Parents Letter November 2022
Safeguarding
Please ensure that children are presented appropriately, this includes, good personal hygiene for example; clean face and nose, brushed hair, clean and cut nails, good oral health. In addition to this they should be dressed appropriately for nursery and have everything that they are likely to need including spare clothes, outdoor footwear/indoor footwear (children cannot wear wellies indoors), nappies/wipes, long term medication, coats and hats. They will also access the outdoor area in all weather conditions throughout the day therefore, we ask that you provide wellingtons, coats, hats, we also advise providing spare clothes for children in case of them getting wet/muddy outdoors. Children will access a variety of activities such as sand, water, the mud kitchen, painting, exploration area these are all messy activities therefore, please be mindful of outer clothing such as coats/jackets, we advise wearing older clothes rather than something new.
Please ensure that you clearly label all of your child’s belongings! We cannot be responsible for items of children’s belongings going missing if they are not labelled. We have lots of jackets, hats, bags in the coat peg area and sometimes they can get placed on the wrong peg or dropped onto the floor therefore, it can be hard to distinguish which item belongs to which child. As you can appreciate we see lots of children each day and it can be hard to remember exactly what each child was wearing.
We also expect that children arrive safely to the setting, if they are arriving by car they should be securely strapped into an age appropriate car seat, also not leaving young children unaccompanied in the car whilst bringing others into nursery.
Children will participate in a range of activities during their nursery sessions therefore, we advise that children do not wear their best clothes.
All staff are safeguard trained and we have three staff that have designated safeguard training, it is our duty of care to record and report any concerns that we may have.
We are also here to offer advice and support to children and their families, please feel free to contact us at any time if you feel you may benefit from some extra support or would just like to discuss any worries or concerns you may have.
Lunch and snacks
We will provide snacks in the morning and again in the afternoon for children with a drink of milk, water is readily available for every child throughout the day. Children should be provided with a healthy packed lunch and a treat can be given at the end. Lunches may include, sandwiches/crackers/wraps/pasta, a choice of fruit, yoghurt, a small treat. Children will always be encouraged to eat their healthy options first. Please ensure that if your child requires their fruit to be peeled or sliced that this is done so prior to being put into their lunch box, grapes and blueberries, tomatoes and cocktail sausages should be sliced vertically to reduce choking hazards. Children will also need a spoon for yoghurts/jelly.
Coronavirus
As a setting we continue to request that you do not send your child to nursery should they display symptoms of Covid-19. We ask that children do not attend if they are unwell, if they are not feeling 100% and unable to participate in all activities both indoors and outdoors.
As a setting we remain committed to protecting all members of our setting including children, staff and parents and continue to remain cautious whilst learning to live with Covid.
Children will continue to be encouraged to follow good hygiene routines, washing hands regularly with hand washing stations still in place at the entrance of nursery for parents to continue to wash children’s hands prior to them entering the setting. We will also continue to carry out handovers at the door with parents/carers not entering the building, as we have found that children settle better and there has been less illness in general. We recommend that if children have a positive covid test they remain absent for 3 days.
Absence
Please ensure that you inform nursery if your child is going to be absent. This may be due to a holiday, a day trip or sickness. You can notify us via phone, text, whatsapp or email.
If your child has had sickness and/or diarrhea, please ensure that they remain absent from the setting for 48 hours from their last bout of illness to ensure that this is not passed on to other children and staff.
If your child is absent due to holiday, illness or a day at home you will still be charged for this session, this includes additional hours during non-funded weeks, for example if your child receives 15 hours funding but attends for 18 hours per week, during non-funded weeks you are still expected to pay for the additional 3 hours therefore, we encourage you to use these additional hours and book your child in.
Medication
We are only able to give prescribed medication to your child whilst they are at nursery, we cannot give over the counter medication, this includes medication such as cough syrup, calpol and nurofen. If your child requires long term medication such as an inhaler, we will require a health care plan to enable us to administer this. You can get this from your child’s health visitor.
Illness
There appears to be lots of illness going around at the moment with coughs, colds, temperatures. Please can we remind you that children should not attend nursery unless they are 100% well and able to participate in all activities both indoors and outdoors. If children have had sickness or diarrhea they will need to remain absent for 48 hours from the last bought of illness. If children have a high temperature which is classed as 38 or more we request that they remain absent until their temperature has stabilised without the need of calpol, a normal temperature is 36.4.
