Download this newsletter as a PDF file:
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome to the 2ndhalf of the Spring term-and some lovely warmer weather!
A few reminders
Please please please name your children’s belongings! We have 24 children each session and remembering who’s coat/water bottle/lunchbox/bag etc belongs to is very time consuming for staff and often results in children going home with the wrong items!
Illness
Please keep your child at home if they are unwell. I understand that they may ask to come in but this will only delay them getting better and will spread germs to other children and staff. If your child needs paracetamol/ibuprofen to get through the day they are generally not well enough to attend nursery.
Drop-off and collection
Our session times are
- 8.50am to 11.50am
- 11.50am to 2.50pm
- 8.50am to 2.50pm
Please do not let your children climb on the equipment outside at the beginning and end of the day. Children remain the responsibility of their parent/carer until nursery opens and after collection.
We like to have the door closed by 9am in the morning and 12pm for afternoon sessions so we can start our day. Please drop off promptly when possible.
We encourage our children to be more independent from this term so please say goodbye to your child at the door if possible. A member of staff will be on hand to help with hanging coats and bags.
At afternoon pick up time we will be asking you to come into nursery to collect your child. Your child will have been asked to stay on their chair until their grown up comes to them so please don’t wave them to you from the door! This helps us to make sure each child is collected and leaves the nursery building safely. Due to limited space please leave pushchairs outside. If you wish to talk to a member of about your child please kindly wait until the other children have gone home.
If someone else is collecting your child please let a member of staff know beforehand. If we have not met this person before we will require a password.
If someone else is collecting your child please let a member of staff know beforehand. If we have not met this person before we will require a password.
Snacks and Lunches
We are now providing morning snack for your children. You will have received an envelope for you to return with your cash donation toward the cost of this. This can be loose change or more!
Please note that we cannot have nuts in nursery-so please no peanut butter, Nutella or such like foods.
Hot meals-Please follow this link if you wish to register for and book and pay for your child’s meals: Each meal costs £2.35 and must be booked and paid for in advance.
Put in “Leechpool School” as the school name and the class as “Caterpillars”.
Milk
Milk deliveries will start on 11thMarch. Please return your permission slip before this as we cannot offer your child milk without it.
Contact details
Please make sure we have an up to date email address for you so you receive our weekly activities emails and reminders. You can email [email protected] with your child’s name to be added to the list.
Big run
Caterpillar nursery children will be joining in with Leechpool school half termly Big Run again this term. The Big Run is on a Friday morning and encourages awareness of good health. The Big Run takes place in the school grounds and is a walk/run around the wellbeing walk. Staff will take the Friday morning children on their Big Run at 9.15am on the following dates.
- Friday 8th March
- Friday 3rd May
- Friday 14th June
Celebrations and festivals
To support our children in learning about the wider world we would like to talk to them about celebrations and festivals which you celebrate at home or in your community. If there are celebrations or family traditions both religious or non-religious which you would like us to talk about and celebrate with your child please talk a member of nursery staff.
Resources
We are looking for items for our role play ICT and Hairdressers boxes! If you have any of the following unused items which you would like to donate they will be greatfully received!
- Key boards
- Telephones (House phones and mobiles)
- Hair dryers (cord cut off)
- Hair straighteners (cord cut off)
WOW Moments
Please continue to send in your childrens WOW moments notes. These are for you to write your childs achievements on and to share at nursery. These achievements can be anything which made you go WOW! Such as toileting, sleeping, jumping into the pool for the first time, eating new foods, crossing the road carefully, getting dressed all by themselves……!
Starting school
If your child is starting school this year you will be notified by email on 17thApril. Please let me know which school your child has been allocated so I can start the transition process with reception teachers.
See Saw
I hope you are enjoying using the SeeSaw app to keep up to date with your childs progress & time at Caterpillars! If you are yet to sign up please let me know and I will give you another link.
Parents survey
Thank you to those who responded to our survey-I will be reviewing and sending out feedback next week.
Parents meetings
We are holding parents meetings on Tuesday 12thand Thursday 14thMarch between 3.15pm and 4.30pm in the school musicroomYou will need to make an appointment with your child’s key person for a 10 minute slot. Please sign up on the lists which are available at the start and end of session times. If a convenient time is not available and you would like to make an alternative appointment, please let me know. Telephone and email contact is also available.
Website
Our website is continuing to be developed-please take a look! www.caterpillarnursery.co.uk
AGM
Our committee held their AGM on Monday 11th February, reports are available on our website.
Activities this half term
Our themes this half term will be nursery rhymes and Easter
We are hoping to have a visit from the Fire and Ambulance service this half term.
Week beginning 18thMarch we will also be having an Odd Socks Week to raise support for Downs Syndrome. Your child is encouraged to wear odd socks all week and put a cash donation in the bucket. There will be a cake sale on Friday 22nd March.
Easter egg hunt
Our Easter egg hunt will be on the last day of term-Friday 5th April from 2.15pm. There will be a charge of £2 to take part-payable in advance (so the Easter bunny leaves enough eggs for everyone!) and an adult must take your child round. A letter with details will follow.
Nursery closures
Advance warning that nursery will be closed to children on the following dates due to school INSET and Polling day:
- Thursday 2ndMay
- Monday 3rdJune
Staff news
I am pleased to tell you that we have appointed a new staff member who will be joining us before Easter. Jakki Maybank has many years of experience in Early Years and will be a great addition to the Caterpillar staff team!
Mrs Maybank will be working with Miss Hill to get to know and support her key children and then taking them on once Miss Hill goes on maternity leave in May.
Our dedicated staff team are
- Miss Kate Summerhayes (Manager)
- Mrs Maria Gwynn (Key person) (Deputy job share)
- Mrs Hannah Broadbridge (Key person) (Deputy job share)
- Mrs Bev John (Key person)
- Miss Kayleigh Hill (Key person)
- Mrs Jakki Maybank (Key person)
- Mrs Lucia Urden (Nursery assistant)
- Mrs Trina Matheson (Nursery assistant)
- Mrs Ali Corpez (Nursery assistant)
- Mrs Liz Groves (Administration)