Newsletter - January 2022

We hope everyone has had a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Important Dates

Wednesday 26th January - Inset Afternoon - pre-school will be closed for the afternoon only

Thursday 27th January - Parents to Pre-School Day

Friday 18th February - End of Term

Monday 28th February - Start of Term

Friday 8th April - End of Term

Monday 25th April - Start of Term

Monday 2nd May - Bank Holiday Monday - pre-school is closed

Tuesday 3rd May - Inset Day CANCELLED

Friday 27th May - End of Term

Monday 6th June - Start of Term

Monday 20th June - Pre-school is closed in lieu of Queens Platinum Jubilee bank holiday

Friday 22nd July - End of Term

Please note Inset Days maybe subject to change and we will endeavour to provide parents with as much notice as possible.

Primary School Applications - DEADLINE 15TH JANUARY 2022

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

Dropping Off & Collection

We would ask that any parent wishing to speak to a member of staff at either 'drop-off' or 'collection' please wait until all children have been admitted into the building. This ensures that all children are inside safely and that the member of staff on duty can give you their full attention. Parents are also able to email ahead with any specifics relating to their child.

Please remember to let us know if someone else is collecting your child as we can only release your child to a confirmed adult. Please let us know either via text or email. Thank you.

Is Your Child Well Enough to Attend?

If your child is not well please keep them at home, this will not only help them get better quicker but will also save you having to collect them during the day. Pre-School is a very busy and noisy environment and children who are not 100% will not benefit from being with us.

What about covid?

And please remember that if your child is displaying any signs of covid they should remain at home and we would recommend that they are tested. Children can then attend if they test negative and are well enough. If a child displays signs of covid whilst they are at pre-school we will call parents and expect that children are picked up immediately.

If your child tests positive for covid they can now end their self-isolation after seven days, if they receive negative lateral flow test results on days 6 and 7 of self-isolation.

The first test must be taken no earlier than day 6 of the self-isolation period and tests must be taken 24 hours apart. If both these test results are negative, and your child does not have a high temperature, they may end their self-isolation after the second negative test result and return to pre-school from day 7.

Anyone who is unable, or chooses not to take lateral flow tests, will need to complete a full 10-day period of self-isolation.

What if someone at home, or a close contact, tests positive for covid?

Children under 5 are not being advised to take part in daily testing of close contacts. If a child under 5 is a contact of a confirmed case, they are not required to self-isolate and should not start daily testing. If they live in the same household as someone with COVID-19 they should limit their contact with anyone who is at higher risk of severe illness if infected with COVID-19, and arrange to take a PCR test as soon as possible. They can continue to attend pre-school while waiting for the PCR result. 

If the test is positive, they should follow the stay at home: guidance for households with possible or confirmed COVID-19 infection.

As the information and guidance around covid can change quite quickly we will endeavour to keep our parents as up to date as possible.

Parents to Pre-School Day 

It was so nice to see so many of our parents at our Open Days back in July and we now have a plan to enable parents to visit pre-school on select days throughout the school year. We currently have the following dates in the diary;

Thursday 27th January

Friday 25th March

Monday 16th May

Tuesday 28th June

Each day parents will be able to visit between 10am and 11am and 1pm and 2pm and get chance to see what your child gets up to at pre-school as well as chat with your child's key-person. This will be limited to the parents of children who attend pre-school on the specific day and prior to the event parents will receive an invitation by email. So please keep an eye out for your invitation.

Inset Days

Please note that we have cancelled the inset day scheduled for Tuesday 3rd May 2022.

We have an Inset Afternoon scheduled for Wednesday 26th January and we will be closed from 12.15pm - 3.15pm.

Committee Needed

Our committee are a vital part of pre-school and we are in need of new members. As a registered charity we cannot legally operate without a designated committee and so parental involvement is vital to our operation. If you would like to know more then please get in touch or speak with Jayne, Julie or Nikki (Albie's mum & Chairperson).

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.