance plan that includes: website visitors feedback.

b) Brochure:

You should have a slickly printed, quality brochure showing your rates, your

services, an outline of the curriculum, and a statement of your benefit goals for the

children.

21. MARKETING

With grand opening fanfare, and a strong advertising campaign, you should be able

to be at 90 percent capacity within your first six weeks. In an area where a severe

shortage of day care facilities exists, and with the right advertising and promotion,

even sooner.

Measure way to advertise:

1. The door-to-door, hand-out distribution of a quality informative

brochure.

To save on costs, you can hire students attending advertising classes

in your area colleges or even a free-lance advertising copywriter to

help you with the design and writing of this brochure.

All of this has to do with the image you want to create, and the

quality of the service the "buyers" feel they're getting for the prices

you are charging.

Don't skimp on your brochure - you're aiming at people looking for

the best place for their children.

2. You should place at least a two-column by four-inch grand opening

display ad in your local newspapers.

3. You should place similar ads in the local magazines and other

publications catering to the working mother. Send along a group

picture of your staff, and a story about your services with your

advertising order.

4. Phone the editors at your local newspapers, radio and TV stations and

invite them out to your grand opening.

5. Continue to hand out your brochures at the entrances to the office

buildings which house companies employing working mothers.

Other ways to promote your school

On parking boards- apartments, independent houses

Cloth banners – at least 5 banners in the street leading to your school,

at crossroads, parks. kids toy shops

Online promotion (using internet)

Local TV channels

Newspapers

Conducting events

Flex banners

Uniforms & School bags

Name on transport vehicle

Clippings in Cinema halls

Word of mouth

Mouth to mouth publicity is still the first and best kind of reliable one believed

by many parents. Hence the performance of your school throughout the year leads

to creating good impression to parents who give the best publicity to their

neighbours and friends However good the above ways of publicity are followed, if

you fail to impress the parents of existing students, they can easily spoil the

reputation of your school. Parents can prove to be the best way to promote your

school. Offer some incentive like concession if they recommend another parent to

join their kid in your school.