Newsletter (Autumn/Winter 2023)
‘Autumn is the hush before Winter’
Hello and welcome to our Autumn/Winter newsletter about what is happening in and around the
nursery over the coming seasons.
Nursery News
Sadly we are saying goodbye to our Nursery Manager Claire Carroll. She has been with us since the very start, and has been a massive part in making the nursery what it is today. We wish her well in her new venture and look forward to seeing her when she pops in for a visit.
Replacing Claire was a challenge, but we are excited to announce that Emily Steele our Early Years Teacher in Orange Room, will be taking over as Nursery Manager. She has a wealth of experience which she will bring to this role, using her knowledge and professionalism to carry on managing our nursery to a high standard. We all welcome Emily to this new role.
Planning
As part of our planning we also have a ‘book of month’ which is read throughout the nursery, incorporating reading, songs and displays based on the books, so look out for them around the nursery. The books are listed below if you fancy reading the books at home with your children.
October – ‘ The Three Billy Goats Gruff’
November- ‘The Gruffalo’ by Julia Donaldson December – ‘Sneezy the Snowman’ by Maureen Wright
Other areas of focus over the following seasons include the importance of a balanced diet, the fun of junk modelling and how we can learn about good manners and behaviour towards others.
Safeguarding
As a nursery we must comply to safeguarding measures to ensure the wellbeing and safety of all the children in our care, which of course is what you would expect from us. Please help us to continue this by keeping us informed of any accidents, injuries at home, changes in medication, or family circumstances. This valuable information ensures we understand your child’s needs and enables us to care for your child in the best way, for example understanding a child who’s behaviour has recently changed due to a family house move. If we know, we can put support for your child in place.
Reporting or making records of accidents at home or changes, helps protect you as parents/carers and us as nursery staff. Please also let us know of any infections or illnesses your child may have or family member, to help protect other children in our care, staff and other parents.
HEY News ( Healthy Early Years)
Holly our very own Hey Co-ordinator, is concentrating on spreading the knowledge of early phonics around the nursery. She is working on a new display board about this subject at the bottom of the stairs, so keep a look out for that!
What’s happening in our rooms?
Yellow Room
We are focusing on the changes to the weather and this will include going outside to explore. Please can parents/carers provide ‘all in one’ suits, hats and shoes to help keep your little ones cosy and warm.
They would also like you to send in photographs of any Autumn walks for the display boards, as they love to see what you all get up to outside the nursery.
They are also focusing on settling children in to the room, and helping them with their emotions and building bonds.
Red Room
They are concentrating on a movement programme for young children called Jabadao. This is about supporting children through movement and play, and is a fun and well tested approach to enhancing physical development. At the moment they have soft blocks and a climbing frame in the room, helping the children to understand their bodies and wellbeing.
This theme continues with activities around dancing and movement of the whole body.
Orange Room
They are focusing on the books of the month including Billy Goats Gruff and next month the Gruffalo. They are also learning about sizes, measuring each other and using different sticks and animals in small world play.
As the months get colder the children need to get ready for lots of glitter, crafts, seasonal singing and snowy sensory play.
Pre- School
Blue Room
Are concentrating on all things ‘Space’ and Dinosaur inspired play and activities, alongside noticing what is happening to our nature as the seasons change.
They are also focusing on being kind to each other and what it takes to be a good friend. They will look at how the children express themselves, and the importance of always asking for hugs from each other and respecting each other’s personal space.
Purple Room
They have resumed their focus of the week, this includes sounds/letter, number, colour and shape. This information will be sent out on a weekly basis on Famly, and don’t forget to keep sending photographs in of what your children have been up to.
To help support your child please could you focus on the phonetical sound of the week at home, to help early literacy understanding. Please note this will pause during December and start again in January due to the excitement of Christmas and then the resettling into nursery after the New Year.
Dates for your Diary
Halloween and Crackerjack Children’s Charity week ( Monday 30th to Friday 3rd)
We are not just doing one day, we have decided to run it for the whole week, giving everyone a chance to dress up and be part of the celebrations. We are asking for a £1 donation for wearing fancy dress any day of that week, and we are also holding a bake sale too.
If you can contribute any baked goods (normal or Halloween themed) during the week with allergy information attached, that would be very much appreciated.
Crackerjack are a charity who are committed to helping and assisting any child and their families who suffer from severe disabilities. This year we are supporting Heidi, who lives in the local area. She has Autism and learning difficulties and is in need of a new explorer pushchair costing £2100.
Thank you for your support
Christmas Opening Hours and Special Events
We will be closed from Friday 22nd December (closing at normal time) and then re-opening after the New Year on the 2nd January.
Official National Christmas Jumper Day 7th December
Well, at the nursery we wear our jumpers throughout the whole of December, so we have decided to make the 7th a Christmas Fancy Dress Day. So we look forward to seeing your creations.
Saturday Christmas Craft and Music Workshop 9th December (10am-12 drop in)
We again will be hosting a Christmas/Winter inspired craft and music workshop for parents/carers and children. This workshop will focus on making Seasonal Crafts and enjoying music time together, alongside story telling. Previous workshops have been very popular, and I am looking forward to hosting another one.
The cost per child is still only £5, and this workshop provides a great opportunity to meet other families and allow the children to socialise. The price includes refreshments for both adults and children. Additionally, our Outdoor Area will be open with adult supervision.
Whoops-a-Daisy Angel – 14th and 15th December at 3pm
We are doing a nativity for Orange Room and Pre-School children, which will take place in the Sports Hall similar to previous years. This year we are doing ‘Whoops a Daisy Angel’, which is a fun story about an angel who is different from the rest. It includes lots of catchy songs and a lovely story line, and plenty of opportunities for your child to shine!
Christmas Carol Service Week Commencing 18th ( Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) at 3.30pm
After the success of last years Carol Singing, Yellow and Red Room children will be performing in the courtyard on the above dates. We will again be collecting for the ‘Grace Food Bank’, so please bring along any prepacked foods/consumables on the day for our collection box.
Looking forward to a fun filled calendar of events and activities over the coming Seasons Many thanks for reading
Michelle Vinson ( Parent and Community Liaison/ Early Years Teacher)
