Newsletter - April 2019

Important Dates for your Diary
w/c 20th May - Cake Sale Week
Friday 24th May - End of Term
Monday 3rd June - Start of Term
Saturday 29th June - Summer Fair, 11am - 1pm
Tuesday 2nd July - INSET DAY
Tuesday 2nd July - Open Day, 10am - 2pm
Monday 15th July - School Leavers Concert
Friday 19th July - LAST DAY
Monday 22nd July - INSET DAY (official last day of term)
Tuesday 3rd September - INSET DAY
Wednesday 4th September - Back to School

Session Fees
Invoices for fees have been issued; all invoices are issued for the term up to the 24th May and should be paid in full by Wednesday 8th May 2019. Late payment of fees will automatically incur a penalty fee and continuous failure to pay fees could result in the removal of your child’s place from pre-school. Please speak to Jayne regarding any payment issues so that this can be avoided – many thanks.

Primary School Places
Parents of those children starting reception year this September will have now received confirmation of their child’s primary school. Please let us know as soon as possible which school your child will be attending so that we can start our transition process.

Planning for September!
We are now starting our planning for September! Letters will be coming home asking parents which sessions they would like for their child in September and it is imperative that these are returned quickly so we can help everyone to get the sessions they would like.

If you’re child turns 3 between 1st April and 31st August then they will be eligible for a government funded place. More details will be in the letter but parents will need to start thinking about the number of hours they require and whether they will be eligible for the Extended Entitlement funding (often referred to as 30 Hours Free Childcare). Parents are advised to visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk to find out what they are entitled to and how to claim it. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is that parents find out this information and action it promptly. Without correct codes, obtained within specified deadlines, parents may find they miss out on their full entitlement. Please read carefully the letter coming home and speak to Jayne should you have any questions.

Changes From September
Following numerous changes over the last couple of years to the way we receive the government funding, along with the continued high increases to the living wage, we are forced once again to make some changes in September.

Fees - All fees will be charged at a new standard rate of £4.35 per hour. The contribution towards ‘Essential Supplies’ will be remain unchanged and continue to be requested at 50p per session, per week, per half term.

Lunch Time - As from September only those children who attend for a full day will be able to have their lunch at pre-school. Parents will still be required to provide a packed lunch and follow our Lunch Time Policy; there will still be no charge for this.

Fashion Show
A big thank you to everyone who came along to our Fashion Show last term, as well as our lovely models! We managed to raise a wonderful £280!

Sponsored Bounce Success
We have been blown away by the generosity of those who took part in our Sponsored Bounce last term; you raised an astounding £877. This has already been put to good use as we have been able to membrane and gravel the garden surrounding our grassed area. Staff have been in over the Easter break to paint all of our wooden structures and fences as well as add to our sensory garden. We have also purchased two new benches as well as a new speaker for inside with plans to purchase one for outside as well so that we can have music wherever we are. If you haven’t yet paid in your sponsor money then please return it to us as quickly as you can - thank you.

Easter Fun Week
We had a great time during the last week of term with lots of fun Easter themed activities; we were joined by Jon from Asda at Long Eaton who judged our Easter headband competition as well as making some Easter nest cakes with us. We had yummy snacks, Easter Egg hunts, face painting, themed crafts, lucky dips and lots more. The raffle was a great success and raised £286 - thank you!

Smarties
We hope everyone enjoyed their packet of Smarties and thank you to everyone who has returned the tubes full of pennies; we have so far counted £81.13! Please remember to return the tubes to pre-school as soon as you can if you haven’t already - thank you!

Dummies!
We know that sometimes getting your child to give up their dummy can be a traumatic experience for both parent and child alike. So, we will be setting up a ‘Dummy Tree and Fairy House’ at pre-school where your child can ‘give their dummy to the fairies’. Children will be able to hang their dummies on the tree and then the next time they visit pre-school the dummy will have disappeared and the fairies will have left them a treat for being so brave. If you’d like to know more then please speak to any of the staff.

Warmer Weather
We hope that the weather will be warming up soon so please remember to send your child to pre-school with a sun hat and sun-cream already applied. Please remember to put your child’s name inside their sun hat too! Because of your payments towards our ‘Essential Supplies’ we do have a supply of child friendly factor 50 sun-cream at pre-school. This means that we can ensure all children are protected whilst they are at pre-school and we can re-apply cream as often as needed throughout the day. If, however, you’d rather we use your own cream please ensure that a supply, clearly marked with your child’s name, is left at pre-school.

Open Day - Tuesday 2nd July - 10am - 2pm
We will be having an Open day on Tuesday 2nd July from 10am till 2pm. This will be open to everyone; including parents of children who will be starting with us in September along with anyone else who is interested in a place for their child at Springfield. It’s a chance to come along and meet the team, experience some of our activities and generally find out a bit more about what Springfield offers your child.

General Reminders......
Name Labels - Please ensure that all of your child’s possessions are clearly labelled with their full name. All bags, including lunch bags, should be labelled on the outside as we have a number of children that have the same style bag and the lack of a name can cause confusion for both child and staff alike! If items are found unlabelled we will write names on with a black marker pen.

Uniform – All children are required to wear a red top or jumper whilst at pre-school. Tops with the pre-school logo are available at reasonable prices, please see Jayne should you require any items.

Red Book Bags - All children must have a red book bag that should be brought to pre-school each time they attend.

Clothing – It is imperative that children are sent to school in appropriate clothing. Children should be sent prepared for the weather with appropriate outdoor clothing as we always try to get outside – whatever the weather! Footwear should enable children to climb and move with confidence; ill-fitting shoes can spoil their fun when pursuing outdoor activities as well as cause unnecessary accidents. Indoor clothes should enable a child to be as independent as possible, especially when using the toilet when time may be short! So please avoid using tricky belts or dungarees that could hinder a child’s attempts to get to the toilet on time. Thank you.

Absence – Any absences from pre-school should be notified in writing in advance if known i.e. holidays, or by 9.15am (morning sessions) or 12.15pm (afternoon sessions) in the case of sickness.

All absences must be confirmed in writing.

Children’s Bags - Your child must bring a small bag/back-pack with a set of spare clothes (including socks!) in case of accidents or messy/wet play; please ensure that the bag is a size that your child can carry themselves and is clearly labelled.

Changes - Please remember to let us know of any changes relevant to your child and their circumstances. We need to know if your contact details have changed, of any allergies or medical conditions and any other circumstances which may affect your child during their time with us.

Policies & Procedures – pre-school operating policies & procedures are available for all parents to read at any time and are located near the children’s drawers. Key policies are also available on our website www.springfieldpreschool.co.uk

Useful Websites – www.foundationyears.org.uk has been developed specifically for parents of children aged 0 – 5 and provides lots of useful information and advice. For information relating to funding, child benefit and more please visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

How to Contact Pre-School
Our phone number is 07960 983423 or email us at; springfieldpreschool@hotmail.co.uk
You can also check our website www.springfieldpreschool.co.uk and Facebook page for up-to-date information. You can also find us on Twitter and Instagram.