Welcome to the spring term at Yarrow Nursery. We hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas break and wish you a Happy New Year. We extend a warm welcome to the many new families who have joined us this term and look forward to sharing many happy times ahead.
Thank you so much for the generous gifts given to staff at the end of term, they are still being enjoyed and are very much appreciated.
Topic News
This half term our topic will be BEARS. Activities will include learning about different types of bears, favourite bears, counting bears, making bear pictures and biscuits, reading bear stories and exploring porridge. Favourite books this term will include We’re Going on a Bear Hunt; Goldilocks and the Three Bears; Peace at Last!; Whatever Next!; Where’s my Teddy? and many more. We always welcome parents and grandparents into nursery to share favourite stories. Please speak to any member of staff if you wish to volunteer.
The topic plan is displayed on the notice board in the hall and we always welcome any additional suggestions. This topic has been planned with the children using the Talking Tub, and photos of this activity are also displayed on the board.
Learning Journeys
Every child in nursery has an individual record of achievement which is compiled and maintained by their key person. These Learning Journeys are a unique record of each child’s time in nursery and provide a means of recording achievements and aspects of learning and development linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum.
Staff work at home to keep photographs, art-work, significant comments and learning stories up-to-date. Parents can take these books home at any time and should feel free to add photographs, comments and pictures. As parents you are your child’s first and most enduring educators and the information and knowledge you have about their interests, learning and development is invaluable to us. If your child’s Learning Journey is not in nursery it will be with their key person being updated and will be returned as soon as possible. The books are formally sent home once every term so that each individual child, their parents and key person can work together to plan next steps. We really value your input and written comments on the sharing sheet. If you are ever unsure what to write or have any queries about any aspect of your child’s learning and development then please don’t hesitate to speak to your child’s key person or to any member of staff.
A useful website for parents and early years professionals is:
www.foundationyears.org.uk <http://www.foundationyears.org.uk>
Diary Date
Thursday 1st March is World Book Day. Staff and children to attend nursery dressed as their favourite character from a book.
Post Bags
Please check your post bag regularly for letters, catalogues and art work.
Nappies
Please check nappy bags regularly to ensure your child has a set of spare clothes and a supply of fresh nappies and wipes. We keep a small emergency stock of nappies in nursery and ask that this is replenished after use. Thank you.
Session Times
The 2011/2012 session times are listed below:
Early bird 8.15-9.15
AM session 9.15-11.45
Lunch 11.45-12.45
PM session 12.45-3.15
All children are entitled to fifteen hours of free nursery education per week from the term after their third birthday. Please contact Mrs McManus at Yarrow Valley if you have any queries; 01257 262070.
Please wait by the gate at the end of sessions. This enables us to ensure that each child is met by a known adult. Staff are always available to speak to parents at the end of each session once all the children have been safely seen out.
For the safety of all children please bolt the gate every time you go through it, even if you are just popping in for a moment.
Parking
Euxton Methodist Church has requested that we advise parents not to park uphill of the church building when visiting nursery to prevent accidents and parking fines. Please speak to any member of staff if you require further information.
Lunchboxes
If you would like to store any items from your child’s lunchbox in the refrigerator please name and date them and hand to any member of staff.
Some children in nursery have serious allergies and we are keen to prevent cross contamination. Please avoid nuts and products containing nuts.
Fees
Please be aware that fees are payable on the first session that your child is in nursery for the whole of that week, month or half term. Please help us to keep our costs down by either paying in cash or by cheque for at least a month at a time; payable to Yarrow. We are charged by the bank for every cheque that we pay in.
All our policies and procedures are available on our website:
www.yarrownursery.co.uk <http://www.yarrownursery.co.uk>
Contact Numbers
After Nursery
01772 495931
Please let us know of any changes of address or contact details so that we can update our records.
Holidays
Nursery closes for the half term after the session on Friday 10th February and re-opens on Monday 20th February.
A complete 2011/2012 holiday list is displayed on the notice board and on the nursery website.
Please use the space below to make any suggestions and to keep us informed of your child’s current interests. A suggestion box is also located on the lunch trolley.
Name:_______________
Interests/ideas:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
