Spring 2017 Newsletter – second half of term
Posted: 23rd February 2017
Welcome back after the half term holiday – we all hope you had a lovely week and managed to re-charge your batteries.
Themes
We will spend the first two weeks of this half term completing our focus on traditional stories with Jack and the Beanstalk being our final tale. We will develop the theme by planting some seeds and beans of our own and will spend the following weeks nurturing them and watching them grow. This will also be an opportunity to look at measuring and ordering different things. And we hope to help ‘Lazy Jack’ whilst we concentrate on tidying our toys away! The remainder of the half term will concentrate on people who help us including: doctors, dentists, nurses, fire fighters – and very importantly, mothers in the week before Mothering Sunday. We hope to be able to arrange some visitors to the nursery to talk to the children about how they help us.
Pancake Party
Shrove Tuesday falls on 28th February this year, and we will be hosting a little pancake party for all the children. The children will take part in some races and then sit down to enjoy a pancake snack. Tuesday children should attend as usual, any other children are welcome to come to nursery at 9.30 to join in our races on the green and enjoy a few pancakes together. Parents are also welcome to watch the races and have coffee and a pancake.
World Book Day
This event celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and was developed to encourage a love of books, reading and illustration in younger children. It takes place on Thursday 2nd March and we will be distributing a £1 World Book Day voucher to each child for redemption at local bookshops, or participating supermarkets and bookshop chains, between 27th February and 26th March 2017. If you would like to come and read to the children, or you have grandparents, aunties, uncles etc, who would come in please let Kate or Natasha know. Story time is at midday each day.
Helper Rota
The new rota for this half term is available in reception for you to add your names. It was lovely seeing so many helpers last term which has proven invaluable to both the staff and the children, who have enjoyed playing group games and eating beautifully presented, delicious, snacks. If you would like to join with a forest school outing, then make sure to bring your walking boots or wellies and a coat!
Confirmation of Personal Details
We will be distributing each family with a summary of the details we currently hold on record, as it is mandatory that we maintain accurate records. Please ensure you check the information, amend where necessary, and return your signed form to either Kate or Liz by 10th March.
Sainsbury’s Vouchers
As you may have noticed, we are collecting Sainsbury’s Active Kids vouchers again. Please post your vouchers into the box in the reception area – and if you are able to collect from other sources (grandparents, aunties, uncles etc) they would all be very welcome! The vouchers have returned to their original format this year to make it easier for counting, so please make sure you only post the 2017 vouchers in to the box!
Spring Hat Parade
We hold a spring hat parade on the last day of term, which this year falls on Friday 31st March. Please would you, and your little one(s), make a bonnet or hat at home – as simply or extravagantly decorated as you wish, and bring it in on the morning of the 31st. All non-Friday children should arrive at 9.30 and we will begin the parade at 9.45, after which there will be an Easter egg hunt on the green. Parents, grandparents etc are all welcome to come and watch the parade and, hopefully, enjoy some spring sunshine before we break for the Easter holidays! Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available and a cake sale. We expect the activities to be finished by around 10.30am.
Advance Notices –
Prêt a Portrait Individual and Leavers Photo
This professional photography company will be visiting us again on Friday 19th May to take individual and our traditional Leavers photographs. The Leavers photo has always been a special memento for those moving on to their next schools. All those children leaving us in July should come into nursery on the Friday morning for the leavers photo, wearing their nursery uniform please, and any children are welcome to come in if not their usual day, to have individual photos taken. These will then be made available to order through Prêt a Portrait’s website – details of which will be circulated shortly after the photo shoot. We will issue a sign-up sheet with time slots for the individual photos, to ensure we keep a good flow throughout the morning. This will be in reception nearer the time.
Whole Nursery Trip to the Seaside
Our annual trip to West Wittering will be on Thursday 15th June for all children. We leave from the village hall by 9.15 at the latest, spend the morning on the beach, have a special lunch then return to Grayswood by 2.45pm. Precise details will be distributed soon, but do make a date in your diaries.
DATES FOR THE DIARY
Monday 20th February: Start of second half of term
Tuesday 28th February: Pancake Party
Thursday 2nd March: World Book Day
Friday 31st March: Spring Hat Parade and last day of term
Tuesday 18th April: First day of summer term
Monday 1st May: May Bank Holiday – nursery closed
Friday 19th May: Prêt a Portrait Individual and Leavers Photo
Friday 26th May: Sports Day
Monday 29th May – Friday 2nd June inc: Half Term
Thursday 15th June: Whole nursery trip to West Wittering
Friday 14th July: Last day of term
GENERAL INFORMATION
Session Times
Monday 9.05am – 2.45pm (Pre-School children only)
Tuesday – Friday 9.05am – 12.35pm
Tuesday and Thursday afternoons sessions end at 2.45pm
Contact Details
Village Hall telephone number: 01428 658931
Nursery mobile number: 07789 987280
Nursery e-mail address: info@grayswoodnurseryschool.co.uk
Nursery web-site: www.grayswoodnurseryschool.co.uk
NB The e-mail address is not accessible to staff whilst the nursery is in progress.
STAFF AT THE NURSERY
There are currently nine members of staff on the team each of whom works on different days as shown below. We also have Miss Maureen on Mondays for music and movement and Bollie for Playball on Tuesdays.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| Sue Bartrum | Sue Bartrum | Sue Bartrum | Lara Butler | Lara Butler |
| Lara Butler | Kate Dean | Kate Dean | Kate Dean | Kate Dean |
| Kate Dean | Richard Dean | Richard Dean | Richard Dean | Richard Dean |
| Richard Dean | Natasha Hayes | Liz Juson | Natasha Hayes | Natasha Hayes |
| Natasha Hayes | Liz Juson | Jane Tims | Anna Mitchell | |
| Jane Tims | Jane Tims | Yvonka Wilkinson | ||
| Yvonka Wilkinson | Yvonka Wilkinson | |||
| Beryl Brogden |
Committee Members
This year’s committee members are currently:
Chair – Philippa Hawkins Secretary – Charlotte Brown Treasurer – Sarah Canning
The committee work very hard to run events and fundraising activities on behalf of the nursery so please do help them out with this valuable task.
Finally, a few reminders:
The Nursery is not a place for poorly children. We are a learning environment and your child needs to be well in order to engage in their learning. If your child has been sick or had an upset tummy they must remain away from nursery for a minimum of 48 hours and not return until they have had a normal (for them) stool. As a general rule, children taking antibiotics should not be at nursery. Please ask us if you are unsure when your child should return to nursery after an illness.
Please keep us informed of your current contact details particularly mobile numbers. It is essential that whilst your child is at nursery someone is available to collect them in the event of an emergency. Please ensure if you are unavailable someone else is able to be contacted and collect your child.
Please do not let your children wear jewellery to nursery or bring small toys etc. As a guide children should not bring to nursery items which could fit inside a traditional 35mm film container.