Parent News

Dear Parents and Carers,

Many thanks to those of you who attended our parent forest school session on Sunday.  The event was a huge success and hopefully gave you a better insight into the types of activities and experiences your children are offered during their time at forest school.

 On Friday May 15^th we have our photographer here (9am – 11.30am approximately) to take graduation photographs of our school leavers.  If your child is leaving us for school this year, however does not normally attend on Fridays, please see Michelle to make arrangements for your child to have their photo taken.  After the individual photographs there will be a class photograph taken of each group within the nursery.  As we cannot judge how long the photos will take we estimate that the group photograph’s will begin at approximately 10.30 am.  If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Michelle.  

Please note that we close at 18.00 on Friday May 1^st and re open on Tuesday May 5^th at 08.00am.

Letters of interest for our annual outing to Bocketts farm were distributed last week.  Please could I ask for all replies to be returned by this Friday, May 1^st.  Many thanks.

Date for your diary

On Saturday September 20^th (a long way ahead, I know) we are holding a hog roast at Shalford Community Centre to celebrate 20 years of Castle Nurseries.  We shall be inviting present and past parents and children from all 3 nurseries with lots of fun activities and entertainment.  Further details shall follow however if you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Michelle.

 

Policies

Please find attached our non attendance policy.

Snails

The focus in the snails this week is movement. The children will be encouraged to crawl, roll, bottom shuffle and walk, using prompts and with support. 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, Annual leave:- Tuesday

 

Caterpillars

This week the Caterpillars team will continue to focus on mirror play and to explore their family books. Activities this week will include painting with rollers, heuristic play and small world play.

 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 – Thursday, Annual Leave - Friday

Alisha – Wednesday

 

Ladybirds

The current interest in the Ladybirds this week continues to be spring animals and also small world play. The children will have the opportunity to make spring animal masks, play with the ducks and boats during water play and paint using feathers.

 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 – Monday, training - Thursday    

Naomi – Friday

 

 

 

Bumblebees

This week the children will continue to focus on painting, cooking, stories and role play. Activities this week include making fridge cake, dressing dolls, colour mixing with paint, using puppets to talk about feelings and washing up in the water tray. The children will also be practising their self help skills by dressing and undressing themselves for routine tasks such as toileting, outdoor play and sleep time. Outdoor activities this week include chalk drawing and obstacle course and playing in the sand pit. The story of the week is ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’ and the colour of the week is green.

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 – Monday

 

Butterflies     

This week the butterflies are continuing to focus on spring and growing. The activities include looking at the life cycle of a tree, using craft items to create a 3D apple tree and working together to complete the big farm puzzle . The children will also be making chocolate brownies, exploring mixing colours and playing balancing games outside.  The children will be focusing on the letter of the week, which is, ‘L’ and the number of the week, which is number 6.

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, training tuesday                                 

Tara – Thursday

Jade – Monday

 

Non-attendance policy

 

Aim of policy

To give clear guidelines on what to do if a child expected at nursery does not arrive.

 

Points to consider

This policy needs to be made aware to all parents upon starting at the setting so they understand it is to protect children rather than intrude into personal lives.

Under the Early Years Foundation Stage providers must be alert to any issues for concern in the child’s life at home or elsewhere. By understanding why the child has not attended helps us to form a picture of their life outside of the setting. This policy links to our Child Protection policies.

 

Castle Daycare and Preschool aim to achieve this by:

• Asking all parents to inform the nursery if their child is going to be absent and the reason why.

 

• Recording on the registers when and child is absent and why, using the following code:

S = sickness

H= Holiday

A = unknown absence

 

• If a child is due in and has not arrived, the nursery will wait a reasonable time, depending on the child’s session and usual pattern of attendance, before contacting the parent to find out a reason for the child’s absence.

 

• This reason will then be recorded on the registers.

 

• Patterns of non-attendance can be monitored through the registers.

 

• Where possible the nursery would encourage parents to contact the setting rather than the setting contacting the parent.

 

• When contacting the parents the staff will do so in a sensitive manner whilst explaining the need for the phone call.

 

• If a child claiming EYFE is off for more than two consecutive weeks or is regularly absent the manager will need to contact the EYFE team.

 

• The social care team may need to be contacted. Please discuss this with your Manager and DCPO.