Parent News

Dear Parents and Carer,

 

We would like to welcome Emma Long to our Bumblebees team. Emma has previous experience in childcare and also holds an NVQ Level 3 qualification. Emma started with us on Monday 5^th January.

 

We would also like to welcome back Jade Holland. Jade will be based in our Pre-school and will be starting with us on Monday 19^th January.

 

There are still spaces available if you wish to attend the Robbie Burns evening, please see the office is you would like to join the evening. Please see the poster at the end of the blog for further information.

 

Policies

Please find attached our settling in policy.

Snails

The focus in the snails this week is creative activities. The children will have the opportunity to explore painting by creating hand printed flowers. The children will also be able to explore cornflour play and mark making in damp sand. The activities throughout the week also include exploring with bead mazes and shape sorters. Playing with hide and seek cubes and exploring the noises the sensory bottles provide. Outdoor activities include, pop up toys, singing nursery rhymes and mirror play.

Planned activities within the Snails surround each child’s current interest in conjunction with supporting and extending their development.  To find out what activities are planned for your child for this week, please see your child’s keyworker who will be happy to take you through the planning.

Amy – Day off Monday

 

Caterpillars

This week the Caterpillars team will be supporting messy play and encouraging the children to explore their fine motor skills. Activities this week will include chalking, table painting, drawing using crayons, gluing and sticking. Outdoor activities include playing in tents and tunnels and exploring duplo. The book of the week is ‘family books’.

 Planned activities within the Caterpillars surround each child’s current interest in conjunction with supporting and extending their development.  To find out what activities are planned for your child for this week, please see your child’s keyworker who will be happy to take you through the planning.

Days off       

Jamie – Monday Training, Tuesday Day off

Alisha – Monday

 

 

Ladybirds

The current interest in the Ladybirds this week is nursery rhymes. The children will have the opportunity to explore musical instruments whilst singing nursery rhymes. The children will also have the opportunity to sing number rhymes. Outdoor activities include balancing on the balancing beam, bikes and ride on toys, chalking activities on the pavement and going on a bear hunt. The story of the week is ‘Hickory Dickory Dog’.

Planned activities within the ladybirds surround each child’s current interest in conjunction with supporting and extending their development.  To find out what activities are planned for your child for this week, please see your child’s keyworker who will be happy to take you through the planning.

Days off  

Abi – Thursday

Naomi – Friday

 

 

Bumblebees

This week the children will be focusing on shapes, colours messy activities, counting and the ABC Song.  Messy activities this week include wet sand play, exploring cornflour play by mark making with animals, gluing and sticking with tissue shapes, bubble and water play and counting using colouring pencils. Activities this week in the construction area include using big blocks to balance on, dinosaur play in sand and water, building using stickle bricks, building towers using small blocks and building towers using duplo blocks and play and connect together the train track. Mathematical activities this week include counting using compare bears, drawing and recognising shapes, comparing animals big and small and matching quantity to number saying ‘please can I have one’. Literacy activities this week include recognising the first letter of their name, reading the story of the week which is ‘the very noisy house!’, practising mouse control by playing Jack and the Beanstalk on the computer, listens to an audio CD on the CD player and exploring puppets by having a puppet story. In the role play area this week the children will be pretending to wash clothes using the washing machine, bathing the babies, create a café so we can cook food for our friends. A cooking activity will also be taking place this week; the children will be making raisin scones.

Planned activities within the Bumblebees surround each child’s current interest in conjunction with supporting and extending their development.  To find out what activities are planned for your child for this week, please see your child’s keyworker who will be happy to take you through the planning which is now displayed on the large notice board outside the Bumblebees room.

 

Days off     

Jani – Friday

Jenni – Thursday, Office based Friday

 

Butterflies     

This week the butterflies will be focusing on clothes, seasons and weather. The activities will include weather checking, by going outside and using their senses to describe the weather. Within the role play this week, the children will be role playing the seasons, different clothing and foods, also discussing what clothing is worn during the seasons, completing a water cycle activity sheet, making clouds snowflakes and suns during an art activity. The children will also take part in a construction activity which requires team work to create a building. Literacy activities include looking and recognising the letters which are in their names. In the cooking club this week the children will be making Taco’s with Guacamole.  The children will be focusing on the letter of the week, which is, ‘S’ and the number of the week, which is number 27.

Planned activities within the Butterflies surround each child’s current interest in conjunction with supporting and extending their development.  To find out what activities are planned for your child for this week, please see your child’s keyworker who will be happy to take you through the planning.

 

Days off   

Stani – Friday                                   

Tara – Tuesday, Training Monday and Wednesday

Juan – Wednesday

Lee – Wednesday Forest School all day

 

Michelle is day off Friday.

 

Settling in policy

 

Aim of policy

 

At Castle Daycare & Preschool we want every child to thrive with us. Part of making this happen is having a high quality settling in procedure that supports the child and their family as they join us.

 

Points to consider

 

Through this policy and the appointment of professional staff, we aim to make parents/carers feel comfortable in the nursery and that the staff team are friendly, approachable and attentive to their needs and the needs of their children.

 

Castle Daycare and Preschool aim to do this by:

 

• From the point of booking, the family become members of the nursery and should be informed of any major events, social activities and general news regarding the nursery, even if they have not yet started.
• Once a booking is confirmed the Manager will contact the parent/carer 4-6 weeks prior to the start date to organise settling in visits for the child. 
• We recommend an induction period of three settling in sessions, of one hour long, should take place prior to the start date.
• We will hold an opportunity to welcome the family, address any issues or anxieties and take detailed information about the child.  The staff should be informed in advance of the settling visit to allow for the appropriate preparation and organisation.
• The settling in sessions should be led by the child’s key person.
• During the settling in sessions the key person will go through the registration form, terms and conditions and the “All about me pack” with the parents.
• The key person will give the parents information about the nursery such as; activities, policies, events and newsletters.
• The key person will answer any questions or concerns the parents have and will refer them to the manager if needed.
• The key person will ensure that they know the child’s routine, care plans and needs during these sessions so that the child can be supported and cared for as best as possible from their first session with us.

 

 

 

Robbie Burns dinner 

Here Saturday January 17^th

Warm up with a team quiz to get to know other parents, than be seated for the feast below

7.30 pm – 9.30pm

Menu

Starter

Cullen Skink

Mains

Haggis Nepes & Tatties

Dessert

Cranachan

Followed by coffee with a shortbread biscuit & a wee dram of whiskey.

This is an opportunity to rest back and get to know other parents a little better.  There is no charge however places are limited.  Please confirm if you would like to attend by emailing me, stating if you have any dietary requirements.  Could all RSVP’s be submitted by Wednesday January 14^th.

Look forward to seeing you there

Michelle