Monday, 1 November 2021

Newsletter - 1st November 2021

Hello!

We hope everyone has had a lovely half term break ๐Ÿ™‚


Important Dates

w/c 1st November - Halloween Fun Week 
Wednesday 15th December - Christmas Concert @ 3.30pm approx. more details to follow
Tuesday 21st December - Christmas Party - 3.15pm - 4.30pm - invite to follow soon
Tuesday 21st December - Last Day of Term
Thursday 6th January - Start of Term


Halloween Fun Week

All this week we will be having lots of Halloween themed fun; special treats at snack time, face painting, tattoos, messy play, pumpkins and more. Your contribution to this week is greatly appreciated so if you have not yet paid please remember it's just 50p per session and payment should be sent by bank transfer - thank you ๐Ÿง›‍♂️๐Ÿ•ธ๐Ÿ•ท


Session Fees

All invoices for November have been issued and should be paid by 3rd November.  Late payment of fees will automatically incur a penalty fee of £15 and continuous failure to pay fees could result in the removal of your child’s place from pre-school.  Please speak to Jayne or Julie regarding any payment issues so that this can be avoided – many thanks.


Session Requirements

We will be emailing all parents shortly regarding session requirements for after Christmas; it is imperative that parents respond promptly so that we can accommodate requests for changes and increases to sessions. Some children will become eligible for their government funded hours (their ‘free’ place) for the first time and the appropriate funding forms will be issued prior to the end of this term. All parents are advised to visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk to find out what they may be entitled to and how to access it. Any questions please speak to Jayne or Julie.


New Date for Diary - Queens Platinum Jubilee

2022 will be the Queens Platinum Jubilee and as such an extra bank holiday has been scheduled for Friday 3rd June. As this day falls within our summer half term break we have been advised by Derbyshire County Council that an alternate date can be picked during the summer term. We will therefore be closed on Monday 20th June 2022.


Primary School Applications

If your child was born between 1st September 2017 and 31st August 2018 it will soon be time to start applying for their infant or primary school place as they will be starting their Reception Year in September 2022!

 

Both Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire County Councils operate an online application process and applications can be made from 8th November 2021 up until midnight of 15th January 2022.


Parents will then be notified of their allocated school on 19th April 2022.


If you live in Derbyshire – 

https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/education/schools/school-places/apply-for-a-school-place.aspx


If you live in Nottinghamshire –

http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/education/school-admissions/apply-for-a-school-place


Christmas Party
We will be holding a Christmas Party on Tuesday 21st December between 3.15pm and 4.30pm - please keep an eye out for a separate email about this!

Christmas Concert
We are hoping to hold a Christmas Concert on Wednesday 15th December at 3.30pm. A separate email will be sent soon with more details and to ascertain how many children will be able to take part. 

Christmas Fundraising
We are just beginning to look at our Christmas fundraising activities for this year. We will be holding a raffle that will be held 'virtually' as this was a great success last year. If you, or anyone you know, would like to help out by donating prizes for our raffle then please get in touch. We already have a couple of great prizes lined up but are on the look out for a few more!

We also have a Just Giving page that has been set-up to help with our fundraising which anyone can donate to. The past eighteen months or so have really impacted our ability to fundraise and without the support of family and friends each year we would not be able to function as we do. So please share this link to help boost our fundraising efforts; all support is truly appreciated by all of us at pre-school. 


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 must wear a red top or jumper whilst at pre-school.  Tops with the pre-school logo are available at reasonable prices, please see Jayne or Julie 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. 


Absence – Absence due to holiday/appointments should be notified in writing/email in advance. Absence due to illness should be notified by text by 9.15am (morning sessions) or 12.15pm (afternoon sessions).  

All absences must be confirmed in writing.


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


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 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 For information regarding Ofsted and their role within Early Years please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/information-for-parents-about-ofsteds-role-in-regulating-childcare you can also contact them on 0300 123 1231 or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk  


How to Contact Pre-School

Our phone number is 07960 983423 (Monday to Friday, 8.45am to 3.00pm) 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.

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