Children will be sent home from nursery should they be unwell and/or have a high temperature. We understand that this can be frustrating and that children may have appeared well at home however, our policy states that if children are unwell or have a high temperature they cannot be at nursery.
Staffing
Managers- Sam, Clare
Deputy Manager- Kirsty
Babies and Toddlers- Nicola, Izzy, Lauren, Molly
Preschool- Jade (SEND), Chloe, Vicky, Stephanie (apprentice)
We welcome Stephanie to our team 😊 Stephanie is based within the preschool room and is working towards her level 3 childcare qualification.
All staff are DBS checked and have a valid paediatric first aid certificate and up to date safeguarding training.
Change of hours
If you require change of hours for your child we require 4 weeks notice of this. If your child receives 15 hour funding, change of hours cannot be submitted mid-term it will have to be at the start of a new term.
Late Collection
We understand that on occasion you may be late for collecting your child from nursery due to work, traffic, siblings etc. If you are going to be late collecting your child please ensure that you notify us via telephone or messaging the nursery mobile.
Late pick ups are charged at £1 per minute.
Rotas are set to cater for staff:child ratios and these are completed in line with children’s drop off/collection times, also staff have to collect their own children.
Fees
Please ensure that all fees are paid 2 weeks in advance. All fees for December need to be paid by Friday 9th December.
30 Hours Funding
30 hours funding is offered as 24 hours per week, across 3 full days for 47.5 weeks of the year. Please note that there are limited spaces allocated for 30 hour funding, children do not automatically receive this at our setting even if you have applied for it and been accepted. Unfortunately, we are currently at capacity for 30 hour funded spaces.
Creative Flair
Preschool children participate in creative flair music and movement sessions on a Thursday morning, this is charged at a weekly rate of £2 per child and is to be paid in cash each term. You will receive an invoice.
Parent Consultations
Parent consultations will be taking place on Wednesday 16th November between 6-7pm. If you requested a booking you will have been sent an allocated time to see your child’s key person. This slot will be for 10 minutes, should you require longer you can arrange this appointment for an alternative day.
Children in need
Week beginning 14th November children are welcome to wear yellow, spots or pudsey clothing and will be participating in some fun pudsey activities. The recommended donation is £1 to support children in need.
Christmas Jumper Day
Christmas Jumper day will be Thursday 8th December, children and staff are welcome to wear their Christmas jumpers and make a donation of £1 to support save the children.
Christmas fun week
Week beginning 12th December children are welcome to dress in Christmas clothing and will be participating in Christmas crafts and games
Santa visit
Santa will be visiting Jack in the box on 15th December, he will visit all of the rooms a bring a treat for the children.
Christmas Party
We will be having a Christmas party on 20th December 11am-1pm children are welcome to wear party/Christmas clothes. We will be participating in party games and Christmas activities and children will be provided with a buffet lunch. The cost will be £6.00 per child for the 2 hour session, For the children that are already in attendance we ask for a contribution of £2.50 towards their lunch. If you would like to book your child a place please confirm this by 25th November.
Non-funded weeks
There will be no funding for 15 or 30 hour funded children for weeks beginning 19th December Additional sessions are still payable please ensure you book your child in for them.
Christmas Closure
Nursery will be closed week beginning 26th December and will reopen on 3rd January.
Food bank
We were overwhelmed by the fantastic response to our food bank donations, thank you to all who participated. We will be keeping some items available at nursery should you require this support please let us know, the rest will be donated to our local food bank to help the local community 😊
Dates to remember
11th November- wear something red for Remembrance Day
14th-18th November- wear something yellow, spotty or pudsey to support children in need (suggested donation £1)
16th November- Parent consultations (appointments booked)
8th December- Christmas jumper day (suggested donation £1)
12th-16th December- Christmas fun week
15th December- Santa will be visiting Jack in the box
20th December- Christmas party day (if your child is not already in this can be booked via the office)
19th -30th December No funding for 15 and 30 hour funded children
26th December-2nd January nursery closed
Thank you for your continued support.
Many thanks
Sam and Clare