September 2016

A belated welcome…

to all new children, parents and families and an equally belated welcome back to those we already know!  The children are all settling in very well.   

Diary Dates

A list of dates for the year is below – but there are always extra dates which crop up during the year for various things so please could you make a note of these as they come.  Please note we have an inset day on Monday  31st October.  There will be two more next term.  I don’t want to wish the year away but please note our leaver’s party will be on the last day of the summer term - Monday 24th July 2017!

Absent parents

Please would you let me or your keyworker know if there is an absent parent in your family who would like copies of newsletters, topic leaflets etc.  I don’t want to leave anyone out.

Going to school

For those children moving on to school next year you may have received your letter/ form already.  If you haven’t had a letter don’t worry there is plenty of time – just telephone 0300 123 2224 for a paper application or you can go directly online to complete your form at:

 www.somerset.gov.uk/admissions Applications must be completed before 15th January 2017. 

Games in the Hall for Pre-School Year children

This term we are able to take the older children into the school hall for games on Wednesday mornings. Part of this activity is to encourage independent dressing so please could you help by making sure your child is wearing shoes which are easy to take off/put on and for girls to not wear tights as they struggle to manage these!   The timetable often varies through the year so other children will then benefit later on.

Themes

We are gradually moving on to Autumn as our theme for the next few weeks.  Later on we will be exploring Light as we celebrate Halloween, Bonfire Night and Diwali. 

Activity Boxes and Library Books

Please keep going with the activity boxes – the children love them and are so proud to show what they have in them.  All the children now have a book bag, so they can borrow a book each week to share at home – we have quite a few books but will need them returned weekly to make sure all the children have a good choice.  We do understand that the odd book will get chewed by the dog or have drink spilt on it but please do your best to look after them!

Zoolab

Zoolab are visiting us on Thursday 13th October – bringing some small creatures for the children to see and experience.  They are coming from 9.30-10.30am.  If it is not your child’s usual day please bring them along to join in – however, you will need to stay with them.

Health and Safety

1 Main gate

Please could I remind everyone to ensure the main gate is properly closed after using it – to stop children running out and getting hurt by traffic or lost, and to ensure only permitted adults have access to the nursery.

2 Grapes

I know getting ready in the morning can be a bit manic but please could I remind you to cut grapes in half if you put them in your child’s lunchbox – to avoid choking.  We do check they are cut in half.  Other fruit are best left big enough to bite into.

3 Peanuts

We have a child who has a very severe allergic reaction to peanuts just in the same room – please could I ask you all to make sure there is nothing with peanuts/peanut butter/peanut oil in your children’s lunchboxes. 

4 Pushchairs/prams

The committee made the decision a while ago to disallow pushchairs and prams in the playroom as the wheels made the floor dirty and children/adults could trip/fall over wheels etc at busy and congested dropping off/collecting times.  

Committee

We are in need of new committee members – particularly a treasurer but also just general members.  Please talk to Hilary if you are interested or if you know anyone who has financial skills who might be interested in being our treasurer (providing end of year accounts and an annual budget.)  We cannot keep going without a committee.

More sessions during the year

If you want your child to have more sessions between now and July 2017, please book them now.  We still have plenty of space in the afternoons but very few in the mornings.

Wellie Boots

We are in urgent need of old wellies for the children as many of ours have walked away and not come back!

Parent Meetings

These are held between parents and keyworkers after each half term, via 2 parent evenings – which are late afternoon / early evening.

Photographer

The photographer is coming on Monday 17th October during the morning.  If this is not your child’s normal day, and/or you would like brother & sisters in the photo, please sign up for a time slot on the main door. 

Dental Health Team

…will be visiting on Tuesday 28th February at 10.30am to coat children’s teeth – this if for children 3+.

Christmas Parties

In order for all children to attend a Christmas party we will hold two on Friday 16th December.  This will need a little reorganising of some children’s sessions so we don’t have to charge parents any extra. For most children who stay all day on a Friday I will try to swap half their day - for some parents this may be very difficult so please talk to me as soon as possible as I would like to work it out well in advance! 

 

 Hilary

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Dates

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Autumn Term

Inset days             1st/2nd Sept 2016

 

Autumn term         5th Sept - 16th Dec 2016

 

Zoolab visit           13th Oct 9.30-10.3am

 

Photographer         17th October 2016

 

Half term holiday   24th –  28th  Oct 2016

 

Inset day              31st October 2016

 

Parent meetings    2nd & 10th Nov 2016

 

Christmas parties  16th Dec 2016

and last day of term

 

Spring term

Inset day              3rd January 2017

 

Spring term          4th Jan–31st March 2017

 

Half term holiday   13th – 17th  Feb 2017

 

Parent meetings    23rd Feb & 1st Mar 2017

 

Dental Health        28th Feb 2017

 

Summer term

Summer term (for    18th Apr – 21st Jul 2017

returning children)

Summer term (for   18th Apr – 24th Jul 2017

children leaving)

 

May day bank holiday   1st  May 2017

 

Half term holiday   29th May-2nd June 2017

 

Parent meetings    8th & 14th June 2017

 

Leavers party        24th Jul 2017 all day for all children moving on to school

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